The Collaboration Will Be Continued Throughout

To ensure business continuity during these uncertain times, companies must put employee collaboration at the forefront of their business.

In the May 2020 Survey Report by JobStreet, Indonesian hirers listed the financial health of the organization as their biggest concern at 70%, followed by staff wellbeing (54%) and poorer teamwork (49%). Of those who had required their staff to work from home, 61% had experienced poorer productivity, with a further 40% experiencing difficulties managing staff.

Clearly, the challenges of remote work are affecting business continuity and employee productivity during the ongoing global health crisis. How can hirers ensure business continuity despite these challenges? What tools and resources should companies provide their employees with? What leadership strategies and company policies should hirers adopt to ensure engagement and productivity amongst its remote employees?

Business continuity plan: preventing and preparing for threats

Business continuity is an organization's ability to continue operations during and after a disaster or disruption. A business continuity plan outlines procedures, instructions, and contingencies that an organization must follow to maintain business functions or quickly resume them after a major disruption.

Unlike a disaster recovery plan, which focuses primarily on restoring IT infrastructure and operations, a business continuity plan looks at the continuity of the entire organization: it covers business processes, assets, human resources, business partners, and other key aspects of the organisation that might be affected. With effective business continuity management, a company can identify, address, and plan for potential crises before they occur.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has categorized the four important elements that companies need to evaluate when preparing a business continuity plan:

• People: workers and family members
• Processes: technology and processes
• Profits: revenue generation
• Partnerships: enabling environment to carry out business operations

It is important to note that people are the first important element. While it is top management that formulates the business continuity plan, employees implement and manage the various policies, procedures, and tasks of the business continuity plan. It is therefore crucial that all employees have the right tools and resources to do their work efficiently and effectively. Hirers should also adopt the right leadership strategies to support business continuity.

How to help your employees ensure business continuity

Communication, collaboration, access to appropriate technology, and an empowered workforce will keep employees connected, engaged, and productive during times of crisis.

Empower your employees. With most companies adopting a work from home (WFH) policy, employees are juggling their personal and professional responsibilities. Hirers must find a way to adapt the new work environment to fit the individual needs of employees, giving them the leeway to schedule work in a manner that maximizes their productivity while still adhering to company goals and policies.

Provide employees with the right hardware. From laptops and computers to auxiliary hardware such as external webcams, extra monitors, and ergonomic accessories, your teams need the right technology for remote work.

Utilize collaborative tools to increase productivity and teamwork. Access to information promotes employee engagement and empowerment. Online collaboration brings employees, business partners, and clients together to work collectively and accomplish mutual goals.

Enhance cybersecurity and IT support. With remote work, employees are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Companies should mitigate these risks through increased network connection security, updated cybersecurity incidence response plans, and additional infrastructure and resources to manage cybersecurity remotely. Given all the digital tools that employees are now using, companies should also strengthen IT support.

Create a central communication platform for business continuity planning information. Make contact lists, company and government updates, protocol files, and other important information accessible to all employees at any given time.

Ensure two-way communication. Communication in the workplace shouldn't be a one-way street. During a crisis, it is vital to keep channels of communication open. Encourage employees to share their thoughts and feelings, voice concerns, ask questions, and propose solutions. Letting dialogue flow in both directions fosters a sense of unity and team spirit.

How to effectively manage remote teams

With remote management, informal check-ins, swift oversight, and face-to-face feedback are more difficult—making transparent, fair, and visible leadership vital to business continuity.

Lead by example. Employees will look to their leaders to set the parameters and flow of work in the new normal. Make sure that you are following the policies that your company has established.

Have structured daily check-ins.  Short, one-on-one video conference calls with each team member will allow you to set agendas, provide feedback, and address any questions or concerns.

Have virtual hangouts. With remote work and social distancing, it is very easy for an employee to feel isolated and unnoticed. Something as simple as virtual coffee breaks and virtual birthday parties can help alleviate those feelings and create a stronger sense of belonging.

Focus on achievement, not activity. You cannot manage every aspect of your team's work—especially when they are all working remotely. Instead of focusing on tasks, inputs, or the number of hours worked, measure your team's progress by outputs, deliverables, and milestones.

Build a culture of organizational resilience. These are unprecedented times—mistakes and abrupt changes are inevitable. Lead your team to anticipate and plan for them as best as you can. Recover from mistakes and changes as quickly and smartly as possible when they do happen. Lead with optimism and integrity. Be decisive and communicate openly. Be ready to respond well to change.

Collaboration between employers and employees is essential to business continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Giving your employees the proper tools, resources, and guidance helps to reduce risk, increase overall preparedness, and keep your business operational in the face of challenges. As you empower and lead your employees, you will emerge from this crisis as a more agile and resilient company.

JobStreet is here to help you navigate the challenges and opportunities arising from the current global health crisis. Find expert advice and industry insights at the COVID-19 Jobs and Resource Hub.

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Source: https://www.jobstreet.co.id/en/cms/employer/ensure-business-continuity-through-employee-collaboration/

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