1. Put a Business Continuity Management Program in place.
A Business Continuity Management Program puts structures in place for times like this. With this, you have processes that can guide you and your employees on what to do during a lockdown. You will also need to establish a team to oversee, support and direct the process.
2. Use the Technologies available:
Remote working is becoming the norm since organizations are trying to help enforce the #StayHome policy to reduce the spread of the COVID19.
Working from home means more distractions, fewer ways to interact naturally with fellow employees, and more social isolation — all of which can lead to less productivity.
To overcome these challenges, employers should explore new ways to manage and collaborate with employees and enable more ways for employees to connect with each other.
With your employees at home, you would want to be assured that they are all working as expected.
According to CO-, One of the most important ways to help teams succeed while working remotely is to get them the tools to help them stay connected and productive.
These include:
a. Project management tracking apps such as Asana and Airtable
b. Chat/messaging apps such as Slack and Microsoft Teams
c. Video conferencing apps such as Zoom and Google Hangouts
3. Identify Essential Services/Functions:
A service and/or function that may lead to the failure of a business unit if activities are not performed in a specified time period. In identifying these services, you will be able to allocate the best staff and resources to them so that they do not suffer and affect your business in the long term.
4. Establish daily check-ins
Have morning check-ins via video chat, phone call or instant message to create a sense of normalcy. These check-ins can be one-on-one or held among small groups.
The tech and productivity tools mentioned above can be vital for revamping regular check-ins. For example, if you previously held daily meetings in-person, you may want to use a video conferencing app to have a virtual version of the same meeting each morning. Revamped meetings that adapt specifically to remote workers can help you maintain productivity.
You can set virtual office hours and be present on instant messaging apps throughout the day to help employees.
5. Provide emotional and steady support
As working from home can contribute to loneliness and negative emotions, employers should do what they can to provide emotional support to employees. Leaders should set the tone for their virtual offices with a calm and upbeat presence, which helps create a level-headed workplace where people can still get things done.
In a fully remote work setup, managers should also be more available than usual for check-ins and other questions that may come up given the unfamiliar circumstances. Set virtual office hours and be present on instant messaging apps throughout the day to help employees.
Until the COVID-19 crisis passes, do not forget to:
