As you stay at home and save lives, it is a great opportunity to build and grow your professional relationships. Clearly, not in person but virtually. The online world has made it easier for us and all we need to do is seize the moment.
Photo credit: Anna Shvets
Covid-19 is a phrase that has been frequently mentioned in the news and in our daily conversations. By now, we have slowly adjusted to the fact that this could be our new normal for some time. For those who aren’t part of the essential services then it means you have to work from home. As you stay at home and save lives, it is a great opportunity to build and grow your professional relationships. Clearly, not in person but virtually. The online world has made it easier for us and all we need to do is seize the moment. Here’s how:
1. Availability
First things first, you need to be available. Since you can’t show up to work in person then it will be done virtually. Do you have a device that can access the internet? It could be a tablet, laptop or a smart phone. You could call and text but even education has gone online now. This is because there’s a lot you can use and do via the internet. There are some authentic yet cheap smart phones that you can purchase. Once you have one then you need to buy data.
2. Communication
All set with your device and data? Good. Next thing is to plan on how often you’ll be meeting with your employees. Will it be once or twice a week? What will be the objective discussed? The preferred method would be to use video call. After developing a good strategy, it is important to inform your workers. Keep in mind that some staff members are probably not able to access the internet. In which case you will have to brief them by calling. This way, there’s constant internal communication by the organization despite the distance.
3. Feedback
This is important in effective communication. Allow your workers to also contribute in the meeting. Working from the comfort of their home could be a little bit harder so it’s good to find out what they can and can’t do. This builds on inclusivity and collaboration from both in-office and remote workers. It is also good to appreciate those who have done a great job or gone an extra mile as they work from home.
