With many teams working remotely for the first time, we gathered five easy ways to improve and encourage your remote team’s productivity, during these challenging times. 

1. Start daily morning check-ins
   Establishing daily, morning check-in calls can significantly improve your team’s ability to remotely collaborate and communicate. Regular, brief morning check-ins allow teammates to catch up on what their colleagues have been working on, discuss obstacles and action items, and offer assistance when necessary. 

2. Suggest weekly coffee or happy hours
   Working from home can be isolating. Lift your team’s spirits with an optional, afternoon happy hour, virtual lunch, or coffee hour. A small break from work and a chance to chat with coworkers may help your team feel a little closer to ‘normal’ during these trying times. 

3. Establish measurable goals
   Being away from the office and your team can make identifying and achieving goals difficult. Work with your team to establish measurable, trackable goals they can accomplish while working remotely, and openly discuss the results they struggle to achieve. 

4. Increase access to digital tools
   Project management and collaboration platforms are essential for teams collaborating from their respective homes. Tools like Trello, Smartsheet, Google Drive, and Slack can help your team visualize and manage their workload, while granting colleagues further visibility into their projects. These tools can help keep your team efficient, organized, and communicative. 

5. Manage time spent in meetings
   When teams transition to remote work, they often face a barrage of meetings due to the elimination of office ‘water cooler talk’ and the ability to simply visit a colleagues office. These meetings can quickly overtake their day, making it difficult to balance meeting attendance and their workload. Be considerate of your team’s time and make sure meetings are concise and informative. 

Looking for more ways to keep your team productive while working remotely? Check out how teams are leveraging digital tools, like GoFormz, to modernize, save time, and save money.