For the last two weeks, we’ve been running home working tips from Sensée’s front line Advisors. This week, we’ve turned to our Team Leaders for tips and advice on how to manage work-from-home teams and individuals. We hope you find them useful.
How do you:
Ensure your team thinks and acts like a team (when people are sometimes living hundreds of miles apart?)……
“Engage and interact positively with colleagues within a virtual Team Room environment. Within our Team Room, everyone has their pictures up so you can put a face to a name. This also helps create the team vibe. Encourage competition amongst teams and members, and positive reinforcement, with KPIs.”
Kelly, Sensée Team Leader
Support team members with stressful situations……
“Use a buddy mentoring system where more experienced team members can virtually sit beside new advisors and act as mentors.”
David, Sensée Team Leader
Support team members struggling with complex customer questions…..
“When faced with tricky or complex problems, it’s vitally important that advisors can get real time support from managers and colleagues – which they can within our Sensée Livedesk environment.”
David, Sensée Team Leader
Bring a sense of fun and togetherness to the working day….
“Hold small group coaching sessions, regularly changing attendees so that each team member gets the chance to speak. Include pictures, GIFs etc. to add in something fun. The team Yammer group also helps bring a sense of fun and togetherness.”
Steph, Sensée Team Leader
Make virtual training sessions more fun and engaging…..
“Involve the participants! Ask team members to give their thoughts and observations, and always ask lots of questions for them to respond to via chat. Use a combination of Powerpoint slides, photos and videos to make the sessions visually stimulating.”
Sarah, Sensée Team Leader
Maintain effective communications with team members….
“Say good morning every day and encourage an open door policy where advisors feel you are approachable. Human is key.”
Kelly, Sensée Team Leader
Show trust to people working remotely….
“Give team members the space to work on their own tasks, while monitoring the use of non-call taking statuses. Ensure you maintain the right balance between giving the team trust and freedom while ensuring they meet (and hopefully exceed) KPIs.”
Steph, Sensée Team Leader
Support people through the (sometimes difficult) first few months of their homeworking journeys….
“Ideally, have a catch-up on the first day a new starter comes across to the account. Introduce yourself and let them know how they can ask for help, when their first coaching session will be, and other essential information.
Sarah, Sensée Team Leader
Enhance job satisfaction……
“Celebrate the little things 😊 In their annual reviews, team members are asked to set goals for the new year. During each monthly review, we then talk over how things are progressing and celebrate the victories. When daily/ weekly stats are emailed out, I personally follow up with an email to any team member who has achieved a sea of green”.
Steph, Sensée Team Leader
Run activities designed to help stem potential isolation….
“Run social events with plenty of fun games and competitions. We’ve run everything from Movie Bingo to Christmas & Easter competitions, and webcam dancing. We run polls within our Livedesk environment to get people’s preferences on what activities they’d like and to encourage participation.”
Sarah, Sensée Team Leader