An unprecedented coronavirus pandemic marked the beginning of 2020. This situation forced many governments across the world to enforce preventive measures. Social distancing, isolation, wearing masks, and lockdowns are some of the standards being applied to this day. Since coronavirus doesn’t show any signs of slowing down globally, employees have no other choice than to work remotely.
This particular work arrangement has its pros and cons. On the one hand, it allows uninterrupted workflow despite the ongoing pandemic. On the other hand, the risk of having employees slack off in work has skyrocketed. To reduce the risk, here are five tips on how to improve team performance.
1. Incentivise Employees
Let’s be honest. We all like it when our efforts are recognised and appreciated. All the more so if rewards are included. For this reason, it’s quite common for team leaders and the management to offer some kind of incentives to their employees if they reach specific goals that lead to the company’s growth. The reward system boosts employee productivity and creates healthy competition among employees and departments. When employees know there is an extra reward for the done job, they work harder and compete among themselves to get it. As much as incentives work on the individual level, they can also be provided on departmental standards as well. For example, whichever team closes the most significant number of sales at the end of the month or quarter, wins a trip to a winery. The key is in offering something that motivates and inspires them to step up their game and achieve the set aim.
2. Setting Attainable Goals
The secret of success of worldwide companies is in setting attainable and realistic goals. Achievable goals are motivating enough for employees to make an additional effort and help the company rise to success. However, if employees can’t even imagine reaching the desired aims, they won’t also give it a try. They will be unmotivated right from the start. This is why employers should communicate their realistic plans and aims clearly and directly to all employees. Also, they have to subdivide higher greater business goals into smaller parts such as weekly, monthly, quarterly plans.
When employees complete successfully smaller steps, together they add up to the completion of a much more significant, yearly, goal. It can be anything from increasing sales, expanding the customer base, to becoming an expert in the chosen field. Still, to make this happen, employers have to help employees understand they are capable, skilful, and experienced enough to complete tasks. Only then will they have the wind at their back to push them towards pursuing and ultimately achieving desired and planned corporate goals.
3. Improving Internal Communication
During remote work, communication among employees is one aspect that suffers the most. Since they no longer share physical office space, but only virtual, there are fewer opportunities for interaction. However, team performance can’t improve if team members don’t communicate effectively among themselves and with members of other teams. Luckily to many employers, communicative technology has rapidly advanced. Today, there is a plethora of employee apps or similar internal communication software to help them out. Whichever business solution they choose, will boost internal communication and bring employees much closer regardless of the distance between them. As the team spirit increases, so will their performance as a team. With team members on the same page and performing well, there’s no reason for a business to fail.
4. Scheduling Only Purposeful Meetings
We have all heard the saying time is money. Successful employers know it too well. That is why their philosophy included scheduling only purposeful meetings.
This means there’s no need to schedule a meeting or arrange a video call for every single item that needs to be discussed. Instead of holding ineffective meetings and wasting time, meetings are organized only when something of paramount importance demands full attention.
Meetings can also be organized for different purposes. Team leaders usually arrange short daily meetings with team members to discuss project progress and assign tasks. There are also weekly individual meetings to check up on team members and see if they need help with something. During monthly meetings, departments and the management evaluate their performance, give and receive feedback. They also make plans together for future projects and publicly praise hard-working teams or individuals as stimulation for further professional growth.
5. Marking Milestones
Another way to improve team performance is by celebrating wins. No matter how big or small they are, they are a sign your team is on the right path to success. Taking some time to enjoy them, even virtually, shows team members hard work pays off. Also, it shows how valuable their contributions to the team and the company are. Altogether, it inspires them to work harder and go the extra mile for the organization. Some companies have been organizing virtual happy hours on Fridays to mark milestones, relax, and bond safely in the virtual world.
Whatever idea managers come up with, they have to make sure everyone’s on board with it. Better workspace management, attainable goals, internal communication and celebrating wins are the important aspects of team performance. Otherwise, celebrations attended by only a few team members won’t have any effect on team performance.