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A tactical approach to keeping your team engaged and mindful in isolation

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Daniel Cherin

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25 Aug 2020
3 min read
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The reality of COVID-19 means the majority of workers now operate from home.

With this newfound operational norm, challenges to team working dynamics are struggling to maintain consistent productivity.

The key to solving these issues is all around engagement. Value is the product of performance. The more you put in, the higher the value. Synergy.

In order to maintain and even promote higher performance, a tactical approach to the way team members communicate is vital to creating a culture of positive synergy.

Tactics for engaging your team and mastering two-way communication:

Internal Communication as a Means of Connection

For many, working from home can create a sense of disconnection from the rest of your team and organisation. A workflow of siloed meetings and project contributions.

News and updates across the organisation not only act as a means of company alignment across all departments but also aids in connecting an organisation’s various staff. 

Weekly CEO Video Updates

The advent of COVID-19 and remote working means disruption not just within teams but across the organisation.

Using live or prerecorded weekly updates from key decision-makers means senior leadership and other stakeholders can update and engage all stakeholders across the organisation. Whether it be business-related or a social call.

It makes a meaningful difference. One that not only benefits individuals within the organisation but the organisation as a whole.

Social Virtual Catch-ups, Quiz Afternoons

For many full-time workers, the majority of socialisation is with colleagues. However, due to the disruptive effects of COVID-19, and with millions now working from home remotely, office workers across the globe are having to navigate new ways of engaging with colleagues virtually.

To balance the many virtual meetings among? conference calls held online, social catch-ups, social activities and company forums work to keep people connected and engaged in the goings-on outside of their day-to-day team conversions.

Creating non-work-related communication channels act as a means of supporting each other.

A screenshot of a grid of people in an online meeting

Virtual & mental wellbeing classes

With so many people working from home with varying levels of access to gyms and other wellbeing resources, it is more imperative than ever that we feel connected in order to reduce stress, anxiety and loneliness.

One major aspect is the sense of connectivity. That sense of community within a workplace is very important.

Just as important is physical movement and mindfulness. Both are critical strategies to assist calm within the mind and obviously within the body. It assists with being in the present and within the moment. Alleviating anxiety.

The separation between work and life balance - message to close off the day for e.g.

A major discussion point in the times of COVID-19 is the concept of balancing work hours and productivity in contrast to personal time with the home and office occupying the same space.

It can be a slippery slope for many, opting to continue working beyond the necessary work point.

To ensure team members maintain a healthy balance, it is important for teams to mentally clock off from work. Sending organisation-wide messages to unwind from the workday can offer employees acknowledgement of their mental health and maintain a positive attitude.

Start open conversations

Maintaining an open-door policy to feedback and input on how best to achieve productivity is essential to members of every professional team.

Regardless of hierarchy, personable and amiable conversations are key to maintaining close and constructive relationships in a working environment.

Using communication technology such as video conferencing, chat channels and two-way notifications systems enable teams to cultivate positive working environments.

Focus on two-way communications

The crucial ingredient of any conversation that reaps genuine engagement is a two-way system of conversation.

Offering members of your organisation a communications channel to authentically express themselves, professional or personal, means the opportunity to explore, consider and act to better your team, organisation and community.

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