Virtual office Philippines Archives

How to Retain Employees During COVID

What are some ways employers can retain employees during COVID?

Create a safe and comfortable working environment
Be flexible whenever possible
Encourage new connections between employees
Make employee wellness a priority

Managing employees has always been tricky for employers, but as the pandemic drags on, it is apparent that one of the most prominent problems for companies everywhere now is how to retain their employees despite the COVID unemployment crisis. Adding onto that, the workforce now has new demands and expectations when it comes to their working environment.

Luckily, with many companies shifting their priorities towards flexibility, technology, safety, and transparency, there are many new ways for employers to overcome this problem. Below are 4 practices you can integrate into your office’s day-to-day in order to boost employee retention – all while keeping your employees safe from COVID and working remotely at home.

Create A Safe And Comfortable Working Environment

An employer should consider the safety of their employees beyond the usual physical safety protocols. Even while working at home, creating a safe and comfortable online working environment for everyone is important. In fact, one can say that it is of greater importance nowadays to make sure your employees don’t feel isolated in their work. Instead, they should be able to feel that they are part of a healthy and supportive environment, where they feel that they can work to the fullest.

This may be difficult as working remotely may make your employees feel disconnected from the working environment. So it is important to emphasize communication and transparency between teams and management. Open communication helps cultivate the feeling of a safe and comfortable working environment even during a crisis, where employees don’t have to worry about their job security, or other issues such as gossiping, secrecy, or cyberbullying.

When this type of working environment is created, employees tend to feel more secure in their roles and are less likely to consider other employment options.

Be Flexible Whenever Possible

While ‘flexibility’ in the workplace became a hot topic at the beginning of the pandemic, it is more complicated than just merely shifting to remote work. Flexibility in work may look different for everyone and depends on the expectations of the employees and the capabilities of the employers.

Flexibility for some employees may mean changing their work times in order to accommodate other responsibilities to home and family, while another employee may consider flexibility to be what apps they are allowed to use when communicating with their teammates.

Since there are many ways that employees can consider flexibility in their schedules, responsibilities, and procedures, it is important for employers to communicate with them in order to establish boundaries, guidelines, and rules around flexibility in order to keep everyone on the same page. This also allows employers to take into account new ways to ease workflows between employees, as well as increase productivity and overall happiness.

Encourage New Connections Between Employees

Like with most things about working in an office, the pandemic has restricted the social interactions that employees used to experience on a daily basis. If your team is working remotely, it may be hard for them to socialize, particularly with new hires. Nowadays, many social connections have to be done with more intention and planning than before. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but employers should make sure to encourage these connections

It’s important to reintroduce the social aspect of work virtually. This can be done by incorporating activities such as online games, icebreakers, and even planned company meals over ZOOM during workdays in order to help your employees bond, give them a sense of belonging, and allow them to destress after work.

Make Employee Wellness A Priority

While working remotely allows many companies to ensure that their employees are staying physically well, employees’ mental wellness is something that was negatively affected, which was particularly apparent at the beginning of the pandemic. When considering employee wellness, employers should also pay attention to their mental state and how their employees are dealing with remote work.

Regular check-ins with employees and teams are one way that employers can check on their employee’s personal situations. A simple “How are you doing?” is an underrated way of showing your employees that they have a support system they can rely on when they are struggling. Following this question up with sincere acknowledgements, empathy, and sympathy are great ways to further enforce their trust in that support system.

Other than that, making sure that your employees are given enough time to destress and recharge before their next day of work is a simple way of helping them maintain that mental wellness. Encouraging your employees to take rest when needed with things like paid time off helps them prioritize and take care of their wellbeing without worrying about the consequences.

Key Takeaway

The pandemic has highlighted many previous problems for employers and has pushed many to reconsider the ways that they communicate with their employees. Learning how to retain employees during COVID, in particular, is something that has concerned many companies well into the pandemic.

Employers should not overlook their abilities to innovate and improve employee engagement. In order to retain employees, employers should pay extra attention to the needs of their employees while keeping them engaged and happy with their roles in the company. When employees’ needs are met, retention becomes less of an issue.

4 Things You Can Do for A Virtual Christmas Party

What are some things you can do for a virtual Christmas party?

Secret Santa Gift Exchange
Virtual Karaoke
Holiday Team Building Games
Send Out Christmas Kits

Christmas parties are a significant event for employees. This is where the whole team comes together to spend a day without work — enjoying the company of their colleagues and reaping the benefits of their hard work throughout the year. But during this season, where health and safety are at stake, normal parties have to be put on hold. But, it doesn’t mean that you still can’t celebrate. Thanks to the internet, there are many things you can do for a virtual Christmas party! Continue reading to learn more.

Secret Santa Gift Exchange

Is hosting a Secret Santa a yearly holiday tradition in your workplace? Giving your gifts in person may not be an option this year, but you can still do it virtually.

You can randomly assign gift-givers and recipients through handy websites like Draw Names and Elfster. Plus, on these websites, participants are given the option to create their own wish list. It makes the gift-giving process so much easier.

You can even take it up a notch by opening your gifts together as a team.

Virtual Karaoke

Karaoke will always be a part of any special occasion in the Philippines. Did you know that you can take your karaoke party online now, too? And it isn’t so hard to do! There are a handful of free karaoke apps like Smule that you can utilize to sing alongside your friends virtually.

You can even do it over video conference platforms like Zoom. The host just needs to share his screen or queue the list of karaoke tracks on a Watch2Gether link, and your team will be ready to sing the night away.

Holiday Team Building Games

What’s a party without games? Christmas team building games aren’t just to get your office in the holiday spirit, it can also benefit your employees’ growth at the same time.

There are so many online team building games you can host for your virtual Christmas Party. Like a Holiday Scavenger Hunt where teams collect holiday-inspired items that can be found inside their homes. You can even utilize online game websites that host online Jeopardy, trivia, bingo, and even escape rooms!

Send Out Christmas Kits

Sending out a care package or a Christmas kit is another thing you can do. This idea also provides tangible reconnection for your employees who may feel disconnected.

Get creative! You can send out Happy Hour boxes, home office essentials, self-care packages, gourmet gift packets, or even game sets.

Key Takeaway

Don’t let the current circumstances stop you from having fun with your team during the holidays! These things you can do for a virtual Christmas party stated above are enjoyable, engaging, and best of all, safe.

7 Signs That You Need a Vacation

What are the signs that you need a vacation?

You start getting sick from work
You have trouble sleeping
You make more mistakes at work
You develop unhealthy coping mechanisms
Your interpersonal relationships are suffering
You lack motivation
You are extremely guilty of taking a vacation

In a world where feeling too stressed out has become a common thing, the typical daily routine of individuals goes like rushing to the office, hurrying to get mountains of paperwork done, and logging off to catch up on personal responsibilities. However, when you spot the clear signs that you need a vacation, it might be best to do so.

Ask yourself, “When was the last time I had some time off?”. It’s important to make sure you receive a much-needed rest to alleviate burnouts, which can cause serious physical and mental problems if ignored. Here are the telltale signs that you need to go on that vacation you’ve always daydreamed about. Read on!

You Start Getting Sick from Work

When you constantly feel overwhelmed while working, your brain responds by releasing stress hormones. In the long run, the chemical reaction has inevitable physical consequences such as increased blood pressure, stomach problems, chest pain, backaches, eye strain, headaches, dizziness, and even fainting.

Furthermore, the exhaustion you experience from the workload can compromise your immune system and make you more prone to the flu, colds, and other infections.

Keep in mind that getting sick might be your body’s way of telling you that you need a vacation. It’s better to take some time off than to prevent other chronic health conditions.

You Have Trouble Sleeping

The very same stress hormones from overworking may also make it difficult to fall and stay asleep. Stress can force your body into a hyper-alert state which disrupts the sleep cycle. Over time, this can result in chronic insomnia.

Sleep is important for a healthy body and mind. If you find yourself tossing and turning at night because of thinking of so many things, it is time to manage your stress levels and get a better sleeping schedule. This can be achieved by heading to a vacation spot with a tension-free environment.

You Make More Mistakes at Work

Do you keep making mistakes on tasks that have always been a routine? Are you missing deadlines? Or do the most basic tasks seem hard to accomplish?

According to a psychological expert, the body’s “fight or flight” tunnel vision can negatively impact the ability to concentrate. When you are stressed, your focus is directed on the threat. However, chronic stress makes it difficult to pay attention and impairs your memory. This is what makes it hard to solve tasks and have efficient decision-making skills.

If you want to prevent costly slip-ups with the company, it would be best to take a break. What most people fail to realize is that taking a vacation often leads to renewed focus. The improved energy and creativity levels you gain prove to be helpful for a fresh perspective when going back to work.

You Develop Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms

Drinking too much, smoking, becoming too sedentary, overeating junk food, not eating enough, or not sleeping enough — these are some of the things people do to drag themselves to work. If you find yourself developing unhealthy coping mechanisms, you may be suffering from burnout. Consider taking a vacation to avoid the vicious cycle.

Your Interpersonal Relationships Are Suffering

Too much stress can result in three negative things for interpersonal relationships. First, you easily get into arguments with other people. Second, you withdraw when talking to people. Third, you miss out on important occasions because you can’t seem to take your mind off work. This might be the perfect time to put the brakes on yourself and set some time to relax and bond with your loved ones.

You Lack Motivation

Do you feel your work spirit flagging? Or maybe you can’t remember what it is that made you love your work? When you don’t feel as enthusiastic about what you do anymore, there is a big chance you are experiencing burnout. A good indicator of losing motivation is when you find yourself lonely when waking up in the morning for work. It might be time to get away.

You Are Extremely Guilty of Taking a Vacation

This sign might seem like an oxymoron, but if you find yourself extremely guilty of taking a vacation, it may be a sign to book a trip. Use your paid vacation leave. No matter how much you love your job, everyone needs to take a break once in a while. Remember that taking a vacation helps prevent burnout, which can make your work suffer even more.

Key Takeaway

These are some of the telltale signs that you need a vacation. When was the last time you had some time off? In order to avoid burnouts, serious health issues, and letting your work suffer, planning a trip is one of the best things you can do.

5 Tips to Avoid Overtime at Work

What are some tips to avoid overtime at work?

Manage your workload
Lessen distractions
Stick to a schedule
Know your limits
Take short breaks

If there’s anything that the average employee hates more than working a stagnating job, it’s having to handle excessive work above their paygrade. You might have found yourself in the same situation before — working an extra three hours on top of your already grueling 9 or 8-hour shift just to meet a deadline. Without any knowledge of tips to avoid overtime at work, don’t expect yourself to clock out as soon as your shift ends.

Fortunately, there are things that you can do to lessen instances of overtime. Through knowing the best ways of managing your workload, lessening distractions, and knowing your limits, it’s certainly possible. Read on to learn more.

Manage Your Workload

Managing your workload is easier said than done, but once you get the hang of it, then it’ll be second-nature to you.

This can be done by making a list of your priorities. Work on tasks that you need to finish within the day first, as this helps get the most crucial work out of the way. Then, you’ll want to move on to the simpler and more menial tasks that don’t really require much of your brainpower.

Contrary to what people might tell you, don’t try to multitask in your work. Instead, focus on a single thing at a time, as this makes your job less overwhelming and more productive.

Lessen Distractions

If your office has a strict, no-cellphone policy during working hours, then distractions are few and far in between. In the absence of one, however, then you might be victim to pesky disturbances that can chip away at your precious time.

As much as possible, you’d want to reduce any source of distractions especially if you’re working from home. Keep away all devices such as smartphones, handheld consoles, television sets, or virtually anything that may take your attention away from what you actually need to get done.

Stick to a Schedule

Not many employees will be too thrilled about the idea of sticking to a schedule at work. After all, no day is the same — it’s certain that you’ll be met with many unexpected work encounters that may push back the time you need to devote to your tasks.

However, you should at least try your best to come up with a daily work schedule that you can work with.

Try giving yourself a time limit by which you can accomplish a single work-related activity. Doing this allows you to gauge the level of your productivity and efficiency over time.

Know Your Limits

Sure, it’s great if you always try going beyond the call of duty regarding your work. You don’t mind taking in more tasks that aren’t really within the scope of your job description — but is this really something that you can sustain in the long run?

Saying “no” to your superiors or colleagues can be something that you might have difficulty with, but you should be able to know your limits and assert yourself.

When you really cannot take on more work other than what you already have on your plate, it’s time to let your colleagues know that you simply cannot get it done within the day. Give them an idea of just how mentally and physically demanding your workload is. Stand your ground and don’t give in to their requests, even if they try to convince you otherwise.

Take Short Breaks

You might be thinking that taking breaks is counterproductive to avoid working overtime, but it doesn’t always have to be the case.

A great reason why you should make it a habit to take breaks is so that you don’t burn out fast. Remember: the life of an employee is a marathon and not a sprint. Becoming the best version of an employee that you could be is all about doing things in a more sustainable manner.

When you’re taking breaks, you’re re-energizing yourself just in time to take on the next set of tasks that you have to finish. In this way, you’ll be able to get the job done more efficiently and productively. You won’t find yourself slacking off and just letting precious time pass.

Key Takeaway

Some of the best tips to avoid overtime at work include the following: managing your workload, sticking to a schedule, knowing your limits, taking short breaks, and lessening distractions.

Although making these best work practices can be difficult in the beginning, it’s all about taking it slow and giving yourself time to adjust. Do them consistently and you’ll soon find yourself a happier and healthier employee.

Coping with Work Stress During COVID-19

How do you cope with work stress during COVID-19?

Educate yourself about covid-19
Establish a healthy routine
Talk to other people
Enjoy your free time

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused stress for many people. The fear of the virus and the abrupt change in the normal way of living have affected people negatively. But life must go on and people must keep on working to live. It is important to still enjoy life while staying safe. Today we listed down the ways on how to cope with work stress during COVID-19. Read on!

Educate Yourself About COVID-19

People experience anxiety nowadays due to the fear of the virus. It will affect you the more you don’t know. That’s why it’s important to educate yourself about COVID-19 and the dos and don’ts that go with it. Focus on the things that you can do, like limiting going outside, social distancing, wearing face masks and shields, and disinfecting regularly. When you have knowledge about the virus and how you can avoid it, your anxiety will lessen. Knowledge is power!

Establish A Healthy Routine

The pandemic has changed our work routines, whether we work on the front lines or from home. During this time our health became our number one priority. But not having a routine can be stressful. It can feel like you have so many things to do but you do not have time to do them.

After working for some time at these tough times, you may now have a rough idea of the tasks and responsibilities that you need to complete. Take time to reflect on what you need to prioritize and what work demands you need to do per day. Think back to the routine you had before the pandemic. Rest your mind from work after work hours. Do not forget the important things you do to take care of yourself. This includes eating right, exercising, and sleeping enough at night. Having a set time for these things will ensure that you get enough rest every day.

In these uncertain times, we can only make some effort in the things that we can control, and that includes our routine. Having a routine can be less stressful because it can make you more productive and as time goes by you will get used to the daily tasks. Remember to include rest and play in your routine for a balanced work and life.

Talk to Other People

Nowadays people feel high levels of stress due to the fear of the COVID-19 virus, anxiety about their jobs, and loneliness because of being stuck at home. Other people choose to keep it to their selves instead of opening up about their emotions.

Talk to your manager if you feel that your workload is affecting your mental and physical well-being. Your supervisor or manager will know best about the responsibilities you have and the role you take at work.

Don’t bottle up your feelings and open up to trusted people. Having a shoulder to lean on will help with your emotional well-being. Know that other people are probably experiencing the same things and you are not alone. You can do this!

Enjoy Your Free Time

As a front liner or remote worker, most of your mental or physical strength may be already be depleted at work. During this pandemic, it is hard to enjoy your free time because of health worries and long hours at work. Enjoy your free time, relax your mind, and avoid burnout. There are many things you can do at home, especially now that you have more time with your family. You can also spend some alone time if you prefer. Reward yourself for doing great at work, you deserve it!

Key Takeaway

Now that the new normal has changed it is important to know the ways on how to cope with work stress during COVID-19. Educate yourself about the virus and how you can protect yourself and loved ones, establish a routine that will make everyday life more manageable, talk to your manager about high-levels of stress and how to solve it, and always make time for relaxing and spending time with your loved ones. Here is to hoping to a more enjoyable work-life during the pandemic!

4 Effective Tips for Managing a Team During the Pandemic

How do you manage a team during COVID-19?

Determine What Roles That Can Be Done Remotely
Prepare Employees for Frontline or Remote Work
Frequently Check On Your Team
Stay Connected

If you are a team leader, the pandemic will test your skills in managing a team. Several establishments have sent their employees home for remote work to prioritize health. But some establishments cannot operate without employees reporting for work in the office or establishment. As a team leader, it is important to know how to manage a team during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on to learn more!

Determine What Roles That Can Be Done Remotely

Not all kinds of work can be done from home. Some examples of this are frontline work in the hospital, pharmacy, food establishment, transportation, and security. As a team leader, you have to determine what roles can be done at home, and what roles are not. Prioritize health and safety as much as possible and send workers home.

Prepare Employees for Frontline or Remote Work

Now that you have determined which stays at the business establishment and who goes home, you have to prepare your team for some changes. Make sure to lessen or remove the risk of exposure of your front liners by following health and safety guidelines mandated by the government. Provide personal protective equipment and disinfecting products to your team. Sanitize your business establishment regularly and install protective shields such as transparent acrylic glasses.

For remote workers, ensure that they have all the technological equipment ready for remote work. Teach your team about the required applications and tools because not all people are technically-savvy in the latest hardware and software.

Frequently Check On Your Team

These uncertain times will be hard for everyone including you. Understand that everyone will need time to adjust to these changes. Frequently check on your team not just to supervise their work but also to learn how they are doing mentally. With remote work, some people will have to juggle responsibilities in the home. On the other hand, frontline work is also difficult because of health risks. Always monitor their health regularly.

Remind your team about their tasks and also the importance of their contributions. Be compassionate and always appreciate your team members on their effort in these tough times.

Stay Connected

Communication is vital in these times because everyone is scattered in different places. Always have a communication channel that is consistently open during work hours. This way your team will be able to voice out their concern easily.

Schedule video meetings regularly so you can align your team members about important matters. Chat and messages are useful but being able to see your team’s faces and reactions can help you stay connected.

Confirm in written communication all the important things that should be said clearly. This is to avoid verbal miscommunication and misunderstandings.

Key Takeaway

Now you know how to manage a team during COVID-19. As a leader, you are the one that they look up to as the decision-maker. Know what roles can be done at home so you can remove the risk of exposure to your team. Prepare them and give them time to adjust to the changes. Your team is your responsibility so it is important to check up on them frequently. Always keep the communication line open to keep everyone connected. It may be hard to supervise and manage a team in these tough times but the key here is to trust your team.

The Best Tips for Remote Team Communication

What are the best tips for remote team communication?

Use Appropriate Messaging Channels
Schedule Regular Video Calls
Set Clear Guidelines and Instructions
Conduct Regular Team-Building Events

The work from the home culture we currently experience in this pandemic brings a lot of positive and negative effects. It allowed us to spend more time with our loved ones while still completing our tasks at work. One downside from working from home is the lack of face-to-face communication that can make you feel alone and depressed. We all miss an energetic high-five and a gentle pat on the back for doing a good job. Today, we will be learning how to make the best of remote team communication. These tips will make work from home so much easier!

Use Appropriate Messaging Channels

Emails are a part of a workday even back when there was no pandemic. It is useful in sending important documents and formal messages. But it is not a good channel for asking questions that need to be answered immediately.

Find a messaging application that has “rooms” that can represent your office departments. Having chat rooms that are always open can help your team collaborate right away at any given moment.

Some companies have a more informal chat room for non-work related chats. It is a virtual water cooler where employees can hang out and just chat. This can help build camaraderie in employees and reduce work stress. Even back then in the office, casual chats would help lighten the workload!

Schedule Regular Video Calls

It is important to check-in on each other once in a while. The lockdown and pandemic have caused people to feel anxious and depressed. The lack of social interaction and excessive working has made people feel burnout. Some people are not even tech-savvy, to begin with. So it is important to show some care and empathy with each other.

Not everything can be done by chatting or emailing. These two channels of communication, while useful, lack the non-verbal elements like facial expression, voice pitch, and hand gestures. Video calls can have all of those elements, except physical touch.

Weekly video meetings can connect all employees and align them with the announcements, goals, and achievements of the team. This can provide an opportunity to voice concerns and opinions about a project. But always remember to only schedule meetings with a purpose as to not waste your teammates’ time.

Set Clear Guidelines and Instructions

Supervising remote workers is harder than supervising in a physical office. You cannot see what your team member is doing at office hours. This can bring about an issue of trust unless you do something.

Set clear guidelines for expectations for everyone in your team. Set deadlines, daily tasks, and communicate instructions about timekeeping and taking breaks. When you set guidelines, it removes the guesswork on what a team member must abide by. Everyone will have a routine to follow.

One example is communicating the guidelines for breaks. Avoid settling for verbal communication and put your instructions into writing to avoid miscommunication. Be very specific. For example, you can either set a specific hour for lunch from 12 noon to 1 pm. Or you can assign a 1-hour break every day that your members can take any time.

Conduct Regular Team-Building Events

Not all kinds of office work will provide constant human interaction. Some occupations, like software programming, is more focused on constant computer work. Even more so, when in remote work setup. This doesn’t mean that we have to stop all fun activities that used to happen back at the office. There are a lot of fun ideas that could be implemented in a virtual setting.

Having fun can affect personal connections and even work itself. A study showed that happier employees tend to be more productive. A closer relationship with one another will also allow a team member to open up and communicate ideas and concerns better.

Key Takeaway

Good communication is key to making remote work more pleasant and fun. Physical distancing doesn’t mean that you have to distance yourself emotionally from your team as well.

There are different communication channels that you can use to maintain a good workflow and camaraderie within your team. Just remember to communicate clearly what you need from your teammates. Schedule regular video calls to check-in on your team and their concerns. All these virtual channels can be used not just for work, but also for fun because a happy team is a productive team. Follow all these remote team communication tips to create the best remote work experience for everyone.

4 Virtual Team Building Ideas

What are some good virtual team building ideas?

Regular Virtual Catch-Ups
Online Games
Fun Channels
Watch Movies Together

A huge number of organizations have now shifted into a virtual office in the Philippines to continue their operations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This setup may be helpful in terms of tasks and work, but it also inflicts fewer opportunities for your team to socialize. Plus, it minimizes the chance to get to know each other better — especially if there are new people in the team. Remember, team building is also essential in the workplace. It keeps everything balanced and healthy. So how do you hold team buildings for remote teams? We’ve got plenty of virtual team building ideas under our sleeves and we’re here to share them with you today. Continue reading for more!

Regular Virtual Catch-Ups

At a regular office setup, you have all the freedom to tap your coworkers and have a quick chit-chat. But with remote working, you no longer have this freedom. Virtual catch-ups may be the next best thing. Make use of modern-day technology and allot a day in the week to just sit down and talk about anything non-work related with your teammates. Even something as simple as this helps restore energy creates engagement and reduces the feeling of isolation.

Online Games

Up for something fun? Since you can’t hold in-person activities, you can always rely on online games to incorporate in your weekly schedule with your team. Nowadays, there are so many popular games that are available online or that are altered to be played virtually like Pictionary, charades, and more. Plus, you can always switch it up every week!

Fun Channels

Now that many are using Slack or other channel-based communication platforms while working remotely, why not take it up a notch and maximize its use? Apart from channels for different teams and office tasks, you can create separate channels for fun, engagement, and improve the culture within your team. Try adding in hobby channels, support groups, funny forwards, or any channel your team can go to when they need a quick pick-me-up.

Watch Movies Together

Nowadays, there are a bunch of shared platforms you can utilize to watch the same movies with anyone on one screen. Allot time to watch movies or even anything informational or beneficial for the team. Plus, you can also challenge your team members to talk about what they thought about the movie. It is a fast, easy, and fun way to get the team together.

Key Takeaway

Even if you are working remotely or at home, team building is still a must. It gives the chance for your organization to catch up, socialize, and connect.

It also builds trust, value, and meaningful connection. Holding these virtual team building ideas will benefit your team more than you know. Try these out for yourself!

Nail Your Next Virtual Presentation with These 7 Tips

What are some good tips to nail virtual presentations?

Test Out Your Internet Connection and Audio
Utilize Up-To-Date Tools
Make it Visually Appealing
Make Your Words Readable
Look into The Camera
Remove Distractions
Practice

If you’re one of those individuals who are working remotely or from home, it is well worth investing some time in learning how to execute a seamless and engaging virtual presentation. Compared to in-person presentations where you have so much room to work with, virtual presentations impose quite a few challenges and intimidation. Tech issues, distractions, or your audience can also stray away. Because of this, you need to work twice as hard. Luckily, we’re here to give you some great and effective virtual presentation tips to deliver a powerful, fun, and engaging presentation! Read on for more!

Test Out Your Internet Connection and Audio

Tech issues are definitely one of the major mishaps that come with presentations. But, with in-person presentations, you can still go on and engage with your audience until it gets resolved. With virtual presentations, you no longer have this luxury. So, to ensure a seamless and tech issue-free presentation, make sure to test out everything beforehand. Make sure that your internet connection has good speed — enough to cover everything you’ll be doing. You’d also want to test your audio and your microphone. You wouldn’t want any of these to fluctuate during your presentation.

Utilize Up-To-Date Tools

The possibilities of technology are endless! There is a plethora of online tools nowadays that you can utilize to make your virtual presentation convenient, fun, and engaging! Craft it by adding in chats, polls, features, and more.

Make it Visually Appealing

You have one biggest challenge in virtual presentations — distraction. Your audience will likely be more distracted during these times, so make sure to step up your game! Visuals are one of the most effective strategies for this. To capture your audience’s eye and attention, incorporate informative and visually appealing graphics. Or you can even switch up the colors and the fonts to make it look more organized. But make sure that it isn’t overwhelming as well.

Make Your Words Readable

It’s best to add in minimal words to your presentation and let yourself do all the talking instead. This way, your audience will have their ears on you. However, if you will add in some text to your presentation, make sure that the font size and type are readable.

Look into The Camera

It may seem awkward to be talking to a camera at first, but this step will make all the difference. Looking into the camera will make each individual feel like you are talking to them personally.

Remove Distractions

Before you head on to share your screen, make sure that there are no unnecessary tabs, distractions, or any possible intermissions. Plus, you should also stay in a clean, clear, and quiet area to avoid any interruptions.

Practice

As the saying goes “practice makes perfect”. It’s always a good idea to practice and run through your virtual presentation. This way, you can also relieve your nervousness and makes sure that everything goes seamlessly.

Key Takeaway

In this COVID-19 world where most of us are now working remotely or from home, it pays to be equipped with some great virtual presentation tips. Try these out for yourself! Use these strategies above and you’re bound to execute a powerful, informative, fun, and engaging virtual presentation.

5 Time Management Tips for Remote Workers

What are time management tips for remote workers?

Find A Routine That Works for You
Delegate Your Tasks for The Day
Have A Designated Working Place
Reduce Clutter and Distraction
Know When to Stop Working

Working remotely definitely holds amazing benefits. It offers you flexibility, you get to be responsible for your time, and you can work wherever and sometimes, whenever you want. However, this can only be true if you are great at time management. It is the very key to working remotely. Without it, many problems can fall under your lap — distraction, less productivity, no social life, and it can even lead to burn-out. Fortunately, we’ve got a few tricks up on your sleeves. Today, we’ll be sharing our tried-and-true time management tips for remote workers. Continue reading for more.

Find A Routine That Works for You

Truth be told, there is no one-size-fits-all strategy and routine to working remotely. Unlike your typical 9-5, with remote working, you are completely responsible for all your time. From how you structure it, spend it, and how you keep accountable with things. With all the flexibility you are given, it is up to you to make use of it wisely. This is the beauty of working remotely. But it can also feel challenging for first-timers and for those who are so used to a routine.

It is normal for things to feel contesting and overwhelming at first. But, get creative! Explore different routines each day and see which one you’re most comfortable in. You will ultimately find something that works for you.

Delegate Your Tasks for The Day

Before you begin to work, take a few minutes to create a to-do list of tasks. Write down and note all the things you want to achieve within your time of working.

Having a specific to-do list is a highly effective method in time management. Unlike jumping from task to task and wondering what project to take on for the day, you are given a structured and set schedule to work with. This will minimize procrastination and get you into a productive flow within the day.

Have A Designated Working Place

Your working area and environment play a huge role in how you manage your time, too. Since you are given all the freedom to work wherever you want, choose wisely.

One problem with working from home is that it is so easy for your career to bleed into your home life. Because of this, you may not have any boundaries and will work longer hours than you should. If you choose to work from home, create a physical boundary and ensure that you designate a space exclusively for work.

Or if you can, it is best to move to a co-working space to create a useful physical boundary. This creates a healthier work-life balance and will definitely help you manage your time better. Plus, there’s no better place to remote work than co-working spaces — they are built for exactly that!

Reduce Clutter and Distraction

Distractions — it is one of the top culprits of ineffective time management. It is so easy to get distracted when you are working remotely. If you want to establish healthy time management, eliminate all possible distractions. Whether it be your phone, social media, or even the clutter that lies within your desk.

Know When to Stop Working

Because of all this time and flexibility, it can also be so easy to overwork. This is why it is so important to establish a routine and set a schedule. Make sure you clock in and out when needed and never strain yourself.

Key Takeaway

Time management is the key to successfully working remotely. With these time management tips for remote workers, you will surely have a seamless transition into remote working life and maximize it to its full potential.