From Casual Chats to Critical Connections:

Covid-forced WFH has led to a shift in expectations for companies. Remote work used to be a privilege, something employees had to make work within the constraints of traditional business models. Now, it's an expectation, and businesses must make it work for their employees. This change requires a new approach to managing, supporting, and engaging remote teams.

Remember those impromptu hallway discussions where you'd bounce ideas off a colleague or glean insights from someone in a different department?

Now we need to be intentional about fostering that kind of critical thinking and knowledge sharing and building a company culture.

So, what does this mean for business owners and managers? Over the course of my work from home balancing act, I’ve learnt a thing or two about developing a thriving remote work environment. It has meant we needed to shake things up a bit … try some new things … and we’ve needed to unleash our critical thinking superpowers to get there. Here’s some top tips:

Empowering Learning and Growth:

• Share the knowledge: Give your team access to awesome online resources like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning. It's a great way for your team to stay ahead of the curve and learn new skills. But learning goes beyond platforms – we encourage colleagues to share their expertise through internal webinars, slack channels dedicated to the cause or to write their own knowledge-base articles.
• Set clear goals: Help your team figure out what they want to learn and set realistic goals. When they know where they're headed, they're more likely to get there! Ensure everyone is focused on acquiring skills relevant to their role and the company's overall goals, while learning to analyse information, solve problems creatively, and make sound decisions.
• Connect and collaborate: Get your team involved in online communities and forums where they can share ideas and learn from others in their field. This allows them to learn from diverse perspectives.
• Create a learning routine: Encourage your team to set aside time each day or week for learning. Flexibility is key here, so they can find a balance that works for them.

Building a Vibrant Remote Culture:

• Have some fun: Organise virtual team-building activities and social events to keep everyone connected and feeling like part of the team.
• Communicate clearly: Ensure your team has the tools they need to communicate effectively. This means mastering clear emails, productive video calls, mastering the art of the perfectly-timed GIF, and using messaging apps the right way. I am showing my age but I am still partial to a good ol’ fashioned phone catch up.
• Practice makes perfect: Give your team a chance to put their new skills into practice on real projects and get feedback from their colleagues (and even clients). It's the best way to reinforce what they've learned.
• Feedback is a gift: Set up regular feedback sessions so your team can see how they're doing and identify areas where they can improve.
• Celebrate wins: When your team achieves something awesome (no matter how small), make sure you recognise and celebrate it! It keeps everyone motivated and shows that you value their hard work.