Remote working has redefined the way that many businesses have operated in the past year. Although the emergence of this way of working has come about through challenging circumstances, many teams are enjoying and finding new productivity in this flexible environment. There is an increasing need for businesses to find ways to set up a comprehensive remote working policy for their staff, providing not just the ability to work from home, but also to equip their team with the tools for success. Collaborating with colleagues is an essential part of the working experience and some remote workers have struggled with this during the past year.
Moving into 2021, we are keen to make a difference in this respect. At Ericsson-LG Enterprise, our solutions are built around allowing communication during any circumstances, and collaboration is a major part of this. It is our view that businesses can take simple measures to ensure that their teams can continue to work together effectively, even when they are physically apart. To help businesses reconnect in the coming year, we have compiled our selection of the most important things to bear in mind when trying to foster a collaborative environment among remote teams.
Establish Routine
Businesses work at their best when under a routine and this applies to team work as well. Making sure your team know exactly when and where their outlets for collaboration are can make a big difference to their productivity and morale. Having weekly meetings for your whole team, or smaller sessions for different departments, allow voices to be heard and decisions to be made, without any confusion or misunderstandings.
Establishing routine also extends to the channels your team uses for communication. If you do not make it clear to your remote staff about the ways that they can best get in touch with their colleagues, then there is a greater chance for miscommunication or important notices slipping through the cracks. The best solution here is to employ intuitive technology that is accessible for your whole team, this way there is no room for confusion.
Make use of Mobile Technology
Making the most out of working remotely requires using the most versatile devices. Whilst our iPECS systems are effective solutions to work with from home, the real shining star comes in the form of our iPECS ONE, brand new web-based unified communications & collaboration solution. This allows you to access all of the collaboration tools your team need from a device of your choice. iPECS ONE is supremely versatile, offering remote teams a wide variety of choice when it comes to the device that they work on. iPECS ONE’s presence features can let your staff see exactly who is online and ready to collaborate at any time, this can be invaluable for inspiring communication and preventing staff from feeling isolated.
Even if your team are working back in the office, iPECS ONE still provides a staggering range of functionality. Allowing staff to make use of calls and chat functionality from anywhere can be vital to maintaining a collaborative environment. We are continuing to update our cloud platforms into the coming year, so stay alert for new useful features and quality of life changes that can make a real difference.
Use Secure & Accessible tools
When working remotely, your entire team’s unique requirements need to be taken into consideration. Some of your staff may not be fully accustomed to working with the level of technology that is often expected of remote workers. This means that all of the tools your business uses must adhere to a standard level of accessibility. Once again, a Unified Communications service such as iPECS ONE can be crucial here. Being accessible on any device that your staff use can be an invaluable quality, as team members can simply work with the system that they feel most comfortable with. This freedom provides remote staff with a new level of independence, flexibility and control in the way they work, which are qualities that all boost productivity.
Finally, security must be taken into account. When working remotely, staff are far more reliant on personal devices, which may not have the robust security measures of your office communication system. It is important to discuss measures with your team so they know the added areas of concern when they are working from home; anything from making their passwords more secure to avoiding the use of public Wi-Fi. Having a clear discussion about cyber-security is the best starting point to keep your team safe.
We hope this article has given you and insight into some of the ways that remote collaboration can be better facilitated moving into the coming year. If you would like to find out more, speak to your nearest Ericsson-LG Enterprise Global Partner and find out more about our range of remote working communication solutions or here.
