Dear Yogesh,

As we’ve been working in the work-from-home setup, it has been getting very hard for us to communicate as a team. People are never aligned; the meetings don’t happen as per the schedule and there are a lot of differences that have come in the team. Any insights, best practices, and strategies are welcome.

Regards,

Krish

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Dear Krish,

The pandemic has changed us from working completely in-office to working from home/beds/sofas/couches, etc. It is the new normal. Nobody has taken the training to manage from a setup like this, but when given a chance, people try to do their best and learn new practices to make things work. 

Just like that, I have learned a few practices that I think have kept me going through these tough times. It is not the ultimate guide as people adapt according to their circumstances, but these can be a few best practices and positive thoughts that can keep it going. Let’s take a look at it:

Managers Matter 

It has been discovered through various studies that people who have a good relationship with their managers, tend to be more committed to their tasks and work. The positivity in the relationship directly correlated to their better performance. On the other hand, those who did not have a fairly smooth relationship with their managers didn’t perform up to the mark and focused more on escaping rather than facing challenges at work. 

Considering this, in order to have a smooth working relationship, you need to have open and honest communication with the employees in which you can discuss their problems and aim towards solving them. 

Fun Virtual Events

Trust me on that, fun activities virtually can help with team bonding. Virtual games, competitions, and other fun activities can help you grow closer and have a breather from a normal workday. This will give people a platform to speak up about things other than work and bond with their team members. 

Casual Team Meetings

An honest and open forum where people speak about anything they feel like and have an open conversation about the things they like or dislike. Spend time having one-on-one conversations and let people speak about general things. Note that everyone should get an equal amount of time and attention to speak up. There are times when people are shy or feel underconfident to speak in the team. It is the manager’s responsibility to lift them and make them feel comfortable. 

Virtual Learning and Development

Virtual learning and development courses have gained popularity in recent times. People, in the ease of their houses, can take up courses to upskill or reskill themselves. Good virtual training has both structured and unstructured exchanges, where teammates cannot only learn important skills but also have candid, vulnerable moments in virtual breakout sessions. This type of team building is invaluable. 

Be a manager who makes an effort and someone who asks his teammates what more could be done to facilitate a strong culture and better communication. 

Regards,

Yogesh Sood

The above is an adaptation of a blog written by Brittney Maxfield on FEBRUARY 16, 2022

https://cruciallearning.com/blog/simple-strategies-to-engage-wfh-teams-crucial-learning/