AllBusiness.com |
| How to Effectively Manage Remote Employees: Lessons Learned From Apple and Google Posted: 09 Aug 2019 11:44 AM PDT By Denis Kryukov Although the world of large corporations may be different from the world of small business, there are still many lessons smaller companies can learn from organizations like Apple and Google. One of these valuable insights concerns remote teams and how to organize and manage them. Remote teams are more than "the same office workers, except far away"—they are a unique subset of professionals. Apple: Reinforcing excellenceApple took an important part of its customer service model—customer support teams—and made it 100% remote. “At Home Advisors,” as the name suggests, offer customer support from the comfort of their homes. And despite their remote locations, Advisors are incredibly effective. New Advisors complete a challenging training period that lasts up to nine weeks. To enforce its standards of quality, Apple offers online training via a live instructor. In this way, the company has complete control over every detail of the onboarding process, ensuring each prospective employee is a right fit for the company. Employees are also provided with an iMac computer and special customer support software. These iMacs (along with other gifts like T-shirts and gift cards) serve as a nice way to promote company culture and show Advisors they are part of the "Apple family," even though they work offsite. This is a great practice all companies should utilize: Show your remote workers they're not faceless, distant, and abstract, and instead show them their work is appreciated and they're an invaluable part of your business. Apple prides itself on its customer satisfaction, so it's only natural that Advisors are groomed in both hard and soft skills; technical proficiency is coupled with the ability to empathize with users. To help remote workers not feel disconnected from the company, Apple ensures that Advisors communicate with their managers on a daily basis. Still, there are certain areas which can be improved upon. Some Advisors have complained about the lack of in-team communication. As Advisors typically only interact either with customers or their managers, the "sense of belonging" to a larger company fades away. Apple could be missing out on some team-building opportunities which could ultimately make the Advisors team more engaged and improve employee retention. Other Articles From AllBusiness.com:
Google: Taking a scientific approachAnother Silicon Valley giant, Google, boasts thousands of remote employees located all around the world. The company also is famous for conducting thorough research to boost company performance. To organize Google's remote teams more efficiently, Google's People Innovation Lab studied the problems that came from having remote workers scattered from San Francisco to Tokyo. PiLab's managers were presented with the challenge of creating equal work opportunities for all members. How did they manage it? PiLab interviewed more than 5,000 Google employees to measure well-being, connectedness, and work performance among employees. They discovered “well-being standards were uniform across the board” and there was “no difference in the effectiveness, performance ratings, or promotions for individuals and teams whose work requires collaboration with colleagues around the world versus Googlers who spend most of their day to day working with colleagues in the same office.” However, remote workers did lack in one area: connectedness. The study found that “working with colleagues across the globe can make it more difficult to establish connections.” So what can be done? PiLab's research lists three practices to help remote workers feel more connected: 1. Get to know each other as people. When starting a meeting with employees who are not in the office, instead of immediately jumping into work, take time to establish a rapport. For example, you might ask a remote coworker what they’re planning to do over the weekend. 2. Set boundaries. If remote workers work in a different time zone, ask them when would be a good time for them to schedule meetings. 3. Provide opportunities to connect: If your budget allows, bring your workers together for real-life meetings and events. This may be too costly for smaller companies, so traveling can be substituted with online meetings. More actionable adviceMy own company is by no means a tech giant (rather, we fall into the "small business" category), but we have used the techniques described in this post and have noticed positive changes. You don't have to spend a lot of money to implement these methods in your company—instead, it's all about your effort and attitude. The following are additional lessons we’ve learned: Show appreciation. Acknowledge the performance of your remote employees with a simple “thank you” message at the end of a workday. At my company, we send our members gifts on a regular basis. Help remote workers connect. It's vital for every professional to feel connected with their peers. Have regular meetings, for example, so everyone can see they're all on the same team. In my company, we use daily meetings as an opportunity to discuss how the company's performing and which ideas should be realized next. Foster company culture. High salaries and interesting projects may be used to attract talent, but a strong company culture helps retain people. In a time of crisis, company values—not salaries—will help keep people from quitting and pull the team through. RELATED: 5 Keys to Hiring Talented Remote Workers The post How to Effectively Manage Remote Employees: Lessons Learned From Apple and Google appeared first on AllBusiness.com The post How to Effectively Manage Remote Employees: Lessons Learned From Apple and Google appeared first on AllBusiness.com. Click for more information about Guest Post.  |
| 10 Easy Ways to Shake Up—and Grow—Your Small Business Posted: 09 Aug 2019 07:30 AM PDT Has your business become . . . well . . . boring? I think most entrepreneurs share my passion for "shaking things up." But if you need some prodding, here are 10 simple ways to make changes to your life and business that will grow your company, too. 1. Update the technology you use in your businessDid you know that older PCs can make your small business employees up to 29% less productive? According to Intel, every 5-year-old PC in your business could be costing you $17,000 a year in lost productivity. New computers pay for themselves in productivity and help you compete more effectively. Review your team's hardware and software and look for ways to power up your business, whether that's more powerful laptops or more sophisticated business software. 2. Organize your officeThe KonMari craze may have died down a bit, but there's still value in getting organized. Being surrounded by piles of paper or old file folders of documents can make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. You can claim some calm by digitizing documents you need to keep and shredding the rest. Make sure to protect documents with sensitive financial or personal data by securely encrypting and storing them. 3. Learn something new to grow your businessTake a lesson in something you know nothing about (except that it will help grow your business) or become an expert in a subject you're already somewhat familiar with. It's easy to educate yourself these days, whether by using online tutorials, on-demand courses, or local workshops and industry events. 4. Break out of your comfort zoneYou'd be surprised how much taking a calculated risk boosts your business confidence. Determine to tackle something that challenges you, like speaking at your industry's next big conference. You can also benefit from personal challenges like learning white water rafting. 5. Grow your networkExpand your circle of business connections by contacting someone you admire and inviting them to meet up in person. Know someone you'd like to partner with? Have lunch and share ideas for a strategic partnership. Set up an advisory group of other local business owners and get together once a month for ideas and inspiration. Join a networking group or business organization you've never attended before. Other Articles From AllBusiness.com:
6. Expand your horizonsThinking small doesn't serve the universe (or your business). Without big dreams, your business will stall out. Envision your wildest dream for your business and write it down. Then make a step-by-step plan for how to actually achieve it. Every dream can become a reality when you tackle it one step at a time. 7. Become an influencerNot just on social media—in real life. You are your business's best marketing tool, so put yourself out there! A B2B entrepreneur can influence the business community by speaking at conferences or writing useful content. A B2C business owner can get known in the community by sponsoring local events or working with local charities. 8. DelegateSmall business owners burn out when they try to do everything themselves. You can't do it all, so think about what you're willing delegate, and hand it off to employees or independent contractors. You'll have more time to focus on what you do best when you're not doing everything. 9. Practice self-careYour health and the health of your business are inextricably tied. As a busy business owner, regular self-care can seem like a mirage. Try making small changes. Sleep a bit more, eat a bit healthier, and move your body a bit more every day. Set aside time for prayer, meditation, or any practice that recharges you mentally and emotionally. 10. Review your business financesMany business owners fail to stay on top of their cash flow, and this can be a fatal mistake. Start reviewing your cash flow monthly (or more often) to keep your business healthy. Look at your sales and financial projections and make sure they're on track. If you have plans that might require financing in the near future, look into your alternatives and check your business's credit rating to make sure it's in good shape. RELATED: 'Build the Well Before You Need the Water'—Why Having Foresight Pays Off in Business The post 10 Easy Ways to Shake Up—and Grow—Your Small Business appeared first on AllBusiness.com The post 10 Easy Ways to Shake Up—and Grow—Your Small Business appeared first on AllBusiness.com. Click for more information about Rieva Lesonsky.  |
| You are subscribed to email updates from AllBusiness.com. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment