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While it’s been the norm for some of us to work remotely having done it for several years, the majority of us have only just started this, (of course) due to the pandemic. As companies across the world have been forced to adjust their ways of working, there’s no question it has come with a few kinks to iron out. On the flip side, there have been some great outcomes from being able to work from home, as most of us know.
At TeamSportz, we’re a small (but mighty) company, so naturally it’s been easier to work remotely and stay organised while still maintaining that sense of connection and collaboration. Do we face some issues at times? Sure. But, we’re able to find workarounds to continue improving our communication and collaboration with each other.
For any company out there that is struggling with keeping that team engagement and connection, here’s how TeamSportz is able to combat that:
Always Sharing Your Camera
Thank God for all of the Zooms and Google Meets of the world. It’s fantastic that we’re able to meet with multiple people in a virtual format for anything really - a coffee catchup, a global call, a brainstorming session, a product demo, etc. What’s important to us with these virtual meetings is that everyone always shares their camera. Of course there’s nothing out there that beats a face-to-face interaction when it comes to business, but showing your face on camera in these environments is the next best thing. Firstly, it forces you to stay engaged in the meeting, but secondly and more importantly it provides that layer of personal connection with your team. I mean, if it were an in-person meeting you’d have to show your face right? So as a way to closely replicate that as best you can, make sure to share your camera on these calls every time.
Our Best Friend, Slack
Slack, or any other team messaging app you use, is crucial for collaboration and communication. Rather than wasting time on several calls throughout the day, we use Slack to be able to quickly send messages to each other to ask simple questions or share updates with one another. And the best part is the organisation of different channels on Slack, so that we can have several conversations going on at once without it getting too chaotic. We also make it a point to shout out team members’ accomplishments here, which is really motivating, knowing that your work is recognised by the rest of the team.
Sticking To Schedule
Everyone is so laser focused on their own tasks, but it’s key to stick to a schedule with your team members on a weekly basis. For us, we have two weekly team meetings, each serving a different purpose. Sticking to this schedule keeps everyone accountable and sheds light on what each team member is working on that week. Most of our departments overlap, so this is a great opportunity for us to make sure we’re aligned on objectives and understanding every part of the company apart from our own.
Collaborating Tech
Trello is a big one for us when it comes to collaborating on work. The team’s details on projects and tasks being worked on are housed in Trello. It’s great and transparent, as we’re able to prioritise tasks, comment on and see progress of everyone’s work. Having something like this in place makes it easy for your team to stay organised and productive.
Flexible, Not Forced
By nature, we work in a flexible work environment, for the pure fact of everyone working remotely. However, when unexpected situations arise on a personal level, our CEO is extremely understanding and empathetic, making sure that the team knows if they need to step away or take time off to deal with something, they can take comfort in knowing that that’s okay. We’re flexible, but communication is key here. So, if you are going to be late to a meeting or can’t deliver on a deadline for a personal reason, just communicate upfront so there is no stress on either side. Having upper management lead with empathy and open to flexibility will create a nicer work environment for everyone.
