The pandemic has changed the way businesses and employees work indefinitely. Whilst digital has provided timely solutions to disruptive working solutions over the past year, working with remote teams can be difficult when trying to grasp the elements which may day-to-day working a success.
One of the more notable changes to working operations is the way meetings are conducted. The continuous detachment from colleagues and the working environment has been convenient for the majority, however, some employees have suffered from the disconnection from their peers.
As society looks to reopen and move forward towards a “new normal”, without a clear timeline, business leaders are faced with the challenge of bringing their teams back together and establishing a suitable way of working for all parties.
How can you reunite your team?
Although teams may have been contact through digital technology over the last year, every individual has dealt with working remotely in their own way. Whilst discussions take place across millions of businesses in the UK in terms of overcoming challenges they face, bringing a team back together may be trickier than anticipated.
It is important to provide goals to regain some sense of normality. One effective way to do this would be to conduct in-person interviews and gauge an understanding of employees are feeling. This will gradually boost morale and motivate workforces to get back on track.
Collaboration increase – Collaboration between teams will have been on of the trickier elements to mange when working away from offices, but once team members are being encouraged to come together, this will open the door to more effective collaboration and ideas.
Team bonding activities – One of the more popular methods to regain team sync is to have team bonding sessions. This doesn’t necessarily mean having team outings, but perhaps a full team meeting will you fill everyone on what’s been happening; and not just work related activity. However, this opportunity will allow leaders to discuss team objectives and a clear plan of how they will move forward and how your leadership will play a part in achieving this.
Reducing the impact of Covid-19
As teams look to head back to the office, creating an environment where the workforce can feel comfortable and flourish will be the main priority for leaders. Regular team meetings can go a long way to understanding how a company can flourish, and move forward from the pandemic.
Brainstorming ideas, setting achievable goals and having open discussions could be a good way to get everyone feeling positive again. These may be ideas for clients on exciting campaigns or building an internal strategy.
It’s easy to become used to the routine of working from home, without the in-person human interaction that is so important at work. However, meeting in person provides a better way of understanding what everyone else in the team is working on.
Is a schedule needed?
Getting the team back together may cause anxiety for some, however, there are several ways a business can ensure the safety of their staff. By installing certain precautions such as hand sanitisers, social distancing and regular cleaning of the premises; employees will feel more assured when entering the working environment.
To prevent overcrowding, it may be a case of scheduling office times for certain teams. For instance if the marketing team needs to meet in person to discuss a certain campaign, allocating them with a slot on Wednesday afternoon’s will make it easier for them to plan when to come in a meet. That way, each team will know where and when they are required to meet.
Some businesses may decide to have a combination of meeting in-person, whilst carrying on meeting via remote technology when necessary. As the majority of the UK has benefitted from flexible working, leaders face the challenge of developing a flexible working culture by listening to employees and meeting their needs.
Fixing the digital skills gap
Whilst it isn’t clear what the future holds, business leaders are making steps and equipping themselves to embrace the “digital workplace”. The digital skills gap is currently at a high; over 17 million people in the UK lack essential digital skills – leaders will be ensuring they provide their workforce with the support they need to close the gaps that exist (if they do) in the business.
The need for digital skills in the future will only look to increase; as elements and automation play a part in the future workplace, being prepared to constantly monitor and close new gaps will leave an organisation in good stead in the long run.