We all know how difficult it can be to stay motivated and productive when working from home. It’s easy to become distracted or feel lonely, but there are ways you can boost your morale and build resilience, while helping your co-workers do the same.
In this article, we will discuss the key tips that will help you deal with the difficulties of being a remote worker and tips to be successful while working from home:
Stay Connected as a Team
The easiest way to boost morale is to stay connected with your team. A lack of communication will lead to a poor team dynamic, and that can negatively impact your work relationships with other remote workers or those that may be working on-site.
To avoid this problem, make sure you’ve got good tools in place, such as project management templates, so that everyone is up-to-date with what’s happening within the organization and across projects. Services like Slack, Monday, and Asana are examples of communication tools that can help keep your team organized.
Work Towards Goals as a Team
Goals help to keep us motivated and a shared goal helps us feel connected. Good sales teams have used goal setting for many years and now it’s being used to create team morale for those working remotely. Creating team goals can help to maintain a sense of purpose, which will keep remote workers engaged and motivated.
It’s important that everyone feels like they’re involved in the decision-making process when it comes to goal setting, as this will make them more invested in the outcome.
Take Time Out for Yourself
Many people dream of working from home so they can create the ultimate lifestyle. The problem is, many people don’t take enough of their own time to do the things they enjoy. It’s important that you give yourself some downtime and make sure your coworkers do the same. On a work day, it can be as simple as a coffee break in the morning or walking around the block. On the weekend, take time to de frag so you return to work refreshed mentally, physically and spiritually.
Have Short Online Meetings
It’s helpful to see the friendly faces of your co-workers regularly however, you should make sure the meetings are not long and boring. Co-workers may be used to face-to-face communication, and it’s important that remote workers feel included in their team.
Recognition Is the Key to Team Building
It’s human nature to respond well to recognition. We all want to know we are doing a great job and feel appreciated by our peers at work. It’s easy to overlook remote workers because nobody can see the overtime or late nights, they put in. However, it’s helpful to have an online system of recognition that is a mix of public and private feedback so that remote employees can feel appreciated for all their hard work, even when no one else notices!
As a Team Member, Ask for Feedback
Many employees find it hard to raise concerns with their boss. They may have an issue that should be dealt with however they are worried that it will seem like they’re not up to the job. Asking for feedback is a chance to open up communication and make sure employees feel heard. In return, you might get some valuable information. You may have some blind spots and feedback helps you identify what your team needs and how best to move forward.
Encourage Healthy Habits
In stressful times it’s easy to slip into unhealthy habits. During the pandemic, you and many of your team mates may have been exercising less, eating poorly and possibly drinking more than usual. Build positivity by encouraging your team to get back on track with healthy habits that you can work toward as a team.
You could potentially organize a personal trainer to do some team classes over Zoom as a way to have some fun and create healthy habits.
Avoid Making Excuses as a Leader
Working from home can be challenging (particularly on Mondays) and many of us have been under stress throughout the last two years. If you are a leader, it’s important for you to maintain a positive mindset. Your team are watching and trusting in you for guidance and support.
It’s important to have a healthy work-life balance in order to build a happy, productive team. Do your best to build morale by maintaining a healthy mindset and a positive influence on the team members around you.
Have fun Together as a Team
Enjoying some fun together is a great way to build team morale. Build a sense of community and get to know each other by sharing experiences and having conversations online. You can build relationships as a team by enjoying each other’s company.
Plan celebrations for big wins as well as small accomplishments. Celebrate the little things that go right every day like meeting deadlines, finishing tasks early, undertaking new initiatives or winning new projects.
The advancement of technology and the global pandemic has had a huge impact all around the world and it’s changed the way we work together, possibly forever. It can make us feel less than human at times. Navigating these challenging times is critical for any company, particular those industries that have been worst impacted.
The key to successful team morale is creating an environment that fosters communication and collaboration. This can be achieved through having regular online meetings, celebrating the success of others in your company, taking steps towards achieving goals as a team, and making sure everyone on the team has time for themselves every day.
Team building should not just happen for those that work in the same location; it should also extend to remote workers. We can try online activities together or create healthy habits with one another! Make sure you take feedback from those around you because they will give insight into how your team really feels.
*Photo by Vlada Karpovich
