For many of us, we have never worked from home pre-COVID, and if you are like me it may have been or may still be a struggle. Perhaps, like me, you were distracted by walking the dog, (wait, I don’t have a dog). I struggled for about three weeks and then hyper adapted to an even greater level of productivity. I got in a disciplined rhythm and focused on my leadership communication to mitigate any risk of missing non-verbal cues, and am able to leverage the ability to mono-task. Below are some tips:

First, it is important to understand that working remotely needs getting used to by a majority of the workforce, especially for employees that are accustomed to working within certain hours. Having a structured approach makes it easier to guide your team and clearly detail what is expected of them. Additionally, consistent communication of these expectations is vital if the team is expected to deliver excellent work, and on time.

Secondly, invest in the necessary tools to make working remotely possible for both management and your employees. Communication tools such as video conferencing, enterprise resource planning, and customer relationship management software are essential when operating businesses remotely. Ensure that the entire team is conversant with using these tools to avoid hiccups along the way.

Thirdly, go for the best cybersecurity system to safeguard and reduce the risk of prying eyes gaining any level of access to sensitive data. Keeping information such as passwords and log-ins private is the best way to avoid hacking when transferring information from one team member to another. Company policies that govern the sharing of information should be put in place and adhered to by every team member.

Finally, do your best to achieve a solid work-home balance to avoid burnout. Have a schedule similar to a regular workday so that tasks get done within the agreed timelines. Maintaining a calendar accessible to everyone acts as a guide that can be adopted when things get back to normal.