Time Management for Remote Workers: Leveraging Communication Tools

Welcome to part four of our ongoing series looking at how businesses can use audio and web conferencing to leverage the benefits of remote workers while avoiding the common pitfalls of such work flow arrangements.

Time Management for Remote Workers

The biggest concern with virtual employees is how much they work. Such workers often work too much and can suffer from burn out. Some may wake up early and begin work. Without any distractions, they often find themselves forgetting to eat and working well past office hours.

This is where an afternoon web conference becomes most important. Have a quick meeting with your worker and ask about the day. Asses the employee’s emotional state and be sure they are not pushing themselves too hard. Casually asking what they had for lunch will help you be sure they are taking appropriate breaks.

Another way to help your employees maintain structure is to set up automated email reminders. Send one at break time, lunch and at the end of the day, providing a friendly reminder that it is time to rest.

 Stay Connected

 Use instant messaging to keep your employees connected. Allow a certain amount of freedom of personality in these messages. While they must remain appropriate, employees also need a way to joke about their work to release tension.

Include remote workers in company web conferences at least once a month and be sure to include a social time in that meeting where some simple game is played to encourage social interaction. You may also connect workers who live near one another and encourage them to socialize after work.

Discount Audio and Web Conferencing: Key Words and Definitions

Anytime we talk about technology, many of us get scared, eyes glaze over or we attempt to use language that is at best "fuzzy" to us and likely others. 

Whether you are an assistant looking at conferencing options to present to your boss, a manager looking to pitch conferencing services to their board or staff, or anyone looking to communicate their communication needs to their IT staff; we wanted to attempt to demystify the audio and web conference calling lingo.  Here are a few common key phrases and definitions to understand.  We will try to have a few blog postings this week on additional keywords.

Moderator - The person facilitating the conference or event. The moderator can be the person leading or hosting the event, however it is usually most productive if the moderator is a person other than the primary speaker.

Conference Quickstart. Conference Quickstart allows a host to turn off Music on Hold so participants may start the conference prior to the host joining.

Host dial-out.  Instant connect allows a host to dial-out from the conference to bring in an expert, other participants, or initiate a meeting "on the fly".  InstantConnect may be launched using a DTMF command or fly View.

DTMF or Dual Tine Multi-Frequency signals - Also called touch-tone dialing. The tones that are heard when you press the buttons on a touch-tone telephone.

Web conferencing - A term that describes the industry forming around the creation of virtual events. This industry is a convergence of technology developed to provide cost-effective interactive communication channels for individuals and businesses. Webcast A presentation in which a live event is recorded and streamed over the Internet, or archived for viewing at a later time.

You can read about more definitions and keywords at www.flyconferencing.com/glossary.