If there is one thing that the internet has had a significant impact on, it is the workforce. And while that was seen to the extremes during the pandemic – what has happened after has been brilliant for millions of businesses and workers.
The ability to work from home was forced upon most people, and businesses saw how much more flexible they could be. They saw better profits because they had fewer overheads, and what’s more, is that the global talent pool opened up.
But if you haven’t had experience running a remote and flexible team, it can still be a challenge. So for any small businesses that are growing their team or people stepping into the role of managing a flexible team – here are some tips.
Communication
Communication x 3 and then some. If there are miscommunications within remote teams, things can get tricky quickly. While there is a joke about a video call or a meeting that could’ve been an email – sometimes conversation via video is best.
All of your team members might have a preferred way of communication, and if that is the case, you will need to learn that and accommodate them. People generally give their best work when they feel comfortable and accommodated.
Try weekly calls, check-in emails, direct messages, and being open to being contacted when needed. See what works, see what doesn’t, and streamline it. Keep in mind you might only realize that there is an issue when something goes wrong. Proactiveness and vigilance will help.
Talent Pool
The job is the job, and the tasks are the tasks. But you have the ability to design the team, and this gives an incredible amount of flexibility.
Don’t stick to the regular recruiting methods; instead, make use of all of the platforms online that can help you put together a literal dream team. Go to specialists like a marketing staffing agency, a content writing agency, and more to hand-pick the best people for the job.
You’ll have access to a wealth of skills, and what’s best is that they are likely already vetted.
Using a global talent pool will mean that you and your team will be flexible on working hours – which can be beneficial to night owls and early risers alike. Don’t be afraid to split jobs up into parts so that you can have two or more people per task, allowing for part-time and ad-hoc people too.
Reimagine the team, and build it as you see fit.
Trust
Freelancers who were working from home or across the world ahead of the pandemic have always had a level of trust that people who went from office to home didn’t have. Trust is one of the most important parts of being able to have a flexible team. The only way you can build trust is to show it and act like it.
Focus on the deliverables, be able to talk through issues, and avoid micromanagement and constant check-ins when they just are necessary.
After you build the team, let them work on their strengths and get on with what you have to do.
If you look at some of the most successful businesses in the world, they all have something important in common: a clear strategy for where they’re headed. Everyone in the organization knows why they’re doing what they’re doing, helping to improve productivity.Â
The statistics for workplace engagement in the US, however, are shocking. As the following info graphic indicates, only around 33 percent of all American workers feel engaged by their jobs, and a further 16 percent say that they are actively miserable. Around half are present but not engaged.Â
The solution to this problem isn’t to hire better people. Instead, it is to explain to colleagues why their role is so valuable and what the company is trying to achieve. For people to be engaged in a task, they need to feel as if they have ownership over it. They need to know how their particular responsibility impacts the mission of the rest of the firm.Â
At the core of this process is excellent communication. If leaders in an enterprise can’t sell the corporate mission to their employees, they’ll forever struggle with low levels of engagement and poor performance.Â
Communication isn’t just crucial for colleagues. It is also important for shareholders and employees too. Companies, for instance, that regularly keep shareholders informed encourage greater loyalty and increases in the value of their equity.Â
Would you like to find out more about communications and its value to business? If so, check out the following stats in this info graphic.
Running a company is starting to become more digital nowadays, so it’s only natural for many of us to be using technology throughout the business. Technology has advanced a lot, and there’s now plenty that it can do to benefit a business. Here are just a few ways it can benefit yours.
Security
With so many hackers, scammers and cyber attacks targeting small and big businesses across the globe, it’s only right that security systems are getting tougher to crack and companies are keen to get their own security in top form to avoid confidential data being leaked, especially when it includes members of the public. It’s important always to keep tabs on how the security is performing, especially as your business grows. There are also a lot of security providers out there, so do your research to get a good understanding of what your business will need specifically.Â
Productivity
There’s now so much software in the technology industry, that there’s pretty much something for everything. Work productivity can often sometimes be a hit or miss for staff members, so it’s good to have a software program or two in place, that just makes everything a little easier to manage. Scientific reports and math documents are made easier with setapp.com/apps/mathkey and task managers are great for maintaining productivity and crossing off the to-do list.Â
Promotion
Promoting the company is important to most businesses. Whether you’re selling a business or service, it’s useful to get the word out there, and until the internet and social media platforms came along, it was traditional print that sold everything. However, all that’s changed, and some businesses have grown just from being online. Social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram is now possibly the most effective way of selling your brand. It’s worth making a website, getting yourself a profile on as many of the platforms as possible and having a team of skilled social media kings and queens to rocket your business into the spotlight.Â
Communication
With technology, communication has become a lot better. It’s no longer handwritten letters but emails that get to the recipient within seconds. There’s video calling instead of just talking on the phone, and all of this means that work can be done quicker. There are now more opportunities for customers and businesses to chat and feedback to one another without waiting in line.Â
Easy communication means that there’s more flexibility in where and when you can communicate. Meetings can be held in multiple times and locations across the globe and staff can have the opportunity of flexible working. Everything is much easier than it used to be when communicating.Â
It’s incredible to see how technology has transformed our lives and that we now rely on it so heavily both in our work lives and in our personal ones too. As a business, it’s important not to be afraid of technology. It’s not going anywhere and seems to be the future of how all businesses will end up eventually, so don’t let yours fall by the wayside.
As a small business owner, you are likely your own project manager! Especially in the beginning, many entrepreneurs start out as a one-man show.
Launching a new project can be daunting and is often the hardest part. Depending on the scope of your idea, it can seem complicated, overwhelming or intimidating.
A few simple outlined steps can really clarify your vision and make the task seem less scary. Here is the 5-step process I recommend when preparing to launch a new project:
Do your homework. Have you ever tried to build IKEA furniture without reading the instructions? It usually ends badly! Take the time to do your research so you can launch your project successfully the first time. Do digging on numbers, projections, other companies who have done similar projects, read articles, etc. Don’t spend forever on this step, but budget an hour or two each day leading up to launch.
Set up a clear and focused plan. Write down WHY you are doing this project and WHERE it will take your company. Make sure the destination/outcome is worth all the energy you and your team put into it. Keep the plan simple and focused, with a solid roadmap of how you will get from start to finish. Include DATES of when things will happen.
Build the project team or acquire training. Choose exactly who you want to be working on this project with you. This may look like picking people from your team with the most experience or talent relating to the project or bringing on a contractor. Utilizing people with expertise in project launching can make or break your bottom line! If you choose to go at it alone, get the necessary training so that you feel confident about what you’re doing.
If you’re looking for the launch manager to help you launch a new project, let’s chat. I specialize in making your project launch run smooth, successful and profitable! Click HERE to schedule a call.
Communicate expectations clearly and effectively. A great team can only do their job well if they know exactly what it is! Make sure to be clear and effective when communicating what you want. Be present and available for questions and suggestions. Your goals for the project should be crystal clear and the expectations you have for each member laid out in a way that is easy to understand. Also, make sure everyone knows how and where to communicate about details of the project. This could be through email, a project platform, a work-based chat group, etc.
Trust the process. If you’ve done your best to research, set up a plan, build a team and create solid expectations, the next step is GO! You may not have all the answers and it may be frightening, but in order to push forward you’ve got to set sail. You can tweak and adjust as needed throughout the project journey.
I hope this helps you feel more confident about launching new projects in your business! If you want more information or need help with the technical aspects of your project, I have some openings on my calendar this week for consultations. Let’s see how we can get your project running the most effectively so you can gain maximum profit!
