Remote Working: How to look after your team
Ideas to make your team feel supported
2020 has seen the most dramatic shift in working practices in a generation. Arguably we have never seen such a change overnight, from office-based to home-working. With this has come the need to re-engineer working practices on the fly, from conducting meetings to connectivity to health and safety issues. Whilst at the time of writing we are already 6 months into this, it is also fair to say that we are still learning and understanding the full impact of these changes.
One of the biggest issues we feel is yet to be addressed is the mental health aspect. People were possibly quite happy to embrace the newly found freedom of home-working at first, as spring gave way to summer. Now 6 months later as we are once again being encouraged to work from home, and as summer gives way to autumn, we may feel less happy with the isolation of working from home alone. With the added worry of job security and the uncertainty about the future this makes for a worrying time for us all.
Now more than ever people need to feel reminded of how important they are. Sometimes small gestures can go a long way, and by sending your team a small reminder of how valued they are it can bring positivity in surprising ways. We are not suggesting that by sending a face mask or hand sanitiser to your team you will remove all of their concerns, but everyone loves a surprise gift and it can serve to remind people that they are wanted and valued.
Of course you could send flowers or chocolates, but we are suggesting a mix-and-match collection of items that have a practical use today. Our list comprises:
All of these are available right now, with or without branding. Obviously we are suggesting that they should be branded but that would be up to you.
Items
We all need to use hand sanitiser and face masks in our daily lives now, so these would be gratefully received by anyone. We have also had a big rise in demand for water bottles, as people feel the need to be more self-sufficient when out and about. This also extends to taking your coffee with you rather than visiting a cafe. Finally, notebooks and pens are essential items for anyone working, and if you now work from home you will no longer have access to the stationery cupboard.
Having any or all of these with branding is a win-win situation as it will put your name in front of people, on items they will need and use and be glad to receive. There really is no better way to brand a product than one that will be kept, used and loved! Positive brand association.
Suggestions for who to send kits to
Home working teams. With people less and less likely to be back in the office anytime soon, give them a kit of something useful that they will need. It also shows you care about your team which you can’t say in person.
Frontline staff. If you have people that need to be out in the field, wherever that may be, then there is all the more reason to give them useful tools to make their daily life a bit safer.
Customers. If, like us, you are short on enquiries then there is all the more reason to remind people that you are still there and open for business. A small thank you gift that they will use is a win-win solution.
Please get in touch with us if you would like to find out more about any of the above items or ideas. We are here to help you help others.
