It is a saying that feedback is the food of the champions. But what happens when those champions are made to adapt their homes as their workplaces? What happens when physical contact and gestures become fruitless and redundant?
To get your employees and their work in order, you need to determine if your tactics for remote team collaboration in the period of lockdown are going futile. This is also one of the reasons why you need the input of your workforce which can be made possible with an effective feedback system.
Don’t let the distance and the flexibility of the office space slow down the process of communication between you and your team. Feedback is the reinforcement your team needs to remind themselves of what their duties are and what their goal is.
Figuring out what communication method works for your team can be hard and time-consuming. This is why the feedback processes work best for remote teams. These help your employees feel like:
- They are in the loop.
- They are a part of essential personnel.
- Their movements matter to the company.
- You care about their wellbeing.
- They have a purpose and a reason to improve.
- They are motivated to deal with the next challenge.
Here’s what you can do to connect better with your telecommuting team with the spark caused by feedback sessions:
#1 Engaging With The Team
The best way to manage remote teams is by the inclusion of all. You need to remember that everyone is going through transition and trying to balance work and life effectively. This is exactly why your team needs to be reminded of their goals both individually and as a collective.
People feel the most engaged when they know their work is being monitored and the work they do carries substantial weight. Therefore, schedule regular feedback meetings because your team wants to know what role they are playing in the company and how they can improve. Use high-quality remote work tools and remote desktop software — such as the ones you can find at ThinkBigAnalytics — to ensure that communication is always fast and there are no technical problems affecting productivity.
#2 Consistency Is Key
Regularity and punctuality are the most important traits of a classy manager. Why not maintain the same reputation when you go remote? With this new work regime, all your employees need from you is to check in on them from time to time.
My point is that you should work on schedule and set dates for regular feedback sessions with your employees. Not only will this make your team feel important, but it will also make them feel accountable for their work.
#3 Being Precise Matters
Time is of the essence when you are working remotely and you can take care of that part of this process by saying exactly what the employee needs to hear. Preparation before feedback meetings is a must. You need to be aware of their numbers, their deadlines, and their strengths.
Most importantly in a feedback meeting, you need to put across the points that state what the team member means to the company, what their main goal should be and what is expected of them. Being precise about what you want to change from the employee’s end can be an eye-opener and could be a great step towards the company’s success.
How can you Manage the Feedback Process Better With Tools?
Using a project management tool for feedback sessions can be a game-changer. Scheduling becomes easier, communication is better, and most software platforms for project management now come with proofing tools to better give reviews and feedback. These tools will help you in the following ways:
- Store files to be reviewed on a single platform.
- Provide access to as many people as you want.
- Track employee performance by checking tasks against deadlines.
- Keep track of who reviewed the file and who didn’t.
- Providing a place to communicate ideas without long email threads.
- Annotate changes on files of any kind.
The Takeaway
To conclude I would just like to say that feedback is the backbone of a well functioning office. No matter where your business stood before the outbreak of the coronavirus, your first responsibility is towards your clients and your team. I hope the points I leave you with will help you create a great virtual environment for your employees where they feel comfortable and productive at the same time.