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ESErgonomic Advice
Keeping up Communication in the Workplace During COVID-19
Remote work has suddenly become the new normal in light of the coronavirus pandemic. While working from home reduces the cost of commuting, it may increase the cost of communication. Unlike face-to-face communication in the office, remote communication comes with some limitations and barriers. To ensure continued efficiency and productivity, telecommuters need to master some effective communication skills. Read on to find strategies for keeping up communication in the workplace now that the workplace is at home.
Synchronous online time.
One advantage of remote work is that it can allow for a bit more flexibility. For many office workers, it doesn’t necessarily matter at which hours the work is completed – just that it is. Maybe you catch up on some work at night after the kids are in bed, but you know that you can’t necessarily expect a response to an email at 9:00pm. While allowing flexibility is helpful, especially in these unprecedented times, it may be beneficial to have a period during the day where everyone on the team is expected to be online – say, from 10:00am to 2:00pm. The early birds and the night owls will both be available for any meetings scheduled during this time, and team members will know they can count on reasonably timely responses from coworkers within this window.
Reading email and other communications in a timely manner.
On the subject of timely responses, it’s all the more crucial while working remotely to keep a close eye on incoming emails, chat messages and other forms of communication. Remote workers don’t have the ability to just pop into a coworker’s office to ask a quick question, and managers don’t have the advantage of seeing employees physically at their desks.
Being responsive helps workflow and builds tru
