A team is a group of people who work together toward a common goal… but what happens when that group is not physically together? COVID-19 has changed the way we all work, and as our world reopens, how do we balance work from home or even hybrid scenarios? Although there are many benefits to remote work, there are also some challenges.
Many people struggle to unplug from their work at the end of the day. Some feel lonely and some struggle to collaborate with team members. How can we stay connected with our teams when we are feeling more disconnected than ever?
Here are 5 tips to help your team work efficiently while remote (or hybrid).
Tip 1: Maximize your meetings
At IMC, we use Microsoft TEAMs. This tool is a great way for the team to be heard and seen. We frequently hop on a call and screen share to talk through projects or review creative. We have learned that when the camera is on for a video call, it helps strengthen relationships with clients and allows us to come to decisions quickly.
As IMC is always focused on growth and learning, we are looking into other features that TEAMs offers, like Meeting Breakouts and Whiteboards.
Pro Tip: With so much of our day taken up with meetings now, try to be respectful by setting meetings 1+ days in advance and by sticking to the time allotted. Better yet, try to end 5 minutes early to allow your team members who may be hopping to another call time to regroup.
Tip 2: Stay organized and be accountable
Set team goals and track them in a way that everyone has visibility. At IMC we have many tools to keep a project on track. We have found one of our most valuable tools is our shared work tracker, which we review every other morning on a quick 15-minute call. It is a great place to level set workloads, allocate resources and offer help and suggestions to each other.
Tip 3: Share and celebrate wins
At IMC we believe hard work pays off. Thank members of the team for a job well done and let managers know when clients give positive feedback on the exceptional work completed. Receiving a “thank-you” for a job well done helps to keep us all moving forward and striving for bigger and better. So go ahead, give yourself a pat on the back and a virtual high-five to the team.
Tip 4: Superpowers are for everyone
We all have our own strengths and special talents. At IMC, we call them our superpowers. Know your team, what they are good at, and delegate tasks and projects to let those talents shine. However, don’t be afraid to raise your hand and try something new. A fresh perspective can take a project to a whole new level… and who knows, you might just discover a superpower you didn’t know about!
Tip 5: Have fun and trust in each other
Part of being on an effective team, remote or otherwise, is knowing that the team will thrive and succeed when we all trust in each other to get the job done. Believe in yourself and believe in the team. We can find balance, slay the day and have fun while doing it! We can all be effective working remotely as a team. See you online. 😊
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller