Telework as a Team: Overcoming the Challenges of Working from Home
Posted on by Isabelle Brown
It’s been one year of working from home for many Americans. You may be asking yourself, How do people do this year-round? It’s true, some jobs are fully remote. This tells us one thing that may shock you: Being productive at your home office is totally possible!
We want to share some tips on how to work together with your team in a work-from-home small business setting.
Find a Collaborative Planning Platform that Works for You
Keeping your projects, schedules, and deadlines in one place with your team makes a huge difference with productivity and organization. Instead of jotting things down in a planner or notebook, get into the virtual world of planning. This ensures that you and your team members are on the same page with responsibilities and tasks. One of our favorites is Microsoft Teams Tasks by Planner. It’s adaptable to your team’s work needs and connects you all in a super organized way—and it even has a mobile app!
Check in with Each Other
We know one of the most difficult parts of working from home is the feeling of isolation during your workday. Conference room meetings, lunch breaks with coworkers, and being down the hall from your team are things we will surely never take for granted again once we transition back into the office. Even in a virtual setting, spending time with your team can still be a normal part of your daily schedule. A Zoom lunch break or coffee hour can be a good way to catch up without having to talk about work.
Be Understanding
For many people, our home is not our ideal office. Life and work blending together often isn’t conducive to a productive work environment. A good way to overcome this challenge with your team members is to be open and understanding with one another. We all have our own lives to work around, with factors like kids, dogs, or roommates. Even thinking of each other’s workloads outside of team collaborations helps to not put unrealistic expectations on one another. Being there for each other is a huge part of being a team.
You've Got This!
When working from home, having a team in your small business makes it feel like you have people on your side. Find routines that work for your group. Until you can return to the office, do your best to make teleworking work for you.