Introducing part two of our work from home tips, centered around maintaining connection while remote.  Missed part one? Read it here.

Working remotely doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice social connection. There are plenty of ways to stay connected with colleagues, clients, friends and family. Here are Momentum’s top five tips for maintaining effective communication and social connection while working from home:

  1. Communication is Key

We don’t realize how convenient it is to be able to ask a coworker a question when they are sitting at the desk opposite from ours. Unfortunately, when working from home, we lose this convenience. Even so, there are plenty of effective ways to keep in touch online with both coworkers and clients. Here at Momentum, we created a “WFH” Gchat group. It’s proven very useful for sharing updates, asking quick questions, and providing the team with an overall sense of togetherness.

Sometimes, you may find yourself asking: Gchat, email, or phone call?

Use your better judgement, but it’s also a good idea to compile a list of everyone’s preferred methods of communication that people can reference when needed. 

With clients also working from home, adapt how you communicate with them. Now may be the time for more texting and Gchat to get the information you need.

2. Schedule More Frequent Check Ins

Supervisors should schedule weekly check-ins with each member of their teams focused on identifying opportunities, challenges and solutions. They can be just a few minutes long. Favor a video conference so you can communicate those facial nuances that get lost over the phone.

It’s also best to schedule account team check-ins a bit more frequently than you normally would. Adjust the schedule as needed while you figure out what is working, and what may not be as necessary. 

3. Keep Morale High

Office morale matters, even when you’re working from home. Make an effort to reach out to your colleagues and ask about their day or share an article they would find interesting. Brighten each other’s day by sending cute photos of your pet to the group chat. Keep those office traditions. When we were in office, we would ring a gong to celebrate notable achievements, like a great media hit. We may not have the gong with us now, but we started sending a virtual GIF of a gong in our group chat to celebrate success instead! While it may not be as dramatic, it has the same morale boosting effect. 

It’s also a good idea to schedule a social video call for the end of each week to catch up with everyone on non work-related matters, and to squeeze in some of that fun office banter everyone’s been missing. Calls like this can help everyone stay connected to one another, especially during a time when connection is what we need most.

4. Be Social

Many people are more productive when working from home, but don’t forget to add in some sort of social interaction to your day. Even just being around a family member or a roommate can make your work from home experience more stimulating and less lonely. Try to set up FaceTime dates with friends or family during lunch breaks. Sometimes, some social interaction can help us feel refreshed for the next wave of work. Especially now, it’s important to look for ways to connect with people throughout the day. 

It’s also a good idea to schedule a social video call for the end of each week to catch up with coworkers on non work-related matters, and to squeeze in some of that fun office banter everyone’s been missing. Calls like this can help everyone stay connected to one another, especially during a time when connection is what we need most.

5. Take Advantage of Social Media

Now is a great time to have some fun with your company’s social media! Just because the team is not in the office doesn’t mean you have to stop sharing that company culture. In fact, work from home might offer even more opportunities for this. Show the world that your team is still working harder than ever with photos of everyone’s unique work from home setups. Take a screenshot of the team on Zoom. Introduce some new (furry) coworkers! 

Be sure to follow Momentum’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to stay updated on our work from home experience!

Hopefully, these tips will prove useful in your work from home experience. From all of us at Momentum, stay safe, healthy, and productive!