Businesses & Individuals – Making the Best of Things
Around the world, companies and people alike are struggling with adapting to the new normal and managing the effects of COVID-19 on their workforce. Nearly everyone – from big to small companies – has had to make shifts in the way they operate on a daily basis. Fortunately, there are ways to manage both the operational side as well as the people side of business to make it through these unprecedented times.
Managing Staff Remotely
Many businesses have been forced to move their staff to working remotely, many of which didn’t think they would have to. This has caused challenges in communication and concerns about productivity. Fortunately, there are many tools that make it easier to communicate and stay connected. Some popular ones have been Zoom, Slack, and other communications channels such as Google Hangouts and Skype. These tools allow staff members to check in with each other as well as customers and employees on a daily basis remotely. Although reorienting to the new communication forms has its challenges, these are great tools to stay connected and make sure communication is consistent.
{Using productivity tools can track your team’s task, ensuring accomplishment throughout the work week. For instance, Spiceworks is a free ticketing system that we use at Celayix to help our Customer Support team stay connected and available. Task-focused applications like Asana, Trello, and even Habitica (which is a fun way to gamify to-do items) are effective and satisfying ways to manage tasks through a web platform.
Managing Essential Staff
For many companies that are still operating, communicating with staff in the field has been more challenging now that in-person communication isn’t an option. One of the biggest hassles is communicating when and where staff members are expected to work. For situations like this, automated tools like Celayix can help manage the scheduling and deployment of staff. These tools also ensure staff are up to date on all critical information including start/end times, locations, shift updates, and more. Staff also have options to self-select shifts where they can easily manage their schedules while following all business rules. Managers can select these business rules to include certain qualifications, overtime management, and more.
At Celayix, we are offering 3 months free for any essential workers that are struggling to communicate. To find out more, our team can be reached here!
Taking Care of Your People
Now that many of us are one month or more into COVID-19 restrictions, it is important to check in with your staff. Many that are still working may have concerns they are afraid to communicate, including questions about their job security. Even if you don’t have concrete answers to these challenging questions, having an open conversation and offering weekly check ins goes very far for keeping morale up. The majority of employees are used to have face-to-face interactions. A short conversation among team members can be critical in managing anxieties surrounding the myriad effects of COVID-19 on your workforce.
Some tips to keep spirits high:
- Weekly Check-Ins – Something as simple as a weekly e-mail or a short video showing appreciation from a company leader
- Company Zoom Socials – Connecting staff members for a short period weekly to chitchat and share any funny stories can help keep the team connected
- Create Channels for Funny & Interesting Articles or Videos – These are easy to set up either through e-mail or a Slack Channel
Hiring New Staff & Interviewing for a Job
Similar to communicating internally, hiring new staff for increased demand has been largely remote with a lot of video conferences instead of in-person interviews. These additional barriers have caused more work for hiring staff and additional pressure on those looking for a job. An article by CNBC, outlined a few tips for those interviewing in COVID-19. They suggest:
- Dress Professionally – Dress as if you were conducting an interview in person or interviewing in person
- Prepare – Do research on the role and company and send your resume in advance
- Be Personable – Maintain eye contact, speak clearly, and behave professionally to show you are a good fit for the company
- Remove Distractions – This is particularly important in the age of video interviewing. Make sure you remove things that could be distractions and take your interview in a quiet place of your home.
- Follow Up – Follow up on the job position and thank your interviewer for the video interview. Kindness and professional behavior can make a huge difference
For many, hiring is critical at this time. The tips above will help make sure both the interviewer and the candidate can appropriately adjust.
Prepare for the COVID-19 Aftermath Now
Undoubtedly the effects of COVID-19 on your workforce will have a long-lasting impact which we can’t yet accurately predict. The introduction of new tools or operational processes is very likely. It is best to consider these tools and you can use them to increase efficiencies in the future. Try to make the most of the learning process. It’s expected that the companies which make it through this period will be stronger coming out of it. Invest in people, tighten processes, and be as nimble as possible in this new world. Without strong leadership and critical thinking, businesses are bound to struggle more than necessary. Make sure you’re not in that boat!
Next week we will be diving into ways to prepare both personally and professionally for the world after COVID-19. Stay tuned!
