How are You and Your Team Feeling?
Daniel
06-07-21Following the struggles and challenges over the past year with remote work also taking precedence, Business Doctors would like you to take a step back from your business and instead focus on how you and your team are currently feeling and take the time to reassess, regroup and move ahead as a team.
From an Owner’s Perspective.
The pandemic brought with it a host of new challenges for business owners to deal with;
- New approaches to employee management and engagement via the integration of services such as Zoom and Slack to keep your team connected.
- Keeping up with new regulations and guidance released by the government.
- The decline in sales and income leading to expense cuts.
- High level of redundancies took a mental toll on both those directly impacted as well their peers.
- Putting your own mental well-being aside due to being overly caught up with keeping your business afloat.
From an Employee Perspective
It has become more apparent over the past months the importance of the workplace as a social outlet and not only as a place to work. Although preferred by some, working from home has been a struggle nonetheless due to the isolation from friends and colleagues it has brought with it.
Mental health was already an important issue at the workplace prior to COVID and in the aftermath of such an unprecedented level of isolation, these figures are set to rise. By assessing your team regularly, you can become much more aware of how they’re feeling and are therefore more likely to be able to offer a more person-centered level of support.
Implementing a New Way of Working – The Hybrid Model
Working remotely has opened up the door to a more flexible working model going forwards – the hybrid model, which combines both remote and in-office working. By adopting this model, owners give their employees a considerable amount of freedom and flexibility when it comes to their working hours. This allows them the opportunity to work from wherever they find themselves most productive, home or office, ultimately allowing them to work to the best of their ability.
Other factors:
- Environmental benefits – Commuting to and from work are lowered significantly thus leading to a lower usage of fuel.
- Less daily expenditures – Transportation and parking costs are reduced significantly.
Tips for working effectively from home
If working from home is going to become a part of your business’s working model, your team must be encouraged to do so as productively as possible. Here are some tips to ensure that working from home is kept as efficient as it is in the office;
- Introduce a working day mindset – develop a routine.
- Get dressed – dress as if you were going off to work.
- Ease into the day by taking a small walk before and after work.
- Create an office space at home to be able to separate your work life from your home life.
- Take breaks as if you were working in the office.
- Keep the communication between your team flowing and set work hours for them to contact you in.
- Avoid avoidable distractions – Turn the tv off, hide your smartphone etc…
- Set a goal for the day – If you want a task completed by the end of the day, make sure it happens.
Reducing the stresses of hybrid working
Despite the benefits of implementing the hybrid model, communication and employee management are still the key to a happy and productive workforce.
Digital Communication platforms
It is crucial to introduce a digital communications platform into your business to help with keeping communication flowing through video calls or instant messages.
- Microsoft Teams – Platform where you can communicate with your team and in channels for easy day-to-day correspondence.
- Zoom Used by remote teams to host video meetings, which can also be recorded if needed.
- Slack – This platform is often used as a virtual HQ. It’s used by teams to chat, share files and integrate tools.
Well-being tools – The Feel-Good Factor
By being involved directly with several businesses and supporting them throughout COVID, the new stresses being faced by companies have become increasingly apparent to us. So much so that together with our experts we have developed the Feel-Good Factor which will allow owners to gain insight into how their business is feeling following the last 18 months. Answer a handful of quick questions that will help you assess where you, your team and your business currently find themselves. Once done, you will receive a free personalized feel-good score and analysis as well as a variety of FREE complimentary resources to help you move forward towards a happier, feel good future.
To assess how you and your business are presently feeling, click here to get your own Feel Good Factor score.
If you would like any further information on how you can support your team or ensure that your hybrid working model is implemented successfully, please don’t hesitate to contact us here
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