by virtualworks | Mar 26, 2023 | Leadership, Mastery, Productivity, Team Work, Time Management, Uncategorized, working from home, working remotely
One of the key questions that a remote business employer receives from clients, or those thinking of starting their own virtual business is, “How do you know your employees are getting anything done? I mean, you are paying them but, what are you getting in return?” The easy answer is ‘Outcomes and Results’, as noted in our last blog post Managing a Changing Environment.
On the flip side, this article tackles some of the big questions asked by some of our remote employees:
- How do I know if I am doing a good job?
- Is there more I could be doing? Am I just one software program away from being able to obtain more work?
- What are other employees for the company doing and how do we all fit together?
- How do I work collaboratively with other employees to share ideas?
- What is the big picture for the company and how is my work a part of this?
The ability to answer your remote employees’ questions helps them know where they stand in the big picture of your organization and can increase productivity.
Although much of a remote employee’s work is done using technology, clear communication goes a long way, even in these days of remote ‘everything’. Whether through email, a phone call or an in-person meeting, remote employees can accomplish a great deal by using all forms of communication and answers the questions above.
How do I know if I am doing a good job?
Employees should simply ask the question to their employer and be prepared for potential constructive criticism. Employers should be monitoring the progress of the employee’s deliverables and be ready to provide this feedback, whether positive or constructive. Consider the setting to provide this feedback. An in-person meeting may be warranted, as an email may not provide the sentiment and feeling behind such a conversation.
Is there more I could be doing? Am I just one software program away from being able to obtain more work?
Again, employees should ask the employer if there is any available work, followed up by asking what tools and experience are required to do this work. Employers should check in with their employees to see if they have an interest in taking on other work and checking to see if there has been any change in their available tools to help you with your business.
What are other employees for the company doing and how do we all fit together?
Employers may want to consider planning opportunities for all employees to get to together to share work ideas and get to know who is playing what role in the business. Additionally, employers may want to create an employee list with contact emails and identification of who is working on what files, if it is secure to do so.
How do I work collaboratively with other employees to share ideas?
Following on the last point, employees may want to take advantage of opportunities to meet with others in the organization and share ideas with the entire team. Perhaps send an email to keep in contact and consider asking your colleagues if you have a question or need help, if your employer is ok with that.
What is the big picture for the company and how is my work a part of this?
Employees should have this discussion with their employer not just at the time of hire, but every once and a while to check in. The organization may have changed or new projects started and it is important for one to know where their efforts in an organization have an impact.
These questions are just the tip of the iceberg; making communication with and between employees integral in a remote business is an important component to the relationship. So, if you’re feeling stuck, remember to just ask!
by virtualworks | Feb 26, 2023 | Leadership, Mastery, Productivity, Time Management, Uncategorized, working from home, working remotely
Over the past several years the physical landscape of the traditional office space has changed to evolve and promote productivity of its workers. Ergonomics assessments, increasing natural lighting and working with flexible schedules are examples of changes that have helped in this regard, but what if your employees are finding they are more productive outside of the office environment?
While some companies have successfully integrated the ability for workers to work from home where feasible and as shown in this Globe and Mail article,(dated 2017) some managers and leaders find it challenging to manage workers that are not located on the company’s site. Many times, there is a trust issue between management and employees or hired virtual workers that need to be dealt with to allow a successful off-site arrangement to work. These issues are as relevant today as they were when remote working was becoming more commonplace.
A common question that we hear is “How will I know if the work is being done right, or being done at all?”
The simple answer: Outcomes and Results.
The proof is in the pudding as they say. This may be accomplished by setting goals for the day, week, and month for the off-site worker to meet and if actual time worked is a concern, the worker can submit a weekly time sheet either manually, or using time tracking software online.
For the most part, when an off-site worker is trusted they may feel more invested in a company that understands the importance of working off-site and may want to have their best work shine through in those results and outcomes. So if you’re on the fence about off-site work, here are just a few benefits to this way of working:
- Your very valuable time. The day of a manager or leader can be packed,with all employees in the office valuable time is taken by “doing the rounds” to check and see what everyone is up to, but is there a value in this?
- Workers that have opted for off-site work tend to be more productive, as there may be things within the office environment they find distracting or may just work at a different pace and timeline than what has been established as the norm.
- Workers that have opted for off-site work and have been given the opportunity to do so may have greater respect for those they are working for, as they may feel they are being understood.
- Many off-site workers tend to find a better balance of their social commitments and work with less absenteeism.
- Communications with your off-site worker are as simple as picking up the phone, sending an instant message, sending an email, or starting a Skype conversation.
Remember though that remote working isn’t for everyone! Some people are their most productive working on their own in peace and quiet (like yours truly). Other people need a place to go every day and work well with interruptions and face-to-face interactions. Either way, in today’s information society it still comes down to outcomes and results however, working remotely allows for much more autonomy for the responsible human to provide the results on the due date without management knowing when the work was actually done.
by virtualworks | Jan 2, 2023 | Accomplishments, business growth, daily lfe, holiday, Leadership, Mastery, office management, Team Work, Time Management, working from home, working remotely
These last few weeks can be labelled as busy, chaotic, and exhausting and I’m not even talking about work! I’m talking about the holiday time off that just passed! While I am glad to be back at work, it’ s tough to get back into the routine again. On that note, I hope you have all had a wonderful, stress-free holiday. For those that are perhaps not feeling the back to work grind, I offer the information below.
Whether you had a relaxing time off, or you still need a vacation from your vacation, the transition back to the day-to-day routine of work, without the distraction, food and fun of the holidays is no easy task. So, first thing’s first: don’t be too hard on yourself, we’re all a little rusty getting back into the swing of things.
At times people may experience depression, the “winter blues” and anxiety. With winter settling in and the excitement of the holidays over, we push ourselves back to work and may not always recognize when it is time to take care of ourselves.
Don’t forget if you do need help right away the Canadian Mental Health Association has resources available.
A couple of years ago CBC posted an article on the anxiety of returning to work after the holidays and what you can do to manage it.
The signs of the “Winter Blahs” can include:
- Lack of motivation and loss of interest;
- Low energy;
- Difficulty sleeping; and
- Difficulty concentrating
However, there are a few ways to manage this form of depression that tends to linger during the winter months, so why not give some of these a try!
- LIGHT THERAPY:Use of an artificial light source, as light therapy to create the sunlight you would otherwise get during the summer months.
- SMALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS:Boost your motivation by completing small manageable tasks, recognizing each task as an accomplishment and step to a larger goal.
- HEALTHY EATING:Foods that contain the minerals and nutrients to get you through your day not only impact your physical health but can also be beneficial to mental health.
- STAY ACTIVE: (my personal favourite) Being active for 30 minutes per day is known to provide a fantastic boost of energy, confidence and provide an overall improvement to one’s mental and physical well being.
- EMBRACE THE COLD:As the winter is tucking itself in for a little while, there is no getting away from it and we may as well embrace it by getting out there and enjoying what it has to offer, such as skiing, snowshoeing, skating and even bundling up for that walk on your own or bring a friend.
So, what about getting used to that routine again? Even if you aren’t feeling the blues, maybe you are feeling the difficulty of getting back to the routine, so give a try with:
- Don’t set yourself up for negativity! – “Be the positive change you need.” I know it sounds a little strange, but taking a positive attitude to go back to work can be an excellent start to going back to work.
- Be ready for the pile of work and chunk it out into steps – sure you have been away from the office for a little while, so you might want to anticipate the pile of work that may be waiting for you.
Slow and steady wins the race:
- Step 1: Make that coffee have a seat
- Step 2: Make a list of the things that need to be completed
- Step 3: Then chip away at it, one thing at a time
- Be patient with yourself.
Bring something to work or do something nice for yourself and ease back into it. Remember it is a new year, so this can be a fresh start to fantastic things to look ahead and look forward to.
You can do it! Wishing you everything wonderful for 2023 from Barbara B. and the team at VWI.
by virtualworks | Sep 25, 2022 | Business, business growth, Leadership, Marketing, Mastery, Outsourcing, Productivity, remote meetings, Remote Office Management, Team Work, Time Management, Travelling, working remotely
Remote support was pretty much non-existent 25 years ago. Facebook didn’t exist 20 years ago. Times, they are a’changing…
Remote work has grown in popularity over the last 5-10 years and more so with the pandemic we’ve been dealing with the past 2+ years, it’s become a necessity. The Internet and evolving technology drive the ability for remote support workers to be just that: “remote”. That can mean being remote locally or remote internationally; it can mean telecommuting for employees or freelancing as a contractor from anywhere on the planet for clients anywhere on the planet. The world has become larger and smaller at the same time: larger because remote working can easily tap into new markets around the world and increase competition (which can be a good thing); smaller because it takes less time and cost to do so.
It wasn’t too long ago that the average person didn’t know too much about video meetings or needed an international calling plan. Today, companies are expanding their enterprises globally without ever leaving their hometown; hiring remote employees who are local to new markets gives enterprise an edge. While this can be a very cost-effective way to conduct business, it takes more than just hiring people to work for you; it takes a thorough review of all factors that come into play for all stakeholders. It’s important to know the legal and accounting aspects of these relationships as well as being mindful of language barriers of both employees and clients.
Even in spite of the pandemic, the world is open for new opportunities. With ever-evolving technology and lower costs to connect, open your mind to the endless possibilities that are happening around the world and around the clock.
by virtualworks | Aug 1, 2022 | Business, business growth, daily lfe, holiday, Leadership, Mastery, Productivity, Time Management
In a previous blog post, we discussed un-plugging from the virtual world including from media, and from work, as I do in the summer to take some much-needed time off at a cottage in the remote Quebec countryside for a week of peace and quiet. Upon my return, everything is still functioning, even though I’ve taken a full week to un-plug.
This year though, COVID came for me just prior to leaving so I didn’t do much more than sleep. Usually, though, I spend the entire week reading, knitting and writing. I love to kayak on the lake in the mornings when the water is still. It’s very peaceful and lets me just think about things without all that daily noise in my head. Some might say that I’m downright lazy during my week off. Is that okay? Yes, it certainly is because I deserve it. Do I miss technology when I’m at the lake? No, because I don’t need it there.
For those that are making the attempt to relax and take a break from work and media, but don’t want to travel, a ‘staycation’ may be an option. Whether by themselves or with family in the house there are a variety of ways to relax such as spa-at home days, reading, creative projects, music, further learning or games. No matter what the relaxing activity there are plenty of ideas out there to get the staycation started!
While the suggestions below may require some online research to get started, once the information is found, there is a choice to shut off this technology or enjoy it depending on the person. Maybe they are a true “no tech staycationer” or maybe they “un-plug” while playing online games, watching movies, listening to music and so on.
In the spirit of getting the staycation underway, here are a few resources if you are not sure what to do:
Want to relax in your personal spa? The PennyHoarder has some fantastic ideas for creating materials for a spa at home and as a bonus creating some of these can be considered a little project!
Do you have a creative side and would love to work on something, but are not sure what? DIY Projects has a few ideas to check out. Maybe you just want to enjoy art or music from home, but don’t have access to great works of art or music. Check The Guardian’s list of virtual museums and art galleries, Billboard’s and Glamour’s lists of virtual concerts and performances. Even orchestras have live performances online as listed on classicalfm.
Do you just want to learn something to keep your brain moving or perhaps you miss the library completely? There are a number of open university courses out there to get you thinking and OpenLibrary is an excellent online library if you are just looking for something to read.
Or maybe you want to get up and get moving, take a look at Runtastics 28-day at home workout.
It doesn’t matter how you “un-plug”. What matters is that you bring yourself to a place of relaxation and contentment, while staying safe.
One of the key questions that a remote business employer receives from clients, or those thinking of starting their own virtual business is, “How do you know your employees are getting anything done? I mean, you are paying them but, what are you getting in return?” The easy answer is ‘Outcomes and Results’, as noted in our last blog post Managing a Changing Environment.
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