tools & tips to make your team more effective while wfh · connect with co-workers in a flash...

Tools & Tips to Make Your Team More Effective While WFH

April 29, 2020 - NCET

Gabbi Hall

About Me

● NCET’s VP of Blog Content

● Senior Copywriter at Noble Studios

● Spent 3 years working remote as the Digital Content Editor for Ski Racing Media

3Confidential. Intellectual property of Noble Studios.

● Questions to ask yourself when looking for solutions

● Some of my favorite tools for communication and collaboration

● Tips for staying connected with your team

● Probably a few bad jokes

What Will We Cover?

Problem: Isolation

Okay, so...How The F*** Do We Do This?


● What pain points are you experiencing?

● What do I miss about being in an office?

● Is there a way to bring that into the virtual work environment?

Now is The Time to Ask Yourself and Your Team


● Identify your problem

● Check your existing tools to see if the solution exists, and ask your employees

what they are already using (even if it’s not officially endorsed by the

company).

● If need be, add a new tool.

● Don’t just add tech for the sake of adding a shiny new toy when the solution

may be in your back pocket.

What Problem am I Trying to Solve?


Can I Spend Money?

● Could this be the new normal once the crisis has ended? Do I need a short-

term or long-term solution?

● How many people does this help in the company?

● What tools and software companies are offering free trials so you can test

without risk?

● Nearly 200 companies are offering free access to their tools and resources.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/347840

Problem: Isolation

Common ChallengesAnd Potential Solutions


Problem: Isolation

Video Conferencing


say they build stronger, more meaningful business relationships during in-person business

meetings and conferences.

85%

Source

https://medium.com/@shannonkelly_80469/the-value-of-face-to-face-meetings-why-in-person-is-better-than-online-14db4d3bea7f


say they prefer in-person business meetings because they allow for more complex

strategic thinking.

49%

Source

https://teamreferralnetwork.com/news/2017/07/7-stats-that-explain-why-we-need-face-to-face-networking/


● Free and paid versions

● Zoom offers free group calls (up to 100

people) for up to 40 minutes

● No limit on the number of meetings

● Share screens from computers, tablets

and phones, record meetings

● Virtually whiteboard to share all your

ideas

● Don’t forget the fun virtual backgrounds!

Zoom


Microsoft Teams

● Free and paid versions

● Communicate with your team and

always stay up to date with free chat

and search app capabilities

● Free, built-in group and one-on-one

audio or video calling

● Work together using your favorite

Office apps for web including Word,

Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote


Problem: Ad Hoc Connections

Instant Messaging And Casual Conversation


of respondents in ReportLinker's poll said instant messaging made

them more productive.

45%

Source

https://www.hrdive.com/news/poll-43-of-employees-use-instant-messaging-tools-on-the-job/444599/


of employees rely on instant messaging applications.

71%

Source

https://www.reportlinker.com/insight/instant-messaging-apps-invade-workplace.html


● Plenty of integrations to tie in tools like

Google Drive or my personal favorite,

Giphy.

● Divide conversations into channels—by

client, project or any other topic.

● Channels are a great way to build

company culture—pet photos, TV show

dad jokes, travel tips, etc.

● Free 1-on-1 video chats, so you can

connect with co-workers in a flash

without creating a special meeting link.

Slack


Google Chat

● Similar to Slack, but part of the Google

Suite.

● Conversations/groups by topic.

● Easy integration with Google Meet for

video chatting.

● Being part of the Google Suite means

easily being able to search for docs, past

conversations and more.


IMissTheOffice.eu

● Even when you’re not in meetings, you

can feel like you’re in an office.

● Kids Creative Agency built an office

white noise generator, which anyone

can access at IMissTheOffice.edu.

22

Every time, I finish a meeting or deliverable (which ends up being every 2 hours or so), I get up and move around for a few minutes. It's

been great to get moving.

Digital Marketing Specialist


Problem: Accountability & Organization

Daily Scrum and Task Manager


Of people and projects benefit from a task management tool. Okay, that’s not a real

statistic, but I’m pro-organization and it helps hold everyone accountable.

100%


● Free, easy-to-adopt task management

tool

● Create Kanban boards where you can

easily drag-and-drop tasks as they go

through your processes.

● You can label tasks by custom themes,

attach files, leave comments to track

status, assign tasks and reassign them.

● You can also set up triggers to add a little

automation to your workflows.

Trello


● Manage tasks and personal to-dos

● View lists, boards and calendars

● Create assignments and track due dates

● Move work through multiple stages

quickly, easily, and beautifully.

● Collaborate with up to 15 teammates

Asana

27

Make sure you set boundaries on your time. It’s easy for work to bleed into life now. Protect your

time.

Project Manager


Problem: Employee Engagement

Maintain Meaningful Connections


Employees who have regular 1:1 meetings with their managers are 3 times more likely to be engaged.

3x

Source

https://medium.com/@shannonkelly_80469/the-value-of-face-to-face-meetings-why-in-person-is-better-than-online-14db4d3bea7f


● Begin the feedback conversation with a check-in. "How are you doing today?" and "What is

the most important thing you are working on today?" These questions give you insight into

your listener's frame of mind and don’t just focus on constructive criticism.

● Do check-ins via video whenever possible. Verbal and non-verbal cues that colleagues use

to signal intentions and opinions can be easily overlooked in virtual meeting environment.

● Come to the table with a pre-set agenda so everyone finds value in the conversation.

Casual check-ins are valuable, but understand what the goal of your 1-on-1s are.

Invest in 1-on-1s

31

I've learned how important it is to have more than 45 mins with my toddler each day. I get up and start work early and also got rid of an hour+ of commuting/daycare drop off, so I can have a couple hours

with him in the afternoon/evening!

Creative Designer

32

I mailed my friend a drawing when she lost her job, and she mailed me back a thank you note, I've mailed my Grandma a letter, etc.

Makes it exciting to check the mailbox!

Digital Marketing Specialist


Problem: Maintaining Company Culture

Make Time For Fun


Happy employees are 12% more productive.

12%

Source

https://www.fastcompany.com/3048751/happy-employees-are-12-more-productive-at-work

https://memory.ai/timely-blog/why-company-culture-matters


At Noble Studios, we have a keg. We

all share a drink on Fridays at 3:30

pm, known as Beer Thirty. It’s a big

part of the culture.

While working from home, we’ve

kept the tradition, connecting (non-

mandatory) over Zoom each Friday

for a half hour of catching up and

cracking jokes.

Happy Hour


Trivia

While you’re enjoying happy hour,

mix things up with a game like

trivia—any topic works, but company

and co-worker themed trivia is

always a fun subject.

Of course, there has to be prizes like

a virtual gift card to a local coffee

shop. You can get to raise your

employees’ spirits and support a

local business. triviamaker.com

https://triviamaker.com/

37

Working out at lunch is a habit I've adopted. Also making my lunch instead of hand chicken.

Client Success Manager

Gabbi Hall

Let’s Stay In Touch

heregoesgabbi

heregoesgabbi

/in/gabbihall

Problem: Isolation

What’s Next?Upcoming NCET Webinar

40

May 6

Host: Marie Gibson – Gibson & Associates

Open to the Public, 3 pm – 4 pm PT

Your Action Plan For The Economic Recovery

Marie Gibson is a professional business

consultant who helps busy business owners

transform their accounting systems to give

them timely, and accurate, information; so

that they can focus on running their business

with certainty in an uncertain world.

tools & tips to make your team more effective while wfh · connect with co-workers in a flash...

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