When the COVID-19 pandemic began, many companies were left scrambling to figure out how to continue operations with a widespread team. For essential businesses like many EMS companies, on-site work continued with modifications, but the vendor and other outsourced partner communication moved entirely online. There’s no doubt that technology is here to stay and that the office has been altered to support online work for the foreseeable future. CalcuQuote has operated virtually since the beginning, so while our day-to-day work style wasn’t as affected by the pandemic, we still refined our strategy for keeping our team engaged across the world. Read on for our thoughts on how to stay connected while working remotely.
Invest in Technology That Helps You Accomplish Your Goals from Anywhere
Use this time of change to identify and invest in new, innovative online platforms that help you reach your goals faster and more easily – from anywhere with an internet connection. Introducing improved processes will help with efficiency and allow for meaningful work that’s significantly more engaging. For example, for several of our recent customers, QuoteCQ and PortCQ emerged as secure ways to complete self-service quotes while working remotely. With our automation functionality, users can move quickly past routine tasks and focus on decisions that have a big impact on the bottom line.
Find Communication Tools That Work for Your Team
There’s a multitude of different chat and video chat options available – from Microsoft Teams to Zoom to Webx. Spend time researching the right option for your team and prioritize supporting communication and collaboration. Don’t be afraid to periodically reevaluate and change it up if you find a system that better meets your needs. There’s no one right solution, but having a way to reach team members outside of an overflowing email inbox is critical to maintaining connections and for replicating casual, in-office conversations.
Revive Your Virtual Happy Hours
By now, many of us have had to sit through an awkward virtual happy hour. People talk over each other, don’t realize they’re on mute and conversation doesn’t flow naturally. Revive your virtual happy hours with themes or games to keep people engaged. Our team highly recommends including an activity, like playing trivia or doing a remote scavenger hunt. Bringing purpose to virtual happy hours can go a long way in making them more enjoyable.
Schedule Regular Touchpoints with Coworkers
If you didn’t have standing meetings with coworkers before, it’s a great way to keep up-to-date with each other and inspire different approaches and solutions. Even if you don’t regularly work together, scheduling time with each member of your team is sure to increase collaboration and help find ways to play to people’s strengths.
Walk while You Talk
An often overlooked way to stay engaged is to step away from your workspace every once in a while. Without trips to the water fountain, quick conversations in the halls, and other common workplace interactions, it’s easy to burn out quickly. One way to prevent the fatigue that we are big fans of at CalcuQuote is taking a walk during conference calls or check-ins that don’t require you to be at your computer. Getting a little fresh air makes a huge difference in your productivity and helps prevent burnout.
There’s no question digital adaptability will continue to be a critical element of the workplace. Set yourself up for success in the future by implementing these ideas today.
