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Remote work dictates new rules, including those related to corporate ethics. What is important to know so that business communication is constructive, and the home environment does not interfere with work processes?
Call times must be agreed in advance.
When we work from home, we have the opportunity to build a freer, more flexible schedule. But do not forget that your colleagues are not always at the monitor either. Just like in the office, they can leave for a smoke break, lunch break or coffee. Or get involved in business later, spending part of the morning on solving personal issues — now in many companies this is allowed, provided that the person works the set 8 or 9 hours.
Therefore, it is important to agree in advance the time of an online meeting or phone call. So you will be sure that the right specialist will definitely be on the spot and have time to prepare for the conversation — to put yourself in order and get comfortable.
Dress code still in effect
Being outside the scope of the “all-seeing eye” of the authorities, many relax and stop adhering to the dress code. Which is understandable: comfortable pajamas or a T-shirt with jeans are quite suitable for working from home.
However, it is worth taking care to look decent in video conferences — both with colleagues at work and with clients. For such cases, business style in clothes and a working environment around are still necessary. If you don’t have an office, try to keep the refrigerator, sofa, and shelves of household items out of the frame.
Work issues are resolved during business hours
This moment has suddenly become a stumbling block for many: the framework of the working day has blurred, and many managers (and colleagues too) now believe that they can call and write to us at any time of the day, even late in the evening — after 21:00. Such an approach is definitely not ethical.
Even if we and our laptops are at home around the clock, this does not mean that we can load team members with work tasks without interruption or demand that we solve some issues in an emergency mode — just because now the boss has been inspired. No one canceled the normalized working day!
Text messages are used instead of voice messages
Want to give a task — no voice messages! You need to learn to accurately and exhaustively convey your thoughts with the help of text. It’s faster, more reliable, and clearer. Why? Because for many it is more convenient to perceive information with the eyes than by ear. If you need to clarify some points in the task, it is much faster to do this by reading the text than by listening to the audio again.
In addition, not everyone has the opportunity to record a message without interference. If the message is dictated in transport or on the street, its quality is significantly degraded due to extraneous noise. It will be difficult for a colleague or subordinate to make out what is at stake, and he will spend time to clarify some points and details. All this reduces the efficiency of its work.
Minimum unnecessary noise during a call
It is quite common to connect with colleagues online when working remotely. Regardless of whether it is an audio or video call, try to minimize all extraneous sounds (barking of a pet, screams of children).
To do this:
- close the door to the room in which you work during the call;
- warn your family that you will now negotiate and they need to be quiet;
- use a quality headset that will muffle outside noise.
But at the same time, treat with understanding if, against the background of a conversation with a colleague, you hear such noises from his apartment. Anything happens!
Communication channels are selected depending on the urgency of the tasks
For many, having to work from home has become a stressful factor. To reduce voltage, follow the rule about communication channels.
You can use several types of online communication: mail, instant messenger, phone. And if with the help of a phone call you can “get” a person instantly, then emails are already a slower way of communication.
What exactly to choose depends on the time of day, the urgency of the issue and the level of your acquaintance with the employee. If the task is urgent, you can speed up the reaction of the interlocutor by writing to him in the messenger. Or take one more step forward — explain the situation in text and warn that in 5-10 minutes you will call him. If the question is not particularly urgent, it is better to use mail.
Now everyone is experiencing increased anxiety. Take care of your colleagues, try not to pull them once again, let them respond to the task in a comfortable rhythm.
Features of teamwork
It is important to note 2 points:
- If you have a flexible work schedule, but at the same time there is an agreement that from 10:00 to 11:00 all employees are online, you must be online. Even if you then leave the chat and go about your business, returning to work in a couple of hours. It is important to adhere to the rules adopted by the team: for some areas, the morning brainstorm or the distribution of tasks is an integral part of the “launch” of the workflow.
- It is unethical to attend an audio-only video conference if other colleagues have their webcams on. Here, either everyone communicates by voice, or everything is via video. It is important to stipulate this in advance and choose the option that will suit the majority.
If you don’t want everyone to get acquainted with the features of your home life, from the interior to the family members flickering behind you, then during a video conference, sit with your back closer to the wall. Also, make sure that the bright light does not hit your eyes directly — otherwise the face will light up and look flat and wide.
New conditions dictate new rules. By adhering to business etiquette when working remotely, you will save time and nerves for yourself and your colleagues and will be able to work productively even in this difficult time.