Maintaining Productivity in Today’s Remote Work Environment
Can’t be in the same room as your colleagues? It might be beneficial to get used to it, because vdeo conferencing is the new norm. Ever since the major shift in 2020, remote working is here to stay in one form or another. That’s why so many organizations were extremely quick to equip their staff with video conferencing solutions to help keep employees better engaged in their work and with each other.
Here’s why: An in-office workplace enables quick, over-the-shoulder chats with a co-worker to ask questions and easily collaborate. You can share collective brainpower. When remote, the efficiency and efficacy of being in proximity to others is easily lost.
Adopting a video-first culture allows you to see the other person’s facial expressions and know whether a topic or assignment is understood. Is there confusion on the other person’s face? Is her brow furrowed with worry or is she nodding, that yes, that makes sense? A video-first culture increases effective communication, productivity and positivity. Period.
Video calls are interactive and engaging. They can be used, successfully, for one-on-one catch ups with a co-worker, a department, a team or even the entire company.
Things to remember when working remotely
What’s going on today with people working remotely – often with children and pets underfoot – has presented unprecedented challenges. So what can you do about it?
1. Work with intention
When remote employees have on their video, it’s possible to pick up on non-verbal cues. Remember to check out other video windows – not just the window of the person speaking. You might notice a colleague isn’t on the same page, which gives you an opportunity to ping them in the background and offer help.
2. Give feedback
Your meeting leader is likely not getting all the typical feedback they’re used to, so take the time to send a thoughtful note. This could be something along the lines of, “I can tell you put a lot of time into this project – well done!”
3. Stay positive
Just because you’re remote, doesn’t mean that you aren’t part of the team. Use a video-first culture to bring grace and energy to all of your work.
The way companies do business has changed drastically over the years, but employees are more likely to stay productive and engaged with a video-first culture, even after they return to offices.
Find out how to create the best video conferencing culture in your workplace by watching our webinar, “Remote Working: Optimizing a Video-First Culture.”