Ways to Keep a Virtual Workplace Viable
Remote work is here to stay in many career fields, and the sales career field is no exception. As a result, companies are constantly looking to find the most effective ways to motivate their employees for retention and profits. Many motivational strategies can be implemented, but the human element of fostering camaraderie cannot be ignored.
Over the years, much has been studied and said about the impersonal nature of texting. We can view phone calls this way to a lesser degree, but the bottom line is that face-to-face communication methods are the most effective. In business dealings or personal conversations, seeing each other gets more accomplished.
Video Calls
Having daily Zoom calls is an effective habit to get into. Doing so breeds familiarity among all team members and subtly influences accountability. If people talk to each other daily, they want to work together every day, and more gets done. A video conference call at critical parts of the day or week is also a team-building experience. There are many more methods like this available aside from the ones covered here, so you can click here if more information on more strategies is needed.
Company Get-Togethers
Leaders can also use these methods to coordinate after-hours get-togethers to develop personal bonds among team members. It is no secret that when people connect on a personal level, they connect more on a business level. For example, if Mary has issues with her daughter and Tim has the same issues with his son, that’s a personal connection. That connection stays with them during business hours, and they are better suited to help each attain a client or retain one. Building a team in this way equates to more sales and client retention.
Try To Keep It Light
During a company meeting, I have some time allotted for personal chitchat. It may not be directly productive, but it does help productivity indirectly. It alleviates some stress or tension that invariably pops up during meetings. Furthermore, those conversations also keep personal connections fresh, allowing individuals to stay on the same page. Encourage business conversations to veer off the track to intersperse personal anecdotes, analogies, or relevant jokes. Keep it light so leaders can maintain the teams’ attention and focus longer. No one is productive in a dry, stale environment. There is nothing wrong with having a business meeting that’s a little on the playful side.
And, speaking of the positive side, everyone takes pictures—family, friends, vacations, and holidays. Start a photography contest of sorts, and keep a specific theme for the contest. The best outdoor shot or sunset shot, the cutest baby, or something else along that line wll work well. It’s a safe way for the team to share their lives, and it helps build a sense of community. The team members could also get together and decide on a prize.
With a close-knit team that has sales experience under their belts, the sky’s the limit on how much profit a company can make. Remember, too, that a sales team for one company is a snapshot of the community as a whole. The pros far outweigh any cons in making a sales team tight, practical, and optimistic about what they do and who they do it with.
