Depending on where you live, fall and winter months can have particularly harsh weather, which prevents employees from getting to the office. Productivity takes a nosedive, with projects getting delivered late, resulting in rising tension in boardrooms.
However, bad weather doesn’t need to cause disruption, as long as companies have a sound business continuity plan. Forward-thinking bosses have been using online collaboration to maintain productivity in bad weather for years now. They know that online tools enable employees to work at any time, from anywhere, so if they can’t get to the office for any reason, all they have to do is log on. No more impromptu days off, no more decreased morale due to having to go to the office when there is a snowstorm outside.
First, when making plans for your employees to work from home, it’s essential to ensure that they will have the equipment they need to work. Ask your employees if they have a computer, an Internet connection and an available phone line. If not, you will need to provide them with these tools, or help secure access to the necessary equipment. If they have a laptop, but no Internet connection at home, for example, try pairing them up with a colleague who lives nearby and is willing to host your employee for the work day.
Then, you will have to choose an online collaboration tool such as Huddle. Foster camaraderie in your team by letting them help you choose the best tool for your team. By using online collaboration tools, you and your employees will be able to work simultaneously on documents, from anywhere with an Internet connection. Online collaboration tools are great for organizing projects by assigning tasks and deadlines, and they also let you monitor any edits done to a document. This way, even when your team can’t make it to the office, they can still get all the essential work done and delivered on time. If you feel it’s appropriate, invite partners and clients to your online collaboration workspace, so they can feel involved in the work that you are doing.
To make sure that your team stays in touch regardless of the conditions outside, you should practice meeting online. By agreeing to conduct meetings online, you will not have to cancel any important meetings, regardless of the weather or any other external conditions. The best way to prepare your team for taking this step is to practice using your chosen online meeting tool and run some of your team’s weekly meetings over the Internet. Encourage your employees to learn about online meeting etiquette, and host various meetings online so they can become comfortable with organizing and presenting a virtual meeting. If there are any questions regarding your online meeting software, ask your provider to run a demo with your team. This way, when it’s time to start using the tool, your team will be ready to go. Once each meeting is done, practice uploading the minutes and list of actions into your online collaboration tool, which will ensure that work doesn’t get left behind if your employees can’t make it to the office.
When it comes to bad weather, technology is your best ally to ensure as little disruption as possible in the workplace. By using online collaboration to maintain productivity during bad weather, you can ensure that your team will keep a high morale, while remaining on top of its workload.