In times of crisis, true leaders find solutions, not excuses!
A few days after the COVID-19, famously known as the Coronavirus, hit the world hard, most of the countries shut entertainment venues, suspended public events, enacted extended curfews, and applied travel bans. In turn, companies had to take strict precautionary measures to combat the virus outbreak and eliminate any possible infections. Some organizations were shaken by the new change and failed to handle the situation and other businesses had even to cut their employees’ salaries or halt their running business activities until further notice.
It is clear that these measures affected the business and the work activities, yet companies with solid digital presence, for instance, were more able to communicate effectively with their clients and keep the ball rolling. The real challenge confronting businesses of all sizes and scales is to maintain high productivity, stable workflow, and efficient communication systems; three major factors to help a company survive and minimize the expected damage.
We, at LatinoBridge, have allowed all our employees to work from home, making sure we provide the remote work facilitations needed to keep them productive and motivated to work.
Thanks to the company’s flexible policies as well as the employees’ accountability and ability to continue fulfilling their tasks properly from home, we managed to gain a solid foothold at which expected losses are not very immense.
This piece provides some tips to business owners who are required to manage their professional workplace organization and keep strong performance, and to employees who are struggling to juggle their tasks on a daily basis from home for such a long period of time.
Our tips for employers!
- Keep your activities on!
The global economy is undoubtedly witnessing a hard hit and incurring big losses, and successful businesses are those who can get away with the minimum negative impacts.
Although your company must abide by the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) instructions of isolation and social distancing, it is not recommended to close your business or suspend your running activities as long as they can be handled online or in isolated locations.
Besides fortifying your business against financial downturns, you also help the economic wheel of your country keep spinning, which will reap various benefits to everyone later on.
- Human capital comes first!
Your human resources are your treasurable assets and their health is number one priority. Allow your employees to work from home, make sure they abide by the health instructions.
Cutting wages or firing some workers, fixing wages and retaining the good calibers, will surely pay off later. It is important to keep your employees’ faith and dedication in the time of crisis, so they will stay loyal to your business and willing to give it their all once this crisis is done.
- Remote work with the right tools!
Following suit of giant international companies, you must have allowed all or most of your employees to work remotely and carry out their day-to-day work duties from home to save their lives.
If managed properly, work from home might result in higher productivity and better performance. The only way you can guarantee this is to establish a strong virtual infrastructure, using a suite of free or premium online platforms that make distant work easier. Meetings and other communication activities can be done with messaging and video conferencing apps, while productivity and workflow Time management can be monitored with task and time management tools.
Our tips for employees!
- Keep your focus
One major obstacle when working from home is to stay focused and avoid distractions. It is too easy that you get caught up in social media activities or real social interactions and waste a big chunk of time without you noticing.
To stay off social media distraction, you might get the help of desktop app blocker software Freedom, while staying away from real life distractions requires you to find a dedicated workspace at which you feel comfortable and able to finish your work.
- Harness your time
Make schedules and track your own performance using to-do listing and time management applications. Separate your personal and professional time, avoid procrastinating, and try to plan your day in a way that keeps you motivated.
A successful technique is to start your day with a small task list then simulate your office working hours so that you can keep track of your time management.
- Have breaks
It is okay to pause and have some fun. Communicate with your work colleagues, do some exercises, watch a funny video, or eat some snacks. Feeling lonely and isolated in your room is completely normal, especially as you suddenly moved from your crowded and noisy company office to a small empty room and stayed there for such a long time.
Having frequent breaks will refresh your mind and refill your energy to continue fulfilling your tasks at the same enthusiasm.
Best apps to use
For communication:
1- Zoom
2- Slack
For task management:
1- Trello
2- Meistertask
For productivity:
1- Time Doctor
2- Freedom
3- Coffitivity
Businesses all around the world are now being tested; those who are well prepared with strong alternative plans and assistive tools are managing to endure the complications and living with it, whereas others stand unable to take a single step forward.
Stay home, do not go out unless necessary, stay no less than 2 meters away from other people, wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, postpone any physical meetings, and always remember; you can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.
LatinoBridge wishes everyone to stay safe and healthy. We are going through hard times, yet we believe it is going to come to an end.
