Working from home can be a dream come true for many people, but it also has its challenges. How do you stay focused while working from home? How do you make sure that you are getting your work done in the most efficient way possible? What are some great ways to keep the team motivated from afar?
With the rise of remote work, there are as many challenges presented as perks, both for employer and employee. So, whether you’re a chief executive, project or line manager, or simply a disciplined team member keen to get the most out of their colleagues, to keep your team focused when working from home, here are 8 simple suggestions.
OVERCOME DISTRACTIONS
As much as we don’t like to admit it, working from home is distracting. There are just so many things that can pull us away from what we’re supposed to be doing, from a ringing phone or doorbell to cleaning up after a pet, all the way to a dog barking at the neighbours and the pull of having to peer longingly into the fridge once again.
The best way to mitigate the lure of these distractions for you and your colleagues is to ensure that everyone has the best possible working from home set-up that their domestic environment allows. Because if employees have the right tools for the job, rather than a laptop balanced precariously on an ironing board, then it’s much easier for the team to have their professional hats on. Read more about the ideal home office desk set-up here for more tips on that.
SET CLEAR BOUNDARIES
Set clear boundaries between your personal and professional life, and encourage your colleagues and team members to do the same.
Your home is a place for rest and relaxation, so when you’re working from home, it’s best to keep your work area separated from the rest of the house. If you’re working from home full-time, consider setting up a dedicated room or office where you can shut the door on your work life and just focus on getting things done.
If possible, schedule meetings for times when family members will be away or asleep – this will help to reinforce the separation between work and leisure activities.
Do the same for your fellow team members; make a rule within the company that prohibits work-related contact, meetings and deadlines outside of working hours.
KEEP TRACK OF TIME SPENT ON EACH PROJECT
If you want to ensure that you and your fellow team members are using their time most effectively, then having data insights into just how the team operates, and their strengths and weaknesses, can really help when staff are physically separated.
Software that allows you to examine patterns in yours and your colleague’s workflow – such as who needs assistance or additional training, or who works best and most efficiently on certain types of assignments or times and could work better if you specialised their workflow – can really boost productivity in the home working era.
You’ll be able to better manage your employee’s skills and talents more comprehensively, getting the most of the unique strengths of your team.
It should be noted that such software might be used by employers unethically, and this should be strongly discouraged. Aside from the morality of such monitoring, you could well be breaking the law in doing so. Instead, only use such software for analytical purposes.
COMMON SPACE FOR ONLINE COLLABORATION TOOLS
One way to keep everyone on track and in tandem is to provide a space for collaborative activities. Use this area for brainstorming, writing, editing, and other activities needed to complete projects.
If your team is working on projects together, like creating presentations or writing reports, set up an online shared workspace. That way everyone can see what everyone else is doing, and innovation can flourish.
There are specific tools available to help remote workers communicate with one another, such as Google Docs, Basecamp, and Skype chat. These tools are great for collaborating on projects and sharing ideas.
Go further and implement various virtual tools such as instant messaging and video conferencing to keep the team connected. Slack, Trello, Google Meeting, Flowdock and of course, Zoom are some popular collaborative platforms.
Read: 5 ways to make working from home easy with apps
GIVE PROJECTS TIME LIMITS
If you have employees working remotely, it can be difficult to keep everyone’s eyes on the prize. To make sure your team members are getting the most out of their work time at home, you may want to consider setting time limits for certain projects.
Long-term projects with no deadlines can become overwhelming because there’s no sense of urgency to complete them quickly. Setting deadlines will help you stay on track and deliver results faster.
TAKE TIME OFF
Setting a weekly schedule for working from home helps prevent employees from over-committing, which can lead to burnout and less productivity overall. It also reduces the chances that they’ll be tempted to clock in extra hours when they don’t have to. Working from home is not an excuse for employers to expect employees to squeeze in extra work time whenever possible — it’s supposed to make you more efficient in your work time, not less. Work smarter, not harder, as they say, and encourage colleagues to do the same.
SET PRIORITIES
Working from home can be a challenge. The demands of family life, errands, and other distractions always loom over you. To combat this problem, set clear priorities for yourself and your team and stick to them.
Before everyone gets started in the morning, encourage a communal review of the schedule and figure out what must be done that day, then block it out. For example, if you have an important client presentation to finish by Thursday, start working on it right away in the morning so that you have time to make any edits or changes before the presentation itself.
CELEBRATE MILESTONES
Work can come with an incredible sense of accomplishment because you’re helping someone or something succeed, but sometimes it can feel like the war never ends. Plan milestone celebrations throughout the year, not only for your company’s big wins but also for personal accomplishments that have been reached. Make it a goal to accomplish something (and celebrate it as a team!) at least once per quarter, preferably something that makes your heart swell and brings pride to the organisation.
Read: 7 IDEAL ways to make your workplace more attractive to employees
THE BOTTOM LINE
Working from home can be frustrating, especially if you’re trying to build an efficient, hardworking team with a sense of camaraderie and contentment. By focusing on employee happiness as much as productivity, you’ll find working from home needn’t be a hindrance to focus. Good luck!