Covid-19 crisis unexpectedly sneaked upon us, leaving us dazzled more than a two years later. Business owners and managers are still gathering up their strength to operate their businesses to their true potential. Therefore, many need help or expert advice on how to maintain efficiency during the pandemic.
As a manager, you’re expected to organize employees, set goals and reach them, mind the finances, be supportive, and many more, while operating a business from home! Even though all of that seems impossible, you can become a superman or a superwoman that can do almost anything that comes to your mind. So, how can you stay productive? In this article, you can find six most important tips on how to improve productivity even in the remote teams.
1. Create a routine
Even though managers are required to be flexible and adaptable, in uncertain times like these, when the changes are frequent, you might find it easier to have a structure. Therefore, creating a flexible routine for your workday might be the best option for you to retain your productivity. Wouldn’t that get boring?
Let’s face it, routines can get quite dull, but imagine how joyful you’ll feel once you’ve completed everything from your to-do list! On top of that, routines don’t have to mean that you’ll do the same thing every day, it’s about structuring your day so you can organize your team and employees better!
2. Set clear tasks and goals
What is the main thing that keeps you moving forward? It’s the motivation powered by your long-term and short-term goals! To achieve those goals you need to create a realistic and doable path of tasks you and your team need to complete. That’s how you’ll always keep your goal in mind and keep pushing forward.
In addition to that, clear tasks can help you manage and organize your employees during these uncertain times. Even though you’re feeling lost and hopeless, you’re still the leader of your team. So, you need to be the one that motivates them to stay productive. That’s how clear tasks and reachable, realistic goals can help you maintain control.
Remember: focus on tasks that are high priority! After going through tasks that are most important, you can focus on other things that aren’t a burning question in given moment. Besides, how great does it feel when you complete a really big and important task? It will boost your motivation for dealing with other issues.
3. Provide a budget for the equipment
When the COVID-19 crisis started, a lot of companies shifted to remote work, allowing their employees to work from home. One of the most important aspects of remote work is having adequate equipment that can fulfill your employees’ needs. Therefore, if you’re not working in the tech industry, you might not be aware of the necessary equipment for successful and productive long – distance communication. What does it have to do with efficiency and productivity?
Everything! If you don’t have the equipment you need to work from homes, such as a PC, webcam, and a mic, you won’t be able to complete your tasks on time, which clearly affects the results! So, ensure you have a set budget for new equipment because you never know when you’ll need it.
4. Find motivation to keep learning
During the crisis, one of the hardest things is minimizing the effects of anxiety on work performance and finding the motivation to keep learning. Since it feels like the whole world suddenly stopped, you need to gather up strength and keep on moving forward to make your business survive these rough times. So, how can you motivate yourself and your team to learn?
As the internet is the largest base of data and information in the world, use it to find useful things for your business. For instance, you can learn about the basics of digital marketing for your small business, or find a subject of interest and learn more about it. On top of that, it’s your job as a manager to motivate your employees to develop their skills further, so consider providing them with various online training sessions to keep them productive.
Although, the times are tough, there is a silver lining. We are surrounded with a lot of different learning platforms (some of them offer free courses!) investing in such online education is something that will definitely pay off in the future.
5. Improve employee engagement
Besides keeping your employees engaged in different online courses and classes, you shouldn’t neglect one crucial aspect of success and productivity: communication! Stay in touch with your employees even if you’re not sitting at the same building anymore. Use the benefits of the internet, and communicate with your employees daily.
Since emails are passe, Facebook groups are unsafe and Staffbase is too expensive, consider implementing competitors of Staffbase that, besides communication, offer solutions for employee retention and engagement. Share confidential information, important data, or simply chat to induce efficiency in a safe environment offered by this platform.
6. Work on the focus
While working at home, the focus is usually the first one to gets away. Social media platforms, bed, kitchen, and TV have never been closer. However, you must resist the temptation and try to retain the focus.
As a manager, you’re a role model for your employees. Therefore, you need to work on your focus, which will help you stay efficient and productive. Just like you’re putting your technical skills to use, you need to practice good focus, and help your team keep the goal in mind while working from home. It will be challenging, however, the end result will be worth it!
Conclusion
Managing a company while working from home is a challenge most of us haven’t faced yet. Therefore, many managers are struggling with productivity and efficiency. However, these 6 tips will help you stay on top of your game and fulfill your goals even if you’re not in the office!
Morgan Rose Elliott graduated marketing from The University of Sydney. Hobbies include yoga, reading, home renovation. A rookie blogger who loves writing about business and lifestyle equally. She is happily married, stay at home mother of three.
Twitter account: https://twitter.com/MorganRoseElli1