Categories
Work Environment

How to Have Difficult Work Conversations Remotely?

In the current climate of remote work, difficult work conversations have become even more challenging to navigate. The lack of in-person interactions and nonverbal cues can make it harder to understand the tone and intent behind messages, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts. However, with the right approach, it is possible to have difficult work conversations remotely and maintain productive working relationships.

 

Prepare

 

The first step in having a difficult work conversation remotely is to prepare. This means setting clear objectives for the conversation, identifying the specific issues that need to be addressed, and thinking through how you want to phrase your concerns. It’s also important to consider the tone and communication style that will be most effective in the remote setting.

 

Set Clear Boundaries

 

Another important aspect of having difficult work conversations remotely is to set clear boundaries. This means identifying what topics are off-limits and what types of communication are not acceptable. For example, it may be appropriate to have a frank conversation about a work-related issue over email, but it may not be appropriate to discuss personal issues in the same way.

 

Use Appropriate Tools and Platforms

 

Another consideration when having difficult work conversations remotely is to be mindful of the tools and platforms that are used. For example, using video conferencing software can be a great way to improve communication and understanding, as it allows for real-time interactions and nonverbal cues.

 

Be Open and Transparent

 

In addition, it is important to be open and transparent. This means being willing to listen to the other person’s perspective, and being honest about your own thoughts and feelings. It’s also important to be respectful and avoid personal attacks or criticism.

 

Follow Up and Follow Through

 

Another key thing to keep in mind is to have a plan to follow up and follow through on any action items that come out of the difficult work conversation. This can include scheduling follow-up meetings or touchpoints, and setting clear expectations for what needs to be done and by when.

 

Difficult Work Conversations Are Normal

 

Finally, remember that difficult work conversations are a normal part of any working relationship, and it’s important to address issues as they arise. 

 

Rent a Coworking Space

 

By preparing, setting boundaries, using appropriate tools and platforms, being open and transparent, following through on action items and remembering that it’s normal to have difficult conversations, you can navigate difficult work conversations remotely and maintain valuable working relationships.

 

One way to ensure that difficult work conversations take place in an appropriate setting is to rent a coworking space. Coworking spaces provide a professional setting for remote workers to come together, collaborate and communicate in person. This can be especially beneficial for having difficult conversations, as it provides an opportunity for face-to-face interaction and nonverbal cues, which can help to improve understanding and build trust.

 

Conclusion

 

In conclusion, remote work has its own set of challenges and difficulties when it comes to having difficult work conversations. But with proper planning, communication style, setting boundaries and renting a coworking space, it’s possible to navigate these challenges and have a work relationship stronger than ever.

 

Categories
Business Trends

How to Improve Employee Engagement The Value of a Creative Office Space

Employee engagement is essential for thriving operations, regardless of your business niche. Did you know that around 47 million Americans have quit their jobs voluntarily in the year 2021? This is a huge number, and the situation is actually alarming. People run businesses, not the other way around. It is crucial for employers to understand what works best for their employees and keep them motivated. One of the best ways to keep employees motivated is by ensuring proper engagement. If you are wondering how to improve employee engagement, you have landed in the right space. In today’s post, we are going to discuss how you can make the change within your workspace.

 

Effective and Frequent Communication Across Multiple Channels

 

To build trust amongst employees, it is important to establish frequent yet highly effective communication across different channels. A report by Gallup states that a huge percentage of remote workers struggle to figure out what is expected of them. This indicates a communication lapse that needs to be filled asap. Leaders in your organization must be responsible for regular and proper communication. This is crucial if you want your employees to feel valued, important, and work properly.

 

When you have a remote/hybrid workforce setting, effective communication is one of the key challenges. You can use multiple channels to communicate verbally, visually, in person, in writing, and more. A few great examples are a 10-minute motivation video to perk up the employees at the start of the week, and a check-up video/audio/conference call with everyone at the end of the week to ensure what was accomplished and what needs to be done. Emails work really well for recurring tasks. When you offer adequate resources for employees, they will feel more trusted, connected, and engage back effectively.

 

Offer a Combo of Digital and Physical Workspaces

 

With the modern-day work styles, it is crucial to invest in flexible digital workplace solutions like an intranet, a coworking space, or essentially anything that allows employees to tailor the communication experience in a way that works out for them. Digital workspace solutions for connecting employees and sharing messages are a crucial part of every single organization.

 

Apart from providing the right tools, offering opportunities to socialize and meet in person further improves communication. It is super important to set time aside to gather every now and then and discuss plans or even collaborate on projects. Human connection is very important for collaborative work environments. Hence, it is crucial to arrange in-person meetings for employees every once in a while, even when you guys work remotely. If you don’t own a physical office, you can always make use of coworking space to arrange for employee meetups.

 

Pay Attention to Employee Feedback

 

Effective communication goes both ways. Arrange ways and channels that allow employees to offer feedback openly and confidently and take the desired action. We are not saying to follow the opinion of the employees blindly but listen to their genuine concerns and fix the areas that need improvement. When your employees feel comfortable in sharing their opinion, they feel more confident to share their ideas and opinions that will not only benefit them but also the organization along with improving engagement. You can also go ahead and distribute engagement surveys quarterly or yearly. The survey is used to determine the key points and formulate strategies that work in your best interest. This step alone will set reasonable expectations about the pace of work/progress, incorporate employee feedback, and effectively run the planning cycle. The surveys can be extremely beneficial when your organization is running remotely.

 

Promote Work-Life Balance

 

Employees these days are becoming more and more vocal about their need to achieve a better work-life balance. A Joblist survey found that nearly 30 percent of workers sacrifice a part of their salary to achieve a better work-life balance. Parents were willing to get a reduction in salary by 5%, provided that the opportunity offered a better work-life balance. It is important that you encourage flexibility when it comes to work and respect the boundaries of your employees. Make sure that your employees can take the desired time off when needed and avoid setting unrealistic work boundaries.

 

Invest In Your Employees

 

Most business owners think that investing in their employees means offering a competitive salary. While it does help, more is needed. Sometimes investing in employees can manifest as hands-on training, continued education, and providing learning opportunities. Recognizing your employees is a super powerful way to make them feel important and valued. You can give them awards at annual dinners, praise them in person, and let them know how important they are to your company.

 

The ‘work first’ mentality is slowly and steadily fading away, and employees are reconsidering their jobs and whether investing the hours is worth the paycheck. If the management is aligned with both employer and employees’ vision, you can be sure of active engagement which gives your employees every reason to feel motivated and stay.

 

How to Improve Employee Engagement

 

Improving employee engagement is not only beneficial for employees but for your business as well. Being able to do that involves the right strategy, planning, and consistency. But if you crack the code, you will surely be glad of the decisions you made. Bonus: Your employees will be super happy to be a part of your organization.

 

We sincerely hope that you found this article informative and helpful. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or ways in which you engage your employees, we would love to know it all.

 

Categories
Business Trends Office Space

Why “Work from Anywhere” Will Continue to Grow?

We live in a world where travel is one of the top priorities of employees. This is especially true for employees who come from the millennial generation. Hybrid working arrangements are a common part of modern work lifestyles, and they help employees work from anywhere, combining travel and work into one. This flexibility to work from anywhere will empower employees to plan working holidays without eating into their holiday entitlement.

 

Paul Lewis, CCO at job search engine Adzuna, said that the desire to travel and work aren’t two mutually exclusive things. COVID-19 has caused a major shift in the industry and companies are moving towards a hybrid/remote work culture, especially in IT, Finance and Consultancy Industry. Employees can work and travel at the same time, minus the hassle.  

 

Work-Life Balance is a Top Priority

 

In the last couple of years, we have seen an emerging trend of flexible work arrangements. This has created an appetite for work-life balance in both employees and employers. Work from anywhere jobs present employees with an opportunity to strike the perfect balance. HR News reported that around 2000 vacancies feature employee sabbatical programs. Hybrid work arrangements give employees the freedom they desire while companies get to retain their top-tier talent.

 

‘Work from anywhere’ policies have significantly diversified the workforce and offer greater freedom and balance. Parenthood, the desired location, is slowly and steadily eroding, thanks to the hybrid work opportunities. A great example is Spotify: The music giant noticed encouraging benefits when it came to their ‘work from anywhere’ policy for diversity and inclusion. 4% of their employees shifted to a new home with UD, 150 moved countries, women leadership roles increased to 42%, and the number of Black and Hispanic employees increased by 12.7% to 18%.

 

Your Commuting Nightmares Could End

 

When the entire world could be your workplace, you can finally bid farewell to the daily commute. This benefits not only employees but also employers. Various companies will minimize their carbon footprints when employees are not commuting to work every single day. Moreover, employees will also be liberated from the hassle of needless hours spent on the road. This is one of the most freeing things and greatest benefits that come along with ‘work from anywhere’ opportunities.

 

Various tech companies around the globe have embraced policies now that employees are working from anywhere. In the year 2022, work from anywhere policies have become the new standard. Some of the biggest names who have embraced the trend include Airbnb, Salesforce, Lyft, and Ocado Group.

 

The world is becoming more and more flexible, and so should the companies.

 

A Flexible Work Schedule

 

Based on the company’s specific policies regarding daily working hours, employees can work with a flexible schedule. If you are more of a morning person, you can adjust your working hours to take advantage of the most productive hours of the day. On the other hand, if employees need their mornings to be free, they can work in the evenings. A remote job with flexible work hours is a win-win situation for both employees and employers.

 

Improved Productivity

 

Contrary to the popular belief, working remotely can actually boost the productivity level of employees, which will eventually boost the business. The office environment can be distracting for some employees, and they can’t focus entirely on the task at hand. Employees can attend meetings virtually when needed and get right back to the work at hand instead of socializing or engaging in unnecessary conversations. They’ll be able to complete their tasks, minus distractions, which will surely improve the quality of work.

 

Conserve Time and Money

 

Multiple resources are necessary to commute to work every single day. On the employer’s end, they might have to arrange for transport or give fuel expenses to employees in certain cases. It also increases the carbon footprint of the company. When it comes to employees, they have to spend a huge chunk of their time getting ready, arranging for transport, and then using their money to commute to work. Work from anywhere opportunity can help them conserve time and money.

 

Improved Motivation

 

Working remotely gives employees the opportunity to form habits, routines, and practices to optimize their work schedules. This means improved results, fewer distractions, and a surge of motivation. This works in the best interest of the employees as they get to have happier, more productive employees and booming businesses.

 

Final Thoughts

 

All in all, work from anywhere opportunities work in the best interest of both employees and employers. It will help save time, and money on both ends, boost the productivity of employees, benefit the business, promote better work-life balance and employee retention, and has a gazillion other benefits. This has propelled companies to adapt to the trend and benefit from it. With that being said, the ‘work from anywhere’ trend is surely going to stay and even grow. Who knows, in a couple of years, we all might be working within the comfort of our own spaces or vacation spots. It is one of the best miracles of the internet. If you are a company owner hoping to make a switch, it is high time to do so now.

 

We hope you found this article informative and helpful. What are your thoughts on the trend? If you have experienced ‘working from anywhere/home/hybrid working’, how did your experience go? Did it benefit you, or are you someone who requires an office structure to get the job done? We would be happy to find out.

 

Categories
Work Environment

Ways Coworking Supports Mental Health for Employees

Working conditions and environments have evolved considerably in the last couple of years. Business owners are now recognizing the importance of supporting mental health for employees. Learn more below.

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