Whether you’re working from home or in a remote office, there are a few things that always need to be done for your team to function effectively. Here are five tips for improving efficiency between small groups.
Set up a communication plan
Keeping your remote team in the loop of all activities can be problematic if they aren’t physically present. You’ll want to make sure they’re doing what they need to do and that they’re getting the feedback you need.
An excellent way to do this is through a communication plan. This plan should set out clear expectations for each person’s responsibilities. It will also outline how often you’ll communicate with your team and how long messages should be. A good communication plan will help ensure your team members have all the information they need for their jobs as efficiently as possible.
To get started, create a spreadsheet with all of the things that need to happen regularly and decide which tasks are necessary and which ones can wait a bit. Then, assign the jobs in the spreadsheet with different levels of importance according to their frequency or impact on other employees or clients.
If spreadsheets aren’t your thing, using apps such as Trello or Slack can help create a schedule for the day, so you know the jobs that need doing will be completed.
Always have everyone in the know.
Remote teams need to make sure everyone is on the same page. Communication is vital when working from home. If you’re unclear on what your team members are doing, they might be working in the wrong direction or may not realize that they’re missing out on an opportunity.
- Have an open-door policy: This will help keep all team members in the loop.
- Be available: Be reachable by phone and email at all times so that you can handle any issues quickly and efficiently.
- Hold daily stand-ups: These meetings allow remote teams to talk about what their day looks like and where they need support. It also offers a chance to share ideas and strengthen bonds with one another, leading to more productivity.
- Stay organized: Keep track of time spent on projects so that you can see if there are areas of improvement for future work efforts.
Establish clear deadlines and standards
When working with a remote team, it’s crucial to establish clear deadlines and standards that everyone can follow.
These should include the number of hours per week or the amount of work completed and how that work is prioritized. This helps ensure no misunderstandings about what needs to be done first and what needs to be delegated.
It’s also important to set guidelines on who should be doing which tasks, especially when you have multiple employees with different skillsets. For example, if you need someone else to research, who will this person be?
If your team is spread across more than one location, it can also be helpful to set up a shared folder for the project. This way, all team members can access their portion of the project easily without having to transfer files between locations.
Make use of tools and software to speed up the process.
As technology offers up new and innovative ways of working, it also creates a lot of technology-related headaches. One way to prevent these headaches is to use tools and software that can help you work more efficiently.
For example, try using a shared calendar app like Calendly or Trello. These apps are designed to increase productivity by streamlining your process. You can use these apps to schedule meetings, share files, and organize actions before they happen.
Another tool to consider is an all-in-one software program like Trello or Asana. This free software will allow you to create task lists with subtasks so that everyone on the team knows what needs to be done and set deadlines for when tasks need to be completed. It also has other features designed especially for group activities like project management and customer support.
Ensure your internal and external systems can support your remote workers and allow everyone in the office and outside to access the files and software they need. It can be a good idea to outsource this type of setup to a company that can advise you on the best software and tech for your needs. For example, finding out What is SD-Wan? And how it can benefit your company can help you to improve workflows and efficiency.
Entrepreneur Resources Your source for small business information
