They don’t call them trying times for no reason. As the work landscape evolves from day-to-day, you and your business need to stay ahead of and meet the demands of the current working world.
With your employees working from home, there is a new hurdle to overcome, employee connections and engagement.
However, physical distance from your employees does not mean emotional distance. The ability to maintain a connection and steady communication with your employees is more important now than ever before.
Here are our tips to help you keep your employees engaged with work, maintaining communication and committed to company culture and connections.
Create a video meeting schedule
Fortunately, we live in an age where communication is made simpler. With video conference programs like Google Hangouts, Zoom and Microsoft Teams, this accessibility can extend to your work.
With any in-office meetings, scheduling ahead of time is essential. Sometimes, meetings between specific groups are maintained on a weekly basis, but this routine does not have to stop now that you and your employees are working from home.
To combat the lack of schedule that can come with working from home, focus on creating a meeting schedule for your team. Look at the week ahead and invite your employees to different weekly check-in video conferences in order to maintain a sense of normalcy in their work routine.
By doing this, employees are left with the responsibility to be present for work, even if it is through a video conference. Putting together a meeting schedule can help get your employees back into a work routine to stay ahead of projects, discussions and more.
Facebook live is also becoming a hotspot for business meetings, conferences and follower interaction.
Bonus tip: Video conferencing doesn’t have to be just for business meetings! Set up conferencing for different activities you and your employees can do together. Try boot camp workouts, break time hangouts or happy hour meetings. The options are endless!
Offer personalized check-ins
Individualized connections are an essential part of having a strong business, so broadening and supporting those connections while out of the office is vital.
To extend your consideration of individual employees and their current needs and concerns, offer different available times during your day for them to have one-on-one meetings with you. Whether it is to discuss work or personal life, focusing on the needs of your employees on a personal level displays a culture of care.
Just because you are not physically in your office or storefront does not mean the work and company values that make up your business stop running too.
Maintaining this personal interaction with employees not only reinforces their commitment and connection to your business but also reinforces your values as a company and a leader.
Remember, one-on-one employee interactions are not exclusive to video chat. Maintain email chain conversations or phone calls to further these relationships.
If you or your employees are looking for more information on how to remain productive while working from home, give this blog a read.
Provide a space for company-wide updates
We always talk about how much attention and interest video marketing content gains from potential customers, but have you thought of how that can extend to your employees?
Here at RevLocal, our leaders are working to keep employees up to date on company news through daily video uploads.
These video sessions are not just a source of information for employees but also a way to build company morale. To hear stories from fellow employees or words of wisdom from company leaders is a great source of reassurance in unsure times.
Make these videos accessible by posting them on your website, uploading them to your YouTube page or sending them through email. This is your employee’s daily reminder of all that you are doing to put their needs and customer’s needs first!
Final thoughts
As you travel through uncharted territory, you cannot leave behind those who have helped you along the way.
Being a business leader or owner during unsettling times is a test of your leadership and commitment to those you serve, not just your customers.
Serve your employees by meeting with them on a personal level, addressing their needs for normalcy and routine and offering sources for information as well as entertainment.
At RevLocal, we are dedicated to helping guide your local business through good times and bad.
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