THIS YEAR THE CARE IS REMOTE

MARCH 17, 2020 The 18th of March is Companies That Care Day. It was founded back in 2003, to promote the social sustainability and improvement of the lives of individuals, families, and communities. This year with the quarantine taking around the world, Companies That Care Day is more critical than ever. So here are several tips for your business on how to show care remotely.

TAKE CARE OF THE TOOLS
If you can keep your business running from home, it’s great. But you have to decide and inform your team about the specific tools you will use during this time. You should consider a team calendar so that everyone could see booked and available times of each other. Think about work scheduling platforms that let you divide every project into tasks and then assign them to the team. All those platforms allow you to see how every project is progressing.

TAKE CARE OF COMMUNICATION
Various tools are essential when working remotely, but no tool can substitute team communication. A specific tool can be helpful for communication as well, but you are the one who is conducting the dialogue. So be available, and don’t wait for questions. Try to think about what issues might arise and answer them in advance. Be the one who starts the conversation, so your team would feel more comfortable in a work chat.

Arnas Stuopelis, Chairman of the Board of hosting provider Hostinger [3], says: “It’s easy to be up to date in the office. You just walk around and get all the latest news. Once the work is conducted remotely, it is essential to maintain constant communication. But there is a thin line between constant communication and distraction. So it works best if you plan your communication ahead. The team knows when the time is dedicated to communication, and the rest is to concentrated work.”

TAKE CARE OF CHECK-INS
One-on-one check-ins can help you to stay in touch with your team. People might get affected by the current situation, and your personal attention can ease the confusion. Use the check-ins for the mutual benefit. Ask about the progress of assignments, but also inform your employee about the company’s situation, how it’s going, and what the company is doing to survive this period in the best possible way. Uncertainty can be a massive motivation killer. So try to avoid it with daily check-ins and open talks.

TAKE CARE OF COFFEE BREAKS
Remember all those funky coffee breaks in the office? Don’t miss out on them when working remotely. Just because people are working from the home, it doesn’t make it any easier. So it’s essential to take a break from work.

You can even take your breaks at the same time, have a conference call, and have a fun chit-chat. To keep it light, avoid topics about the virus or quarantine. It’s already on everyone’s mind. You can introduce your pet to the team or share some old-school photos of you. You can use this remote working situation to get to know each other more!

So, if you own a business and want to celebrate the Companies That Care Day, you must keep in mind that the care might be remote this year. So, you have to plan and decide on tools you and your team are going to use. Tools itself cannot replace communication, so you have to initiate and maintain it.

Don’t forget personal check-ins. They can be mutually beneficial: you get to know persons’ progress on the tasks. And you have a chance to inform the person about the company’s current situation. Reassure is vital these days. Last, don’t forget to have coffee breaks with your colleagues. Just because you all work from home, doesn’t eliminate the need for personal contact during the workday. Make most of it, show your pet during the conference call, or share the recipe before lunch!