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Collaboration in a Hybrid Environment

Nhận Thức, Sự gắn kết / My Holland / Collaboration, Hybrid Workforce

Many people worldwide are opting to spend more time working at home. COVID 19 inadvertently highlighted the benefits of remote work. Saving money on fuel and office rent and flexible working hours makes a hybrid setting attractive today. But, of course, these are more reasons. There are downsides, however. Among these is the possible loss of collaboration among employees. But, there are ways to maintain cooperation: Discuss with employees how to maintain collaboration in a hybrid setting. Keeping communication lines open is one of the keys to effective collaboration. So, it’s an excellent idea to find out the individual circumstances of people who will work remotely. For instance, employees with families may have to attend to responsibilities before beginning work. However, with more flexible time, they can be more accommodating to their counterparts who are at the office. So, discuss when everyone should be available online. The last thing you want is to have colleagues listening in on a meeting that has no relevance to them. Set time for remote social interaction. Remember when employees hung out for a few minutes around the water cooler or at the lounge? This allowed interaction between people who didn’t have to talk shop during their breaks. This built friendships and improved relationships. How about encouraging the same aside from regular online meetings? Talk about the latest news, sports, trends, etc. Studies show that employees collaborate better with people they’re friends or comfortable with. Be open-minded. Traditionalists believe that eyes should be kept on employees constantly. For them, collaboration wouldn’t exist in a hybrid setting. Give it some time to work. Commit to it fully and explore ways to make it successful. It will take time for people to adapt to a hybrid setting. Let remote employees do their tasks without direct supervision. See what happens? When alone, it doesn’t mean they’re not collaborating. Remember that collaboration doesn’t mean that everyone should be in a synchronous state. Also, desired results can be achieved without real-time attendance online. For instance, finished tasks or communication could be sent by e-mail or other means.

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Wellness Statistics You Should be Aware Of

Brain, Hạnh phúc tại nơi làm việc, Mindfulness, Productivity / My Holland

The next time you see a lethargic employee dozing off, it might be more than just a lack of sleep. Telling an employee to go home early and get some rest may not be enough. There are underlying causes that leaders or bosses should know. It’s not employees are just physically exhausted. They can be mentally, emotionally and psychologically tired too. Their well-being might also be at stake! Organizations should be watchful and recognize which employees exhibit the signs above. The things you should know. First, a study showed that front-line employees are the most susceptible to burnout. Those who deal with customers daily can feel drained at the end of the day. Second, the same study found that 16% of employees experience work conditions that affect their sleep. Again, this should be a wake-up call for management. Third, 25% of employees feel exhausted after an average day at work. Fourth, about a third of employees start the day low on energy. The personal lives of employees can affect their job performance. For instance, most people think of bills to pay, the health of loved ones and the state of their personal relationships. It’s easy to tell them to remain focused while at work. But, if workplace conditions increase stress and anxiety, employees and the organization suffer. The things you can do. 1. Assign functions judiciously. As a means of staying afloat or profitable, organizations usually downsize. Additional responsibilities are passed on to the remaining employees. It’s common now for departments to take charge of functions unrelated to their area of expertise. It’s best for management to study which worker can handle more work. It isn’t enough to determine if a person has the required skills. One of the questions you must answer is whether that person can handle more stress. 2. Conduct job evaluations regularly. Ideally, employees should enjoy their job. But, maybe they are lethargic because there are tasks that they dislike doing. Or they no longer find their work motivating. As a result, they’re no longer excited to get to work. 3. Evaluate your physical workplace. Cramped cubicles, uncomfortable chairs, poor ventilation and lighting have adverse effects. Keep in mind that employees spend at least 8 hours a day at work. 4. Create or Update your Wellness Program. It doesn’t matter if you lead or manage a small organization. These programs aren’t for big groups only. Consider the following benefits: a. Improved employee health habits. b. Reduced stress and anxiety. c. Improved employee performance. d. Lower health care costs. Feature photo: Burnout vector created by redgreystock

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What To Do When Overwhelmed

Hạnh phúc tại nơi làm việc, Productivity, Stress Management / My Holland

There’s too much work to do and not enough time. It’s one of the common complaints by an overwhelmed person. Maybe, you find yourself in the same plight often. What does being overwhelmed mean? It describes a situation when something or someone is too much for a person to manage. Swamped, engulfed and flooded are some of the word’s synonyms. By the way, this isn’t about positive things people can be overwhelmed with. Joy, excitement and love are a few examples. I’ll focus more on jobs because many people feel they’re working harder to keep up or remain productive. They’re mentally tired, irritable, stressed and restless at night. Most probably, they’re feeling overwhelmed. How to Deal with Feeling Overwhelmed Don’t fret if you’re one of them. There are ways to deal with it and here are some. Set aside some quiet time. Staying at your office is not a good idea unless you can lock the door to your room. There are too many distractions. Instead, take a short walk or find a relaxing spot outdoors. A 10-minute walk or a quick change in scenery will do wonders for your mind and body. Don’t think about the tasks at hand. Instead, enjoy your surroundings. Take deep breaths. It’s a short respite, but it’s a break that benefits you. Assess your situation. When you begin the day, you already know what is in store. The tasks, meetings, return calls, etc. So, what was the thing that made you feel overwhelmed? Was it a conversation, call, message or e-mail? Finding that moment when you suddenly felt swamped might give you a better appreciation of your situation. For example, an additional task was given to you. After your quiet time, you might realize it isn’t really sizable as you first thought. Review your to-do list. What needs to be done today? Prioritize tasks that need to be accomplished now. Focus on these alone. Stop thinking about jobs that you will work on tomorrow. When you’re finished with your current tasks, work on those that need to be done in the future. Lessen your workload so you’ll never feel overwhelmed. Lastly, avoid procrastination. Doing things right before deadlines is a sure recipe for being overwhelmed. Delegate tasks. You probably heard of this – “If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.” This is not true all the time unless you’re a one-man show. Also, many people are perfectionists who would do everything rather than assign some of them to others. They don’t trust their colleagues to do a good job. Try to let go and give your colleagues a chance. Your time might be spent better on tasks that require your skills. Stay positive. Maybe your boss assigns you more jobs because you’re the most reliable person in your organization. Have you thought about this? Also, you might feel overwhelmed because you have a negative view of things. Try changing your perspective. Think of your situation as something that will make you better. Always look for that silver lining.

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Dealing with Arrogant Bosses

Emotional Intelligence, Hạnh phúc tại nơi làm việc / My Holland

It isn’t that hard to recognize arrogant bosses. They expose themselves eventually. They’re narcissists, for one. Their decisions are questionable and often can’t stand scrutiny. This is the reason why they’re arrogant. So here are some ways for you to deal with arrogant bosses. There’s a great chance you’ve met or worked with one of these. But, first, let me define what arrogant bosses are. These people are overconfident and overestimate their skills. They’re not as good as they think they are. Many of them are charismatic but are delusional. Sadly, they can fool many people. Great leaders are confident because they are competent. They have a track record of their achievements and failures, which they learn from. They’re not shy of the latter. But, most importantly, they are humble. Fortunately, it isn’t that hard to recognize arrogant bosses. They expose themselves eventually. They’re narcissists, for one. Their decisions are questionable and often can’t stand scrutiny. This is the reason why they’re arrogant. Consider the fact that they’re trying to compensate for what they lack. Here are some ways to deal with them. >> Never Question them in Public. An arrogant boss may be in a good mood but, it doesn’t mean they’ll be open to contradictory views in public. They always believe they’re right or have better ideas, even when wrong. They have inflated but fragile egos. Arrogant leaders feel threatened when criticized. So, avoid opposing them in front of others. It’s never productive. >> Talk to them in Private. If there’s danger ahead which they can’t see, call their attention in private. Try to enlighten them on why they should change course. Show the facts. If they stick to their decision, find others who can convince them. Organizations and nations have failed because of arrogant leaders. History is full of examples of these leaders that ruin everything. >> Earn their Trust. For instance, you’re stuck in your job and have no other place to go at the moment. Performing well at work is a sure way of getting noticed. If your arrogant boss realizes you make good decisions at work, they may turn to you for feedback. Arrogant leaders care for results too. They just can’t accept they’re not right all the time. It takes practice to give negative feedback. I suggest you read our blog on this. >> Don’t be Fooled by Them. You can be swept by the crowd if you don’t remain steadfast in your beliefs. So, stick to what you think is right. It doesn’t matter if you’re alone. Be cautious and discerning. Leave or move to another department. Avoid being a tool of arrogant leaders. They’ll manipulate and use you if you allow them. You may have encountered these people before and discovered ways to deal with them. Try out the steps above if you haven’t. These worked for others.

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Why Unfinished Business Always Pops in Your Mind

Brain, Goals, Hạnh phúc tại nơi làm việc, Motivation / My Holland

Before reading this, try to recall all the tasks you accomplished in the last five days. There’s a great chance you won’t remember all. Now, think of all the things that you left undone. But maybe you don’t have to because these keep popping in your head. And these might be causing stress right now. It’s not just tasks. How often have you stopped reading a book or watching a movie before the end? Yes, people love stories. But, they want to get to the conclusion as not knowing can drive them crazy. What can explain this behavior? Well, have you ever heard of the Zeigarnik Effect? a psychologist, postulated that incomplete tasks were easier to remember than completed ones. These remain in people’s conscious minds because they cause mental tension. It’s no wonder you recall unfinished business repeatedly. Not all experts agree on the effect, as more research has to be done. One of the questions is whether this is good or bad. But, everyone can agree that when you experience it, there are ways to deal with it. Here are three: Accomplish your tasks promptly. It’s relative for each person. Many jobs cannot be done by the end of a day. But, by completing small chunks daily, you finish the whole sooner. People put off working on tasks until the last minute. In short, they procrastinate. Everyone does. If you want to ease stress, begin working on your tasks ASAP. And, why not reward yourself when you accomplish something. It could be a glass of that expensive wine you’ve been saving. Use the Effect for your Benefit. If the Zeigarnik Effect is real, use it to help you. For instance, if you’re preparing for a presentation, forget cramming all that information in one sitting. Instead, divide these into smaller portions. Focus on each and take breaks. Then move on to the next one. You’ll realize you retain more data because your brain tells you that your presentation isn’t complete. Maybe you could use it in your job? Ads and movie trailers are good examples. Marketers use story-telling to get customers to stay tuned. Use it as Motivation. Maybe you have an alarm clock or use your smartphone to wake you up. You won’t believe it, but these regularize your sleeping behavior. Treat the Zeigarnik Effect as an alarm to attend to unfinished business. If you want that internal reminder to go silent, finish whatever you started. Instead of bugging your mind, treat the effect as motivation.

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Collaboration in a Hybrid Environment

Wellness Statistics You Should be Aware Of

What To Do When Overwhelmed

Dealing with Arrogant Bosses

Why Unfinished Business Always Pops in Your Mind

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