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One of the most cliche business phrases out there in the world is “communication is key.” We all know that we need to communicate with each other, but that doesn’t mean that it’s always straightforward. Communication is one of the most important aspects of everyday life as much as it is in business. When you have a remote team? Communication is even more essential.
Video calling software is a big deal. It is important that you choose the right tools for you as a freelancer or as a business. It can be hard to find the right communications method for you. Here is a great list on 2021 Google Voice Alternatives! Find one that works with the other tools that you use and is suitable for your whole team too. This is another way that you can improve the communications between you and your team.
We are living in a time where everyone is currently working from home where they can. Coronavirus may well change the way you do business for a long time, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing – it just means that you need to learn how to help your newly remote team communicate with them each other. The biggest issue is that what you consider to be an excellent way to communicate may not sit well with the rest of the team. For example, you may be a huge fan of email and other text messaging solutions, but the rest of your team may prefer to video chat in a group face to face. It’s therefore essential that you know what will work for your organization and incorporate that into your daily activity as a business. Remote working isn’t always straightforward, but it can be done with the right communication in place.
- Ask – Just Ask! If you love text to email, and your team prefers to be on video chat, make it work. You need to agree on a communication channel that is inclusive of the whole team. If you want them to learn how to use text to email while they work from home, you can teach them, but it’s better to work out what you all agree on and go from there. You need to be able to express your instructions to your staff, and you can only do that if you’re all on board. Choose the method of communication that is most efficient, too! A business phone system that has all of the home office numbers of your staff is a great place to start, and of course, traditional methods will take the least onboarding to get used to.
- Chat About Other Things. Communication with people starts with getting to know people better. If you want your remote workers to pay any attention to you and what you have to say, you need a little camaraderie. Workplace banter does not have to be wiped out just because you’re not physically in the same office anymore. You need to be able to ask questions in the right tone, with the right facial expressions and the best way to do that is face to face. Video conferencing is so essential, so start with that to get to know your staff a little better.
- More Than One. You have video conferencing, but text to email is another excellent communication tool. A quick message can grab your staff’s attention and ensure that you are all on the same page. Taking note of what works for your employees is excellent, but getting their attention quickly is vital for the success of your business. Communication methods need to be outlined and clear quickly!
- Don’t Forget Email. Sum up all meetings and conversations in email. Paper follow up helps you to manage people better and lets you leave a trail of information to follow up later on.
With all of this in mind, let’s check out four good ways to communicate with your remote working team.
