Stay calm and work from home
4 proven tips for virtual collaboration
As companies shift to remote work because of the coronavirus, teams need to shift not just where they work, but also how they work. When the majority of your workforce is used to collaborating in person, the move from cubicle to couch can be jarring. But it doesn’t have to be.
The folks at Nimble Works are quite at home with working from home, and we have perfected the art of virtual collaboration. We have been a virtual agency from the start. Here are some of our tips to take you beyond a phone and internet connection to true collaboration with your team, wherever they may be.
Tip #1: Build a toolbox
Here are some of the real-time, cloud-based tools we love:
- Slack for teams to chat, quickly call each other, share screen and work in a conversational manner, no phone necessary. And for their brilliant emojis!
- Google Hangouts and Zoom for video conferencing, and even just as background working “side-by-side” when you feel a bit lonely.
- Google Drive and Google Docs for real-time collaboration and shared access to documents.
- Wrike project management software to help our teams see daily tasks, route projects, access timelines, and capture hours. And for managers, the workload view helps with resource planning.
- Copper for an online shared database of customers and colleagues
- Adobe Creative Cloud is essential for our designers, photographers, and videographers
- Figma — like google docs, but great for wireframes, interaction design, prototypes, and coding
Tip #2: Carve out a work space
If you find yourself suddenly working from home, you may not be working alone, and sharing space with a spouse, child, or roommate can be a delicate dance. So, we recommend finding and claiming a workspace to help set expectations and avoid disruptions for both you and your housemates. Establishing a personal space can also help you draw a firm line between work and home so you can unplug when the work is done.
Tip #3: Maintain a routine and step away from your desk!
In the not so distant past, commuting to work meant having a schedule and distinct times “at work” and “at home”. Now you commute from your bedroom to the dining room table. This change in routine may result in you working too much or not enough. Try to begin and end each day around the same time, when possible. Get dressed like you’re going out to work. Take a break for lunch and take mini-breaks. In fact, it might help to block breaks on your calendar so you are reminded to step away.
Tip #4: Schedule social time
Once or twice a month, the Nimble Works family schedules a virtual hangout where we catch up on life events, business news, and chat about anything and everything. It provides our community with the opportunity to blow off steam and build connections with colleagues near and far.
Working from home is what you make it. For some, it offers flexibility and freedom. For others, it can be isolating and logistically challenging. However, if done right, working remotely can work well. As more companies shift to a virtual workforce during this time, it will be a true test of capabilities, but one that may prove successful and beneficial for those who find remote work appealing.
