Many of us are able to get outside and enjoy the outdoors even more so than usual – providing a much-needed dose of sunlight and warmth. For those of us in the north, we finally get to see flowers budding, and people enjoying long walks or bike rides with their families – and in our new home workspaces, we’ve had the chance to open up our windows to welcome in the spring air.
In the same spirit of giving our living spaces a much-needed breath of fresh air, maybe now is a perfect time to do the same for our businesses . . .
Preparing for business as unusual
While none of us know exactly what the next normal will be, there are a few things we can likely expect:
- Our digital presence will continue to take on a higher significance
- The concept of a meeting will be forever changed
- Company recruitment and onboarding will look different than it did a few months ago
Here are a few quick wins we are working on at Spyglass, that we hope can be applied to your business.
1. We are recalibrating our digital presence
Sheltering-in-place reminded us how critical it is for businesses and their leaders to show up online in a way that is current and visible – to our people, customers, investors, members and the general public.
Take a quick look at how you are showing up to your online community. And what gesture – however small – can you make right now that could support those in your circle from a business and/or personal perspective? How we show up online now will make an impact on our future business and employees.
- QUICK WIN: Upgrade your presence on LinkedIn. Out of any platform in the social media tool box, LinkedIn is the place to be seen and heard in business conversations. Start thinking about what new perspective you can bring to this community, share articles from colleagues, comment on posts from clients, or even try your hand at a 1-2 minute video. (In case you missed it, our own Molly Rice recorded and shared her first video recently). Even with some minimal effort, you’ll be surprised just how far this will go.
2. We are rethinking our meeting spaces
Meetings have been changed forever. We are discovering that when we can’t bring the people to the meeting, bringing the meeting to the people is convenient and virtual group collaboration and communications can be effective.
Yet many of our modern workspaces (especially our conference rooms!) reflect an old paradigm: where remote attendees join as a voice on the phone, unable to see reactions, read body language or be a part of the meeting in the same way as the attendees who are in the room.
We’ve all made a shift to utilizing conference software recently – but continuing to use it properly will require refining as some of our people return back to the office.
- QUICK WIN: Turn on video, always. And ensure you are able to see those joining via video, throughout the meeting – even if the focus is a presentation. Smarter planning can bring together remote attendees in a way that the collaborative environment we have all come to know can be retained.
3. We are upgrading our onboarding
There are signs that more businesses will be permitted to gear up again, so as we consider our emerging staffing needs, we’re being mindful of how to welcome returning and new employees to change the course of our business for the better.
- QUICK WIN: Delegate a network of mentors and sponsors from your more seasoned employees. This will create a group of advocates who can develop connections and offer informal counsel at a time when building relationships are most important.
What’s on your list?
We’d love to hear your prognostications and pro-tips. Or help you strategize your path forward. Meanwhile, stay well and enjoy the exuberant energy of spring.