During this time of uncertainty when people are working from home, getting work done can be a challenge. One of the biggest challenges is figuring out how to stay connected with colleagues and how to manage work responsibilities. A few ways to stay connected are video calls, chat rooms, and interconnected systems. 

Video Calls 

Video calls are a key option to stay in touch with your work environment. A few platforms to consider are Slack, GoToMeeting and Skype. These allow your team to feel like everyone is together, discuss current projects, and give updates on clients. They can also be used as a space to set up future meetings. 

Work shouldn’t be the only thing discussed in your company’s video calls. Office banter is something that keeps us all motivated and can be one of the biggest reasons we like our jobs. Your sense of culture and community can be lost during the current quarantine situation, so catch up with coworkers during video calls. This will lead to the sense of community that keeps everyone motivated in the office. 

Chat Rooms 

Chat rooms are a way to stay connected whether you’re in the office or not. They’re a great way to communicate with coworkers while working from home, and Slack is an excellent tool for this. Different threads can be created so conversations about specific topics can be organized, and there is a personal message setting for one-on-one conversations. As previously discussed, Slack also offers a video call setting that can be used for group or one-on-one conversations. Slack is a catch all application for the challenges we face while working away from the office. 

Chat rooms are helpful because they allow for constant communication throughout the day. A video call can be scheduled to meet with everyone, but it may not be ideal every time you need to communicate with a coworker. A chat room allows for a conversation to take place and documents to be shared, so everyone can stay caught up with what is going on. People also like separation of work and home, so a group message thread may not be the best option. This is why we recommend a platform like Slack. 

Interconnected Systems

An interconnected system is probably something your company already uses while in the office. It’s imperative to the survival of your business at a time when things are changing on a daily basis. An example of an interconnected system is Google Drive. This platform will allow everyone to share and edit any document in real time. It’s also easy to access and organize projects on an interconnected system like Google Drive. If you and your company aren’t together, this will help everyone keep up to date on projects and allow for collaboration and feedback on projects without long and confusing email chains or text threads. 

Another great interconnected system that allows your office space to feel like they are all together is Microsoft Teams. With this system you will be able to collaborate on projects together as if you were in the same space. You will never have to frantically search for files again. In Teams you can access, share, and edit Word docs, PowerPoint, and Excel files in real time. Microsoft Teams also allows for text thread chats within your company, individual face-to-face calls, and video conferencing so that you and your team will always feel connected and together. 

In a time when things are uncertain, we have to stay focused on what we can control. Work, whether it’s done in an office or not, is something that will keep us occupied as well as being something we all take pride in. All of these platforms and tips on staying connected will help your company continue producing the best product or service possible at all times.

To find out how we can help, contact us today!