Pro Tip: Do this if you are going to keep your team working from home

Peter du ToitI'm the founder of FutureWork IQ where I spend my time assisting businesses to improve their climate literacy so as to understand the projected impacts from the expanding climate crisis and how to adapt their workplaces in the face of these impacts.

In South Africa the government’s direction, as we begin to open up the economy, is: “Industries are encouraged to adopt a work-from-home strategy where possible, and all staff who can work remotely must be allowed to do so.”

Since most businesses were forced, at short notice into remote working, now would be the time step back and put measures in place that can help your teams keep working remotely successfully.

If you have not already collectively decided on your Remote Work Operating Principles now may be a good time to do so. These could include things like:

– when everyone is expected to be available online
– what tools you will use for communication & collaboration
– a clear rule on not multi-tasking during virtual meetings
– how to use your enterprise social network (ie MS Teams)
– what project management software you will use and how

Creating documented operating principles together — ie getting buy-in from everyone on the team — is a crucial element in the success of a remote working team.