If you’re new to the remote work culture, you’ll need to pick up new abilities like remote team cooperation and virtual communication via virtual team communication technologies. Aside from the new skills you’ll need to master your existing skills.

Another problem for remote employees is maintaining motivation and productivity while working from home and learning how to avoid burnout. So, here are a few pointers to assist you in managing your time while working remotely:

Creating a task schedule for the team

Creating a clear timetable and task list with your peers is one of the easiest methods to manage your time and remain on top of responsibilities while working from home.

A variety of team communication and project management tools are available to assist you in prioritising tasks, seeing what everyone is working on, and setting deadlines. Many people are concerned about how their team members will interact. You may concentrate on your work without worrying about project timescales if you have clear priorities and a work schedule.

Saying “No” is a skill that should be learned

People in the office are more aware of which projects you are already working on because you are all in the same space. As a result, they are unlikely to keep throwing fresh requests at you if they know you are busy. When you work from home, though, your coworkers may be unaware of your workload. Even if you’re already overburdened, this can lead to different team members asking for feedback.

Choose a tool that allows you to share updates on your current workload with your team. Then, before requesting assistance, your team can check on your present workload and assess your availability. Of course, if you’re still getting requests for advice, you’ll need to learn to say “no.” Next time you’re asked to do something that you can’t do because of your current workload, respectfully decline and explain that you don’t have the time to complete the task.

Creating a daily schedule that is unique to you

When they are not in an office atmosphere, some people find it difficult to motivate themselves in the morning. Create a separate workplace at home, travel to a coffee shop, or work in a co-working environment to solve this problem. However, regardless of where you choose to centre yourself, creating a personal task list is a terrific way to start your day and avoid wasting too much time staring at a blank screen, unsure of where to begin.

When you don’t have your coworkers nearby to serve as a concrete reminder of what needs to be done, making a daily plan allows you to know exactly what to focus on as you start your day.

This is an excellent practice to follow regardless of where you work, but explicitly detailing all of your tasks in this way can be very helpful for those who work from home.

Set goals for yourself and reward yourself when you meet them

If you and your team have agreed on a task list, you most likely already have specified timeframes to meet. Setting mini-deadlines for different phases of a task and rewarding yourself when you meet them is an excellent approach to stay motivated.

You can build smaller project deadlines around other small rewards and more significant project deadlines around larger rewards, such as holidays. In the workplace, rewards could include going out for a long lunch with coworkers or after-work cocktails.

These experiences can become so routine that you don’t even consider the benefits. It’s also crucial to reward yourself when you work from home.

Keep track of your time

Another useful approach of self-management is time tracking, which tracks how you spend your working hours. When you use time monitoring tools and software, you’ll be able to see exactly how long each task takes and manage your time accordingly.

You can also see what your team members are working on, which helps with transparency. Examining the data might help you spot flaws in your time management and figure out how to execute projects and chores more efficiently.

Time monitoring is essential for remote employees who want to enhance their productivity and self-management abilities because recording your progress is the only way to improve it.

Learn how to turn off your computer at the end of the day

When working remotely, self-management challenges aren’t necessarily about procrastination or a lack of drive. It’d be that you’re simply finding it more challenging to turn off. Setting down a clear work schedule with your team, as previously indicated, is beneficial for time management. But it also entails figuring out how to conclude your workday.

Turn off your notifications and log out of any work-related applications on your computer after you’ve decided to call it a day. This way, you won’t be bothered during your time by incoming emails or work inquiries.

Conclusion

Self-management must always be your priority, even when you are remote working. Following these tips, you will surely be able to do it efficiently to benefit yourself.

“Employee orientation centers, and exists to help the individual employee, but it is the company that ultimately reaps the benefits of this practice.”~ Michael Watkins.

The sign of a great organization is one that values and respects its employees. There is no denying that the entire tenure of an employee is very crucial, but having said that, it is also true that a large number of organizations fail to understand the importance of having an onboarding process. In fact, if statistics are to be believed almost 22% of organizations, even today lack proper onboarding process steps.

In this blog, we will look at why it is essential to have in place an effective and impactful onboarding process.

WONDERS OF AN OUTSTANDING ONBOARDING

Slashes Employee Turnover: One of the most common challenges faced by most organizations is that employees are getting pickier about where they work. This also means that almost 33% of new employees will start looking for another job within the first 6 months of working. This also means that today, to retain good people in the team, an organization actually needs to engage its employees by having in place a great onboarding routine. Employees will feel more connected to an organization and this is the first step to reduce the attrition rates.

Accelerate Productivity: The onboarding process helps new joining members to come up to speed with the flow and style of work. The faster they are able to understand the team and understand what is expected from them, the easier it will be for them to execute and achieve deliverables. Most organizations, it has been observed that those companies that don’t have in place an onboarding process checklist, the new hires take 8 to 12 months to get acclimatized and in reaching their optimum productivity levels.

A quick grasp of core responsibilities: A thought out and well-implemented onboarding process includes induction, product or process training plans for the new recruits. A training module helps most newcomers gain the confidence to carry out their responsibilities in line with business objectives. Training as per the modules designed aligns the new joinee with agility to the values and philosophy  of the company and also gives them an understanding of how to perform their day to day tasks productively.

Reduce newcomer’s anxiety:  Having butterflies and a tad bit of nervousness upon joining a new team and company is always natural. Most of this nervousness stems from the uncertainties of stepping into new waters and their own ability to bond with the existing employees and their acceptance as a team member. A proper onboarding routine providing all the desired information that a new joinee would be looking for would make way for swift and smooth alignment with their teams and managers. This will help reduce their anxiety and impact the overall performance.

Acceptance of procedures: It is important that all team members new and old are aware of the code of conduct and other formal procedures that a company has in place. An insightful employee onboarding regime will make sure that all new joiners not only understand the policies and the regulations but are also in sync with the same. A resistance or doubt to even a single policy could lead to discontentment which could hamper longevity of the employee.

Maintains a rich work environment:  An onboarding process is more than just rules, regulations, and completion of joining formalities. It is a holistic process that aids the new employees understand the very culture and work ethics that resonate in the organization. In the long run, taking along the new team members from the word go, with the help of this process ensures a friendly and open work environment as well.

The onboarding process steps that you decide to take totally depend on your work culture and the type of learning that you wish to imbibe. However, the important point is to make sure that you concentrate on giving the new team a planned onboarding day on day one so that they feel welcomed, and not just fit into but  blend into the organization, and together with the existing tenured employees they achieve success.

For more information and free consultation get in touch with our experts at info@emgage.work

“Everyone talks about building a relationship with your customer. I think you build one with your employees first.”– Angela Ahrendts

The giddy feeling of nervousness and excitement is something that every new employee goes through at the time when they join a new organization. If one is looking for diversity under one roof, they are sure to find it in any running business operation. Different people bring different talents and skills to the table. When there is so much diversity, how else is it possible for organizations to bring them on the same page?

The answer to this is by setting the correct expectations and bringing everyone at par with the help of a well-drafted employee handbook. Going by the quote that I have stated, starting on the right foot to strengthen an employer-employee bond is very important and is what nurtures a strong relationship in the long run. And, in order to do so, an employee handbook is something that can get you started on the right track.

In this blog, we will take a closer look at how an employee handbook can help set a clear outline of all the company policies and can also help in shielding your company from any legal trouble. Let us understand how an employee handbook can help small and medium-sized businesses establish that strong relationship right from the start.

Help set the right expectation settings in terms of culture, mission, and values: Each organization has a different culture, a different lifestyle, and different principles. To make sure every new employee gets a head start and understands the core working ethics, an employee handbook is the starter pack. It basically acts as a typed guide that can help you understand:

1. How the business got to where it is
2. What the company is passionate about
3. How can someone new become a part of the same culture and principles?

With the employee handbook in place, each new member of the team can understand the very pulse of the company and can work according to the principles and the guidelines that are set aside.

Helps them to become productive faster: When all the criterias and their responsibilities are listed out in the handbook, it gives the new team member a clear idea of what is expected from them. Once the initial step is taken to educate them through the handbook about the rules and regulations and their obligations when it comes to job descriptions, it will be easier for them to get in the flow and work in a better and productive manner. The handbook clearly spells out all their general responsibilities when it comes to safety, timekeeping, and the regular reporting structure.

Educates the employees about the management and leadership team: Every organization has a different hierarchy that is followed along with all the details such as the core leadership team and how to approach them. An employee handbook is a starter guide for an employee to understand all the policies that are designed not only for the upkeep of the organization but for them as well.  All the employee rights like paid leaves and other benefits are also clearly highlighted in the employee handbook.

Ensures communication of all the key policies and rules: Righteous policies that can safeguard the interests of both the employer and employee is something that the employee handbook does first and foremost. Often issues and challenges occur when there is no clarity of the code of conduct and policies. Whatever an employee might face as a grievance needs to be handled and addressed in the employee handbook, so as to ensure their ease and comforts.

Highlights all the employee benefits that are offered: Annual appraisals, leave policy, health insurance, and bonus payments, all these are some of the benefits that employees look for when they join an organization. An employee has a better dedication to work when they know that they are being taken care of as well, which is why highlighting all the benefits that you offer them in the employee handbook, will give them a sense of security and well being.

Informs the employees who to approach for help: Having in place an employee handbook is basically ensuring that nothing goes wrong in the future. An employee handbook is a step by step guide to inform employees of who to approach if and when things go wrong. It protects the interest of both the parties which is an employer and the employee.

It is very essential to make sure that you have the employee handbook updated and in place. So, take a few extra steps to construct an employee handbook to ensure a longer and stronger employer-employee bond.

For more information and free consultation get in touch with our experts at info@emgage.work