If you've received even *half* the emails and social media notifications I've received the past few months about tips relating to working from home, you are probably looking like poor frantic Homer Simpson already.
It is, of course, natural - in these crazy circumstances we have found ourselves in - that everyone tries to help others as much as they can. This, however, has resulted in thousands of emails, blog posts, social media updates, articles, guides, handbooks, etc. being circulated around and bombarding us all, each one (including this very one you're reading, someone could argue...!) claiming to be the best/ most comprehensive/ detailed guide we could possibly read.
For someone like me, that has PC (that stands for Pre-Covid19) working from home experience (working both from home and office environments for the past 10 years), some of the tips shared are actually quite annoying. This is because some of these articles circulating around are actually describing working from home practices that are too rigid, and in many cases unfeasible. I believe someone new to working from home may negatively be affected by all this, and it is highly possible such rigid advice may actually be harmful to one's self-confidence and may be adding to their stress levels, which are already high for most of us at the moment.
The reality is that some of the information we've seen suffers from the following issues:
Assumes that working from home is something you can perfect overnight, while the reality is that it is actually a learned skill and it takes time to find your step.
May not be reliable, in that we don't always know how much actual previous experience the person writing the article has when it comes to working from home.
Is repetitive, in that we see similar tips shared around.
May not be useful, in that some practices supposedly presented as 'effective' do not necessarily work for everyone, as they don't account for different circumstances.
And of course, let's not forget that when you've received so many emails/ blog posts/ social media updates about remote working tips, at some point you've simply run out of energy to actually read them, mostly out of fear that they will just be reiterating what that email/ blog post/ social media post from 5 minutes ago also said. And no one knows if these tips actually work. It's like one blind led by another.
So, what I've done here is to actually research thoroughly and collate a long list of the most useful working from home tips I've seen, having filtered them, however, through the lens of my own lengthy remote working experience. These start from general tips and move to more specific, so keep reading.
I should say that the article assumes that you and the employees of your small business are working from home. If there are certain employees, including yourself, working in your premises some days of the week, either by necessity or by choice, then the advice given is still relevant, but obviously there are some additional considerations to be made:
have you established their safety?
have you ensured equal and fair rotation among different staff members?
have you managed to ensure smooth communication between those working from home and those working in the actual premises?
and of course, as manager of these employees, you should continuously express gratitude to those employees still working on your premises.
Before I start, here is the ONE thing you can take away from this guide:
THERE IS NO 'BEST' WAY TO WORK FROM HOME. Each one of us faces different circumstances, deals with this situation differently in psychological and mental terms, has different preferences when it comes to working practices, has different degrees of familiarity with various technological tools that have emerged as crucial these days, and therefore, whatever works for some will not work for others.
OK? Ready? Let's start.
1. No guilt rule.
Can we agree that...
... these are strange times, to put it mildly? Yes.
... the only thing that matters the most is ensuring the safety, health, and well-being of ourselves and our loved ones? Yes.
... when we're thinking about the things we were agonising at the start of the year, including our constant stress to be perfect at everything we do, we are, at the very least, laughing at ourselves, and in the most likely scenario, chastising ourselves for our naivety? Yes.
Even when things were more...normal, many of us weren't able to catch up with all the items in our to-do lists, and even then, the advice was that we should not feel guilt or shame about it.
Things have been far more complex, confusing, and stressful due to the coronavirus pandemic, so, accept that, irrespective of whether you are used to working from home or not, there will be nothing perfect about your working days and weeks. You will most likely not be able to push through all the workload you tended to get done and dusted in those times of normalcy that feel like a distant memory. If you can't manage to complete all 20 items in your to-do list as you set out to do in the morning, it's OK.
Notice how when you look around you, when discussing with your friends, colleagues, clients, everyone seems to be saying the same thing:
"It's OK if you don't have time to, or can't finish this/ call me/ deliver this by X time (your original deadline); I understand how things are at the moment. Just take care and stay safe, OK?"
So, no need to feel guilty if you've tried your best. Everyone's expectations about what constitutes 'perfect' at the moment have lowered. Because everyone has realised that in the list of priorities we all have at the moment, being perfect sits, like, really low.
And if they're still not convinced, I would suggest you direct them to this podcast right here, where Tsedal Neeley, professor at Harvard Business School, highlights that productivity actually goes up with remote work, in ordinary times. Of course, there is nothing ordinary about the times we're living in, so expect a dip in your productivity and that of your team and employees - everyone is still adjusting to this situation where the world has turned upside-down and is unavoidably distracted.
2. Really account for your personal circumstances.
Staying alone vs living with your partner/spouse vs living with your spouse and three children vs being an empty-nest couple, etc. creates completely different challenges for you.
Have a chat with your family, to ensure that they understand your needs, and that you understand theirs. If your spouse or partner is also working from home, you need to agree on a schedule that may need to be checked daily (e.g. if one of you has meetings scheduled by his/her workplace in times that tend to vary every day, the other needs to show flexibility, and vice versa).
Also, now that everyone is staying at home, tidying up and cleaning up needs to be done much more regularly than before, because with everyone's constant presence at home, things get messier. Factor this in your daily schedule, and come to an agreement with your partner about who does what types of chores and what is an acceptable/ appropriate frequency. For instance, my husband and I have agreed that for the time being, he is doing the dishes and lunch, I am taking care of cleaning, making the bed, and the laundry, and both of us together prepare dinner.
Finding the right balance between family time and work time will take longer than you think - accept that. Ensure that you are not constantly the 'bad roommate' in your household.
Keep in mind that your employees or team members are also facing potentially different circumstances from those of your own. Maybe they have children, so the best time for them to work uninterrupted is 05.00-09.00 in the morning, at which point the baby wakes up and they need to take care of their son or daughter. Ask them what support they need, and show flexibility. People may not be in a position to work for 40 hours a week until they find their steps. Again, show flexibility, and don't make this a competition for your employees, if some seem to be doing better than others - trust them and give them time to catch up.
3. Find a routine. And break it whenever needed.
Every single guide for 'work from home' practices clearly states that establishing a routine is crucial, so I am going to be extra clear as well. You absolutely need a routine, and if you don't establish one, you will end up being burnt-out. The routine has a purpose: to maintain as much as possible a work-life balance, which now is far more challenging to achieve given that the family life and work life co-habit under the same roof!
Getting up by 7 am the latest, going for a walk or running on the treadmill, taking a shower, getting dressed, having breakfast, making myself a cup of coffee, and starting my day with tasks that require my concentration and creativity, checking emails mid-morning, and continuing with brainstorming sessions or calls with clients is my normal 'morning to noon' routine and works perfectly fine for me. But that's me.
You'll need to find your own routine, and account for the fact that it may not be similar to what you were used to when you were commuting or working outside the home.
You now need to find a transition trigger. When you used to go to your work office, you were actually getting dressed, commuting, unlocking your office door, etc. This whole process helped prepare your mind to make the transition from home to work. This process is no longer happening, so you need to find a substitute for it. For me, the 'click' from 'personal' life to 'work' life while staying at home happens with switching on the kettle and making coffee.
Your routine should include breaks, family meals, etc. Of course, you need to adapt accordingly whenever circumstances require this, and it is normal that some parts of the family life will now intermingle with work life. Just make sure you maintain some sort of distinction between the two.
A good rule of thumb is asking yourself: “If I was at work now, would I be able to do this?” - but remain flexible.
Yes, you wouldn't normally stop mid-morning to make a sandwich for your daughter, but you're no longer in the office, she may no longer be in school as she used to be, and if she is hungry, well... she is hungry and you need to do something about that. Similarly, you would simply pop-in the office kitchen around 3 pm to make yourself a cup of tea, and would chat with your colleagues or staff as you were waiting for the kettle, but now they are not around, and there is no harm in prepping your washing machine for your laundry as you're waiting for the water to boil.
Your routine may also need to work around the fact that you now need to use new tools or technologies to do things you used to do in different ways. This can initially translate to delays or frustration, disrupting your routine even further. That's fine; persevere, it will go away as you get more and more used to how things have changed.
Also, the pandemic crisis is in everyone's mind at the moment, so it is natural that you want to check the news. Resist the urge to check updates constantly, because this disrupts you, and news these days are by default stressful and upsetting. Restrict checking the news down to once-twice a day, e.g. I check the news in the morning, and then around 16.00 each day, because by that time official updates in both key markets for me, the UK and Greece, have been announced.
Final tip: your routine MUST absolutely include breaks that help you maintain your physical and mental health. Actually schedule this in your day, by asking yourself every morning before starting work:
"What's the one item of self-care that I will do for me today?"
You deserve it. You are worthy of it. Your well-being matters. Having said that, it's important for you to be taking sufficient amount of sleep. Your routine should include a specific time when you go to bed. This may be a little bit difficult in the beginning, but after a while, your body will be 'trained' and you will be getting the amount of sleep that you need, and consequently, you will be feeling much more rested when you wake up in the morning.
4. Find your working space.
I cannot stress enough the need for you to be able to discern your work life from your personal life. You need to perform all work-related tasks in a dedicated location, e.g. a home office room, a desk at the furthest corner of the living room, etc. While you can change from one spot to the other if you're easily bored, I would at least advise to avoid doing work in places around your home that are supposed to be relaxing or living spaces, e.g. the dining table, the sofa, or the bed.
Your personal circumstances are different from everyone else's. If you don't have a home office, or desk, there are always ways to set up a temporary working space. Check out these very creative examples!
Set a time beyond which you will not engage in work-related tasks, and switch off every single day at the same time, no matter how painful it is (trust me as a fellow workaholic - it is painful). Turn off email and social media notifications. To stick with it, you need to make it a habit.
Pro tip: In order for a habit to stick, you need to pair it with something else that you do regularly or is a non-movable task.
For instance, if you decide that 18.00 in the evening is the time where all work-related tasks cease, schedule your daily exercise or Skype call with your mum/ best friend for then. Once you finish work-related tasks, clean up your desk, put everything in place, close your laptop, change clothes (put your jammies on!), put on some music or turn-off the ceiling lights and instead switch-on a floor lamp. That way, you are signalling to your mind that you have 'transferred' to the 'home' part of your day.
5. Organise your working space.
Now, this is a bit different.
Your work building is now your home, and your office is now whatever you are using as a desk amidst a space that was built for a non-work purpose: space where moments of joy and relaxation are shared with other human and non-human (e.g. pet) beings.
Similar to how your work premises are maintained (or at least should be maintained) in pristine condition, clean and tidy, the same applies here. You and your family members should invest some time to clean up your home and tidy everything up as much as possible. This will take some of the mental load off your mind, especially if you're a woman and/or a mother.
When it comes to your actual desk, I understand that some people are perfectly fine to continue working with total chaos around them, but I am not one of them. My desk is in an airy and bright room, and everything on it has a purpose for being there, and is located on a specific position so that I can find it quickly whenever I need it. Throughout the day, things do get mad, of course, with papers and post-it notes all over the place, and I swear there are times you can find at least 4 different pens all around my keyboard, but I have never regretted the two minutes that I spend quickly cleaning up and organising stuff.
Also, make your working space a nice, comfy space that will keep you motivated, happy, inspired. Add a picture from your last holidays as your screen background. Have your favourite cup on a coaster you bought from an open market. Have some relaxing jazz music playing in the background.
Pro tip: what are your most common bad habits? Keep a reminder of them next to you, with the corresponding coping strategies.
For instance, I know that I suffer from certain bad habits: Perfectionism, Over-stressing, Impostor Syndrome, Mind-reading, Future-worrying, etc. (yes, better stop here, let's say I am a complicated case!).
So, I have created a colourful poster, with cloud-like bubbles representing each of my most common bad habits, and the strategies I should be using or questions I should be asking myself when I notice these behaviours of mine to emerge. This poster is hanging on the wall on the right hand side of my desk, so it is always within eyesight.
6. Invest in hardware you need.
First things first, you need to ensure that all your team members and employees have the equipment they need and are able to connect with work tasks and others - ask them what do they need and provide it for them. I assume that at this point, with some of us working under lockdown-like conditions for so long, you've already sorted this one out.
Moving on, if you are working on a work laptop, this should be in pristine condition. If that is the case, just ensure you keep it this way, and avoid downloading any software that is not recommended. If you need to connect to remote servers, use a VPN connection.
If your home laptop has been slowly dying the past few months, maybe now is the time for you to invest in a new piece that will allow you to reliably perform any tasks required.
Most importantly, however, investing in a good headset with a microphone is quite crucial, as they really are very helpful - when using headphones, you can focus on the conversation or conference call, while remaining uninterrupted by external noises. It also helps minimise frustration for people on the other side of the video call.
Also, if you're only using a laptop, it can be frustrating, especially if the screen size is small. If only you had a bigger screen, such as that large monitor you used to have in your work office... well, you do! Your TV! The only thing you need is an HDMI cable! Or, you can invest in a larger desktop monitor and again connect it to your laptop via HDMI.
Finally, now is the time to invest in an external hard drive, to back-up your files.
7. Download latest updates in your settings, apps, software, etc.
There is nothing more frustrating than having a window popping up telling you that you need to update to the latest version of your Windows/ browser/ Zoom/ Skype/ Adobe Reader, etc. right at that crucial moment you're trying to open a file, or have a video-call with a client.
So, spend some time checking whether there are any updates you need to be making, starting with your antivirus software. Ensure you update to all the latest settings for your desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet, and whenever possible, make sure you automate these updates, and if required, ensure you have restarted your computer in order for all those updates to be installed, outside of normal work hours.
8. Decide on key software and tools you need.
Depending on the extent to which you have been used to working with digital tools for communication with your team, employees, clients, partners, etc., this is an area that may require some effort on your part.
There are three key and inter-related issues here - the why, the what, and the how:
Why do you need tools? What things that used to happen offline and now need to happen online do you need to find a tool for? What goals should each tool achieve?
What tools should you use? Which are the tools that are highly functional, reliable, and recommended for certain types of tasks?
How can these tools be learnt and implemented? How can I get my team's buy-in? How can we use them appropriately and effectively?
Starting with the why: you need to identify the processes that now need to be happening online, since you are no longer working (regularly) in the office. For instance, there are certain tools, such as Slack, or Trello, which you may have never needed to use before, but can really help you now to communicate with the rest of your team members, or with your employees, and track progress on different projects or pending activities. Think about your typical working day and map out all the different activities and tasks you do. Which ones need a new tool, either because the face-to-face interaction is no longer possible or because, well, it's time for you to embrace the digital revolution and perhaps automate things to save time and energy? By the way, we can help you shape your firm's digital transformation strategy and integrate marketing automation tools to achieve efficiency and enhanced customer experience.
In terms of what tools you should use - here is a list of truly helpful and easily accessible tools that I've tried and tested, and have found that are really easy to install and use, each one serving different purposes:
Zoom - for videoconferencing
Trello - for project management
Canva - for graphic design and visuals (incl. those of your social media updates!)
Screencast-o-matic - for video recording
Loom - for video recording, and excellent for creating training or presentation videos
Hootsuite - for social media scheduling
Dropbox - for file sharing
Other highly recommended tools include:
One piece of advice: use only one tool for a specific type of task. Otherwise, it will be very complicated. For example, try Trello and Slack, and decide on the one you think is best. Then, stick to it.
In terms of how to learn and use these tools: You need to invest some time to familiarise with the tools you will select and test whether they provide functionalities that work for you. Otherwise, you will not get much out of them, and you will become increasingly frustrated. Check their settings as well, e.g. Zoom allows you to add background images (has a short selection but you can add your own, including one with your logo or other creative ideas - check these examples for inspiration, and you have my permission to go wild!), so that when you're on a video-call, others can't see your untidy living room, or the fact that you're working from your kitchen table.
Most importantly, don't forget that you need your team's buy-in into all this.
You need to include at least some of your team members or employees in this first process of testing, to check whether these tools work not only for you but also for them. Once you've received some feedback and have made your decisions, you can roll this out to the rest of your team, starting with a comprehensive email going out to your employees, followed by a video call with everyone, where you introduce the new way of working, explain the new tools, rules for communicating, how processes are to be followed from this point onwards, etc. If they haven't used such software in the past, you need to convey enthusiasm and explain clearly how those tools can help everyone communicate with each other more efficiently and make their work a little bit effortless. Give people time to catch up with those tools.
Just remember that the value of certain collaborative tools, such as Slack, is that they are working like a substitute for a 'live office environment'. Their role should be to enhance communication. Establish rules on how your team can communicate with each other, send updates, ask questions, share progress, ask for or give approval about something, share files, etc.
Having said that, use them, and don't abuse them. Use group chats wisely, to ask or receive feedback, resolve queries, etc., otherwise they can become a distraction for your team, and hardly anything will get done. If you want to talk about something that is important but is not a priority, or want to present something that your team will need to access again and again, then you can schedule a meeting for another time, or make a video (e.g. via Loom) and send it to your team so they can access it in their own times.
9. The start is the half of everything.
As Aristotle said, the start is the half of everything. This applies to your 'working from home' day as well. Our lives are overwhelmed at the moment. Somewhere between caring for young children, preparing meals, taking some exercise, getting supplies, checking in with your colleagues or employees, getting on the phone with your clients, etc. it is easy to close your eyelids for a moment and only one thought to come through your mind:
"This is chaos. I don't know where to start."
First, same here, so you're not alone. Second, take a deep breath. Third, there are two ways to solve the 'where should I start?' puzzle:
a. Where is the 'fire'? In other words, what is the matter that requires your immediate attention and urgent response? Start with that. Then the next one.
b. If there is no 'fire' burning, what is the one thing that feels right for you to do at the current moment? In other words, trust your instincts and desires. If your mind constantly thinks about the pile of emails that require your attention, and which unless you read, file, or respond to, you won't be able to catch up with the current situation, then that's what you need to do. If your mind feels tired and you could use a half hour of relaxation with a cup of coffee, or a walk, or a video-call with your mum or best friend, then that's what you need to do. Resisting this will only add to your frustration and lack of concentration.
10. Set out at the start of the day what you want to achieve.
It is crucial that you don't spend all your days just putting 'fires' out. The survival and growth of your small business should remain your key priority, but this can only be achieved via continuing to plan and implement growth strategies that meet your objectives (or adjusted objectives given that we are in a global pandemic crisis leading to a global economic recession). In order for you to do this, you need to set time aside for creativity and innovation.
Lisa Guillot, transformational mindset coach and brand voice coach, advises that we should start our workday by setting an intention, a purpose to turn our attention towards. Lisa suggests that, in order to stay laser-focused toward your goals and keep going with a clear mindset, we need to be asking the following questions:
What’s one thing I can be excited about?
What’s one word I could use to describe who I want to be today?
What’s one thing that could stress me out?
How would my higher self deal with that?
11. Get yourself organised as much as possible.
I take great pride at the way I keep myself organised, and I have a few tools that are tried and tested and help me achieve this: e-calendar, Trello, post-it notes, and an actual, hardcopy diary. If the latter feels old-fashioned, hear me out before you judge!
Of course, I use my e-calendar to schedule meetings, etc. (e.g. discovery session with client at 10.00 on Friday). But what happens to all those short-term tasks (e.g. prep for the discovery session) and long-term projects (e.g. report to be delivered)?
Yes, you can use your e-calendar to block time for them in a typical week, but when working with clients that require assistance and support, it is easy for these slots to be replaced with a client call.
Yes, you can also use Trello, in order to set these projects up and manage them as they move from one stage to another, but this is more useful for longer term and collaborative projects, and it is a bit challenging to see them all together and be reminded to make progress on all of them.
Every time a new task pops-up, or you remember that something needs to be done, you can jot it down to wee post-it notes, which you can leave around your desk (at least, that's what I do!). But then of course, by the end of the day, you may easily end up with double-digit number of post-it notes, which will need to be organised and prioritised.
Enter...the hardcopy diary. I have been using this for many years, have tried different types and have firmly decided that the best type is the one where each page corresponds to a day across the week. Apart from scheduling down both family- and work-related commitments, appointments, and meetings, as well as things that have a specific deadline (e.g. preliminary report due to be delivered to client on 14th), a hardcopy diary helps with my to-do list.
There are hardly any tasks that make their way in our to-do lists these days that are not time-bound. Tasks may not have a specific deadline, but may need to be completed soon in order for you to be able to make progress on something else. Plus, longer-term tasks, such as preparing a report for a client that requires months of work or developing your social media content calendar for the next month, can't really happen overnight - you need to break it down to smaller tasks.
The actual process of breaking down larger projects to smaller chunks, listing short and long-term tasks, prioritising them, and scheduling them in the timeframe of the week (instead of the timeframe of a day) is amazingly facilitated by the presence of a hard-copy diary.
I use the diary's...Sunday pages to organise my to-do list for the next week. While you would expect a Sunday diary page to be empty, or only have family and friend related commitments (e.g. brunch with husband), mine are always full with to-do tasks for the following week. So, usually at the end of each day (or you may want to try doing this in the morning before you start working and before you open your emails!), I check that list, and decide which items must absolutely get done that day in order for me to be able to reach the end of the week having crossed off everything that was written on the Sunday page. Old-fashioned, I know but trust me, the process of actually writing tasks down - aside from emptying my 'headspace' as I don't have to constantly remember everything I have to do - somehow 'diminishes' their power over me, and if something keeps popping-up on subsequent Sunday diary pages, then it is because it appears that it is not as important as the rest!
In addition, crossing off the tasks you've achieved helps you feel positive, because it is 'hard' evidence that you did make a lot of progress this week. This reinforces your sense of achievement, and consequently helps keep you motivated.
12. Set a daily 'touching-in' video chat with your team/employees, and keep connected.
Making sure that your team can meet, share news, concerns, or simply to have a chat and a laugh (e.g. as you're sharing the struggles of home-schooling), is crucially important to maintain the 'glue' that keeps all of you together.
The chat will help you to reduce the effects of isolation, and introduce some form of normality via human connection. A quick chat can help you check how your people are handling this whole situation, and don't underestimate how a few minutes of catch-up can make everyone feel more positive and empowered. Don't hesitate to show your emotions or struggles as well - this will encourage them to do the same and not to feel intimidated that everyone else has everything sorted out. Speak, but also listen.
Make sure that this video chat is scheduled in a specific time every day and doesn't last more than half an hour.
This is so that your team members know this is a staple and thus enables them to schedule the rest of their duties and personal commitments around it. Also, keeping it under half an hour is recommended, otherwise, it will become one more frustrating thing people will need to do in their already chaotic everyday realities.
This video chat has multiple benefits:
it gives you the opportunity to check how your team is doing and whether they need any support
it enables you to be there for them, detect issues before they arise, or as they are arising
it helps you track progress
it provides you with the opportunity to keep your team updated, and ask for feedback or suggestions about issues that you're facing as manager of this small business
it enables you to keep your team updated about time slots in the day that you will not be available, and receive similar information from them. The fact you are all working from home does not mean you should be free/available all the time!
You can use tools such as Zoom for your videoconferencing call with your team. Just ensure you are using something that your team is already using for other purposes (e.g. if you are using Zoom for calls with clients, use that, rather than forcing your team to learn one more software tool).
Pro tip: don't just rely on your daily Zoom chat to check how your team is handling the situation. Look for other signs as well, which may be showing that a certain person may be struggling.
For instance, if one of your employees was always very thorough and comprehensive in their email responses to you, and now they're sending quick, rushed emails with half responses, then this is a sign that they may be overwhelmed at the moment. Reach out and ask how they are coping and whether there is anything you can do to support them.
If you have any international team members, that is, either people that have migrated from abroad, or have family abroad, pay special attention. Research has found that even in ordinary times, employees that have migrated from other parts of the world, may feel homesick and this affects their productivity. This becomes even more attenuated in a situation like this, as your employees or team members may have family and friends abroad affected by this crisis.
Spend some time asking your international team members whether everyone back home is OK, how their families are coping, whether any loved ones are sick, etc. and how you can support them.
Finally, ensure that you remain visible and available for your team, not only during your daily video chat session. Don't forget all the team-bonding and social responsibilities you have as well. If a member of your staff were going on a maternity leave, or had their 30th birthday when you were all still working in the business premises, you would draw them a wee party, no? This potentially can't physically happen now, but there is nothing stopping you from throwing an impromptu Zoom well-wishing session, sending them a birthday e-card or a gift voucher, e-signed by everyone. Special attention is needed towards employees that have gotten sick or are caring for a sick family member or have lost someone to coronavirus. Show them that you care with a simple gesture and check in with them to see how they are doing.
13. Handle video calls and remote work like a pro.
The quality of your work, and meetings via Zoom or similar tools, should continue to maintain the same level of professionalism that you had before. Of course, you need to adjust, and show empathy and understanding, as described earlier, and this applies to all situations, not only when you're talking with your team or employees, but also when you're speaking with partners, suppliers, and of course your clients.
Once your team has been set up, you need to reach out to your customers and also inform them about the new ways you will be communicating with them and sharing updates. To the extent that is possible, keep disruption to a minimum, but information communicated to clients needs to be clear.
An additional level of complexity when it comes to external stakeholders is the diverse approaches and tools that they may be adopting, which may be completely different to your own. For instance, your customers may not be using Zoom, and may wish to conduct the video call using Skype, or may have established a specific platform for their partners to log-in and share progress. You can propose the use of your own tools/ ways but you would need to adjust to certain requirements - to the degree that is possible - if your suggestions are rejected.
Pro tip: Prepare well in advance for different ways of communication required by external stakeholders. Log-in early, check audio/video, familiarise with the platform, etc.
Of course, many of your customers may literally be facing a completely difficult situation, and may naturally turn to you with many questions. It is possible that you may not be able to address all of them, as you may literally not know the answer to these questions. Explain this clearly, and simply offer your best, honest advice. Some things we just have to make up as we go.
Especially in relation to video call meetings, e.g. via Zoom, there are some extra tips that you will need to implement for your virtual discussions to be efficient:
Ensure that you, or some other member of your team, acts as the facilitator of the discussion. Their role essentially is to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to pitch-in and that the discussion is orderly. Look out for the 'goldfish' faces in your Zoom screen (i.e. people that appear to have opened their mouth as if they have wanted to say something and then closed it again). Prompt them to speak.
Take advantage of the functionalities being offered. For instance, on Zoom, you can mute participants (e.g. to minimise background noise from 7 people taking part in the call simultaneously), or use 'breakout' rooms (e.g. to have people discuss with each other and decide about something before they update the rest), or 'waiting' rooms (e.g. to have your team members providing you with confidential information, or updating you on progress of their work, or sharing personal challenges that you should be aware of).
14. Time to redefine the way you and your small business works.
It goes without saying that this whole situation has created plenty of challenges that require decisive and quick action and has also re-shaped our worldview about what is important and what is not. This applies to decision-making processes, projects and meetings, both past and new ones.
Communicate clearly and with decisiveness. As a manager of a small business, everyone will be looking at you for decisions and solutions, both employees and clients. Make your decisions for crucial matters quickly, set priorities, delegate, and communicate clearly. Share problems as soon as possible. It's best for your employees to know any struggles the business is facing. Ask for their suggestions and feedback.
Lead by example. Show to your employees how you're balancing work and family life. If you make yourself unavailable by 18.00, they will feel better doing the same. If you're still emailing them at 23.00, this will create additional stress to them, unless you've clarified earlier that due to personal reasons (e.g. the baby not going to bed before 20.00), you will only be able to respond to emails later that evening. Make clear that you're not expecting a response at that point. In general, it should be clear to everyone in your business that they should not necessarily expect immediate responses from others.
Check your calendar for the next month. Do you really need to be having all those meetings? Assess the real value of having one more video call meeting - do you really need it? Is it something that will help your work to progress, or can the issue be addressed via a quick email update? If so, avoid scheduling unnecessary video calls, especially since everyone is dealing with complex circumstances at home. A good rule of thumb is to use meetings primarily for decision-making purposes.
I have saved the most difficult thing for last: Evaluate the real value behind certain projects or commitments you have undertaken or you're currently presented with and you're contemplating to agree on. Do they really represent things that will help your business achieve its objectives? If no, then this is low-impact work. If that's the case, then you can outsource it, and focus on other work, or say 'no' if the project is a new undertaking. I understand that this is a difficult choice to make, especially with a recession expected to follow the pandemic crisis; not many of us can afford saying no to new projects. But if the new commitment will put you and your team in extra stress, and will not lead you closer to your objectives, then you're taking the risk of moving away from the things that really matter for your small business.
Final thoughts
While the circumstances that have brought us here are horrible, as with every challenge we face in life, we need to treat this one as well with optimism and determination. Despite some frustrations that may naturally be caused due to some people not being familiar with working from home, remote working is actually something that works really well for millions of people across the world that have been practising it for years.
You just have to keep trying - in some cases, finding what works for you and what doesn't is a process of trial and error. For some this may be frustrating and annoying, but with a little bit of patience, you may actually end up really liking it, and never wanting to go back to how things were!
In the long term, this experience that now seems forced may be your preferred method of working for you and some of your employees or team members, as it is possible that you will understand that many things can happen remotely while you're enjoying flexibility to care for your family. This will also lead to plenty of opportunities, such as reducing commuting time, cutting down on costs relating to premises, space rent, electricity, etc., as well as recruiting top talent from other non-local areas or countries.
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Let us know if these tips are helpful or if we've missed any important tips that you've found helpful, either by reaching out to us on social media (Twitter and LinkedIn), via email (info@draseum.org), or via our contact form.
Take care!
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