What are the good teleworking practices to know in order to transform this new working environment into total success?
Between new professional aspirations and confinement, the home office has intensified in recent months, suggesting a number of advantages: savings, flexibility, increased productivity, etc.
But the period of confinement had this particular: teleworking was sometimes suffered, total and carried out in cohabitation with his relatives. All the more reason to look into the best practices to put in place to avoid pitfalls as best as possible!
There are 10 of them, and we reveal them to you in this article.
Use a teleworking charter
In order to lay down a framework and establish clear rules, it is recommended that companies draw up a charter of good practices in teleworking. By defining the conditions of the home office, the employer is reassured and each employee has the same level of information.
This charter may, for example, relate to the definition:
- teleworking days, some companies preferring to maintain mandatory face-to-face days in order to preserve team cohesion
- In possible workplaces. Does the employee have to work at home? Is working remotely with relatives or from a coworking space possible?
- time slots during which everyone must stay connected;
- communication rules. Which channels to favor? Should we allow an employee not to be disturbed while performing tasks requiring high concentration?
- Also Read: Massive Use Of Teleworking For IT Professions In 2021
Adopt Good Management Practices In Teleworking
If you are a manager, you will have to adopt a number of practices to offer a better telecommuting experience to both the employee and the company.
Some good practices for learning to manage remotely :
- Avoid micro-management. It is already not recommended in normal times, and all the more so in teleworking where the desire to control everything is more felt among some managers.
- So how do you do it? Set goals and deadlines for your teams, then let them organize themselves to achieve them on time.
- Take care of communication. Always be clear about the objectives and challenges of the missions entrusted to your employees. Also establish frameworks for your exchanges, by establishing in advance the recurrence of the points as well as their object.
- Empower and trust. It is recognized, an employee who feels empowered is more engaged and productive. So even in the context of remote work, trust!
- Remain available. Even if you give your teams some freedom, be available and responsive when they need your support.
- Listening. Some employees sometimes encounter difficulties, especially in the event of forced teleworking. By way of illustration, confinement has forced some parents to juggle their professional missions and their children. Show empathy and adapt, for example by adjusting meeting times.
- Support the handling of tools. Finally, note that managerial support also operates within the framework of the appropriation of digital tools. If they prove to be absolutely essential in such a context, keep in mind that some teleworkers encounter great difficulties in using them.
Use The Right Tools To Collaborate
The homework needs to continue to communicate and collaborate with his team, without the virtual becomes a barrier.
To do this, it is important to use professional tools designed to facilitate and secure exchanges and processes.
For example :
- Communication software → like Slack, these tools are recommended for spontaneous communication, when you need to unblock a situation, to raise a difficulty for example. They also allow you to stay connected to the company and reachable, a pledge of confidence for your managers.
- Videoconferencing software → solutions such as Zoom are essential for keeping work meetings and other one-to-one meetings at a distance. In addition, they make it possible to humanize long-distance relationships, a benefit for isolated people.
- Document management software → with a tool like Google Drive, you create, share and store your work documents. It is also possible to collaborate remotely on the same text, spreadsheet, etc.
- Project management software → project management solutions, such as Project Monitor, make it possible to distribute and monitor the various tasks and missions and to organize work and resources in general.
- Collaborative platforms → this software, like SharePlace, go even further by offering a wide range of functionalities relating to collaboration and communication (project management, task management, document management, messaging, etc.).
Guarantee IT Security
The confinement linked to the Covid-19 pandemic has seen an increase in cyber attacks … all the more so in a context where many companies do not sufficiently train their employees on IT risks.
Some good practices to know:
- If your company has an IT security charter, adhere to it scrupulously, particularly when you practice at home.
- Use only the material provided by your company, and never your personal tools. In fact, your professional computer is already configured to ensure its security, in particular in terms of antivirus. Likewise, do not install applications that are not authorized by your company.
- Secure your access to the various company tools. We recommend that you use a password manager such as LockPass, this software allows you to centralize all the identifiers of your organization, share some of them, and simplify access to your applications.
- Be sure to install the various updates, which are often offered to address security vulnerabilities.
- Stay alert for phishing attempts. Beware, for example, of emails and attachments from unknown senders.
- Also Read: Teleworking In Digital Marketing
Have The Right Equipment
If we have seen that you must first use the computer or mobile phone provided by the company, we also suggest that you have:
- an external screen, useful if you work with several tabs;
- a headset and a microphone to ensure your videoconferences with complete peace of mind, especially if you exercise near your loved ones;
- and of course a good wifi connection.
Work From A Dedicated Space
Whenever possible (because we are not all in the same boat), recreate a real workspace in your home. Avoid going about your tasks from your bed or sofa, as this forces you to adopt positions that are not very ergonomic and not recommended for your health.
The ideal remains to dedicate a room of your home to your teleworking, or at least an office. Not only do these adjustments prove to be beneficial for your posture and your productivity, but you also create a necessary border between professional and personal life.
Make The Rules
Getting organized at home requires discipline … for you and your loved ones.
For example, set daily and weekly goals and strive to meet them. Also set yourself strict schedules (start and end times of the day in particular), with break times, as you would in the office.
At the same time, establish rules with the people who live with you so that you are not disturbed all the time during your work. In particular, communicate your meeting times, or the time slots during which you need maximum concentration. And of course, plan joint breaks with them, like at lunchtime.
Structure Your Working Day
Knowing where to start is sometimes more complicated in telework than face-to-face. This is why we suggest that you structure your day, using an online agenda for example. This allows in particular:
- to plan the urgent tasks or those that require more concentration in the morning, before fatigue will be felt;
- to avoid multitasking, a practice is known to seriously affect productivity;
- to inform your colleagues of the time slots during which you do not wish to be disturbed;
- to take breaks, which are essential for recharging your batteries.
Create Moments Of Conviviality With Your Colleagues
Informal communications are a pillar of the company. And good news, it is possible to reproduce them remotely!
Your company should not deprive yourself of it, because moments of conviviality and spontaneous exchanges maintain the social bond between employees, but also prevent the isolation of certain people in the event of forced teleworking. Encouragement, celebrating victories, taking the news … more than ever we need it in the home office.
Disconnect!
Remember, the border between professional and private life is narrowing in teleworking. That’s why you need to learn how to disconnect :
- It is out of the question to check your emails in the evening after your working day. The right to disconnect also applies at home!
- Take advantage of your lunch break to do some exercise or meditation. You will quickly see the benefits that these practices bring to your health, both physical and mental.
- Listen to your body. When the need arises, take a break to get yourself some tea or stretch your legs.
All these moments of disconnection are so many opportunities to recharge your batteries and to come back even more productive in order to get down to your missions with the greatest efficiency.
Also Read: In 2021 Companies Will Make The Final Leap Towards Digitization