7 Tips For Running Your
Business During Covid-19
At Eightball Media, we are a digital and service-based business delivering websites, branding and marketing around Australia. Our team is positioned a little differently to your typical office, in that we already utilise technologies which are highly flexible and generally adapt to a wide range of situations, ie. we’re agile.
With current world issues continuing to be reported on by the media with alarming alacrity, and the economic climate rapidly shifting under our feet; we think it’s important (now more than ever) that we share our tips on managing a remote workplace. Working from home definitely has it’s advantages and it can also open up opportunities for your business to run remotely!
Here are some of our methods which you might consider adopting with a remote team, or to increase productivity when working from home:
1. Conduct Morning Huddle
Making sure clients come first means we need to make sure all our staff are ready and supported on the daily. We run regular morning meetings or ‘huddles’. In a virtual group setting, each of our team members relays what their top 3-5 tasks are, and who is waiting on who/what in order to finalise deliverables.
- As we have remote teams, we dial in using Skype or Google Hangouts;
- Prior to these daily meetings, we utilise Google Forms to prepare. Each staff member completes and submits this digitally-based quiz prior to 9 am;
- The data collected in the spreadsheet (generated by this easy-to-use online tool) is reviewed during the team huddle via the nominated ‘huddle master’;
2. Client Meetings Online
We use Zoom, Skype or Google Hangouts to perform our regular sales and client catch-up meetings. This keeps our team equipped to handle our client’s ever-changing needs.
- Using this technology mixed with other online tools such as Powerpoint or Google Slides, we run over reports and/or our pitches;
- Zoom allows people to share screens and also to see each other during the conversation, which is perfect for online work from home;
- There is an IOS and Android-friendly Zoom App that people can download to their phones for staying in touch on the go.
3. Implement Task Management For Teams
The challenges with working from home often relate to staying on task. The good news is that there are technologies and techniques which can be implemented so project-based commitments don’t slide.
- Cloud-based project management tools, such as Basecamp and Asana, come in very handy;
- These are used in conjunction with presentation tools, which are used set tasks for team members;
- Our daily check-in (combined with a robust task list) allows most of our team members to have a play-by-play of their day.
4. Sustain Ongoing Internal Communication
Some companies use Slack, or Teams to facilitate internal communications; we use Google Hangouts to keep in touch. It keeps us efficient and we can use it anytime we need!
- We estimate that 70% of our internal communication happens through Google Hangouts;
- Google Hangouts has great video conferencing tools;
- Another massive bonus is that Google Hangouts is part of Google Suites –– seamlessly integrating with other useful tools such as Google Docs and Google Sheets.
5. Set Clear Deadlines And Consistent Work Hours
It’s essential that you have a list of clear deadlines and that your team is informed. This is true whether work is conducted in a traditional or a remote location. Your hours of work need to be consistent as well. This assists your operations, as well as often contributing to better staff morale.
- Like in an office environment, different team members rely on each other; so keeping to set hours allows for adequate planning and scope to manage workflow;
- Deliverables and third parties may also rely on the outcomes from each team member;
- Keeping work hours consistent and informing on deadlines helps to alleviate stress from tasks piling up and last-minute clamouring to get things done;
- It also keeps gives you team the leeway to deal with unexpected changes.
6. Assign Direct Leadership
In a remote environment, it’s important for people to understand who they are reporting to.
- Assign clear team leaders (if you haven’t already);
- Your staff need a reliable management team to make decisions and drive timely, high-grade product delivery;
- These are the guys who put their hands up and take responsibility for their actions –– appoint those who have pride in their work.
7. Keep Constant Engagement
Working remotely can start to feel boring and people can become isolated. Perhaps there can be no real understanding of what working from home is really like –– until you actually do it yourself!
- Working from home with kids, toddlers and pets bring additional considerations to an already lengthy laundry-list of potential distraction –– it’s important to develop an action plan for telecommuting;
- Having fun and interacting with team members through team chats can keep the mood light-hearted;
- Use a team chat program to check-in with staff to see how they are doing ― phone and text are also useful;
- It’s also not a bad idea to employ an eNPS (employee net promoter score);
- Using Survey Monkey can be useful for collecting insightful feedback ― we use Google Forms to create our own surveys.
Want to discuss further on how to take your business online?
We hope the above 7 tips will have some application for your business, especially in these uncharted times. Feel free to share, and don’t hesitate to get in contact if you want further information surrounding this topic
If you haven’t done so already, you need to contact your website developer and make sure they add on a page on how to contact and work with you during this time. It should mention:
1. Your best contact numbers
2. How to book in for a video call, skype or zoom call
3. How to download the app
4. Reassure your clients its business as usual
5. Give your clients additional options to use messenger and similar platforms.
Get in touch today on 07 3122 9888 to get you started and leverage the digital space to keep your business running!
