5 Keys to Maximize Productivity in a Virtual Firm

Mike Mausteller; President - Buckeye Business Performance

[email protected]

www.MikeMausteller.focalpointcoaching.com

#1 - Maintain what worked

I’m surprised how many managers have mentioned productivity as an issue but no longer have regular meetings with their team. It seems, in our scramble to adapt to stay at home orders we lost track of some business basics.  Keep those weekly check-ins whether team or 1 on 1. In fact, be even more purposeful about the content and your expectations.

#2 - Think Small

When teams are located closely together in an office setting, broader goals with longer timelines work fine. The manager has a view of the day to day as well as “fire drills”. Working remotely, it is better to have smaller goals with tighter timelines. Measuring smaller steps of a project can help raise the visibility when other work is getting in the way that the manager would have been aware of had the team been in an office setting.

#3 - Communication Tools

If your communication concerns are among project teams or across teams, it may be time to consider task/project management software. One popular option is Trello which has a free option and costs less than $20 for up to 100 users. Whichever software you choose, be sure to set up a dashboard that is focused on the most important steps in your process. Remind the team in the design phase that the tool also serves a larger audience who need visibility to any potential obstacles.

#4 - Virtual Water Cooler

The office water cooler is often a symbol of gossip and wasted time. However, there is anecdotal evidence that ideas from impromptu conversations between the right people have resulted in hundreds of billions of dollars in results for companies.  To recreate that virtually, a Zoom call with breakout sessions and the right people connecting, sharing progress and discussing challenges could be just what your team or project needs.

#5 - Onboarding

If you are hiring, onboarding a new team member could be your biggest challenge in the virtual world. There is no magic bullet for this. But keep in mind what has worked in the office and replicate that as closely as you can. Schedule multiple points to check in with them daily, just like if you walked past their desk on the first few days in the office. Providing them with a mentor and ensuring some 1 on 1 time with their most common contacts can help them to transition faster.