Working Remotely in Times of Crisis

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Top Takeaways:

• These are strange and unprecedented times. In a very short amount of time, the United States has shifted from having only 5% of its workforce working remotely to over 50%.
• Virtual assistants and workers can help you deliver your value proposition by handling essential tasks that don’t necessarily drive business—such as answering the phone, managing calendars, etc.
• On average, it takes companies 60-90 days to find, hire and onboard a new employee. Turning to a virtual assistant or remote staffing option can reduce that time to about one week.
• Businesses must devise new systems, processes and technologies to better manage a remote workforce.
• During this time, organization leaders must seize the opportunity to connect with their employees and their customer base in an authentic and empathetic way.
• Many people are scared and confused during this time. Reach out to them not to sell a product, but to simply ask how they’re doing. This will strengthen your relationship both now and in the future when things return to normal.
• Communication is moving faster than ever before, and with people working remotely, you must communicate more frequently than in the past. For example, try having a group call with your team three times a day—start-of-day, mid-day and end-of-day.
• Appoint a Director of HR—humor Have this person find something funny or uplifting to share with the team at large once a day to keep morale up.
• Many businesses have slowed down. Be there to support your clients as best you can while acknowledging these changes. As the old saying goes, hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
• Ramsey’s company, MyOutDesk, has put together a guide to working remotely to help businesses adapt. The Go Remote Guide is available for free by texting “MOD” to 31996.

Quotes:

“I believe it’s our civic duty to stay productive as a country. Let’s stay productive as a country and get through this together.”

“The times have changed. You have to lead differently, think differently and interact with your vendors differently. The CEOs and leaders who don’t shift are missing a huge opportunity to show authenticity, empathy for their team and create brand loyalty.”

“Your employees and customers are nervous, uncertain and even scared. You owe it to them to communicate at a much higher frequency and much more empathetically than you ever have before.”

About:

Daniel Ramsey is the founder and CEO of MyOutDesk, a virtual assistant company. He founded the company during the 2008 recession to help companies worldwide restructure to a remote workspace.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and your host of Amazing Business Radio.

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions … and more:

1. How can I adapt to a remote workforce?
2. How can I connect with customers and employees in uncertain times?
3. What strategies can I use while working from home?
4. How can I keep employee morale up?
5. How can I keep my customer service strong in times of crisis?