Coronavirus: Workflow Management Tips for Employers and Employees

Ever since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus to be a pandemic, it has caused more panic than ever before. The COVID 19 has disrupted every aspect of human life, forcing people to remain indoors, which can gradually lead to a financial crisis. While the Government is planning and implementing financial measures to uphold the economy, we need to do our bit. So, whether you are an employer or an employee, we have some valuable tips that will help you manage your work remotely during these times of crisis.

Work from HomeTips for Employees

The UK Government has taken strong measures to ensure the welfare of the working class during the coronavirus outbreak. According to a recent disclosure by the Government, those suffering from even the mildest coronavirus symptoms can stay at home for a period of seven days. Also, the Statutory Sick Pay for those affected would commence from Day 1 and not Day 4. However, as a preventive measure, quite a few Employers have already asked their employees to work from home.

If you are one of them and have recently switched to working from home, then you know the pain of it. Working from home comes with some serious challenges caused due  to frequent interruptions. Nevertheless, you need to bear in mind that you still need to pay your bills. So, here are some work from home tips that can help you stay productive during the coronavirus outbreak.

Clock your day

While working from home, the biggest challenge is to strike a balance between your work hours and domestic chores. So, make it a point to confirm your schedule, tasks, and milestones with your employer. Also, pull out some time to manage your household chores such as cleaning and cooking to avoid external contact.

 Plan your Responsibilities

While managing household chores, kids, and working from home may seem a wee bit too much, some sound planning can definitely help. So, if you have a spouse, partner, relative, or a reliable friend working from home, then consider sharing responsibilities.

During these tough times, remember that the Government stands by you and regardless of what your employer says, you are entitled to stay at home in case of coronavirus symptoms. Also, during the first seven days, you are not required to provide any medical evidence to your employer. Beyond that period, the NHS would soon come up with a Form of Evidence, which you can make use of. Also, if you are self- employed or do not qualify for the Statutory Sick Pay, you can always apply for Universal Credit.

Find a Quiet Place to work from

Although you are working from the comfort of your home, you still need to focus and concentrate on the tasks that have been assigned to you. So, find a table and a chair, put them in a quiet corner of your home, and get to work.

Workflow Management Tips for Employers

As we go through the coronavirus containment phase, Business Owners and Managers need to conform to government guidelines. The Government clearly requires Employers to shift their focus on employee welfare. Therefore, here are some useful tips to help Business Owners and Project Managers get through this overwhelming phase.

Create Clear Guidelines

The Government wants Employers to put employee welfare above all else. The best way to get started is by creating clear guidelines and circulating them amongst your employees. This is an effective crisis management measure that can get rid of a lot of confusion and bring things under control. In these guidelines, you could clarify that employees suffering from coronavirus symptoms do not have to wait for leave approval and can work from home. Also, you can list out the work from home guidelines that the employees need to follow. Additionally, you could use this space to mention other precautionary measures such as the mandatory use of disinfectants and sanitizers that your organization has adopted to deal with the situation.

Minimize Physical Contact

Allowing your employees to work from home is the easiest way to minimize physical contact. Although work from home may not be possible for businesses of all types, try exploring ways to minimize physical contact. You could also consider cutting down on in-person team meetings and client visits by switching to web conferencing. You can always make use of web conferencing tools like WebEx, TeamViewer, Skype to communicate with your team and clients.

Use Remote project management tools

Managing your full-time employees remotely can be a daunting task, especially when you have a large team. However, there are some simple and easy to use project management tools like Trello, JIRA, Zoho that you can rely on. These tools let you assign work, track them, and also move them through phases until they are completed.

Be Compassionate

Coronavirus containment measures continue to cause inconvenience to Employers as well as Employees. Therefore, Employers need to be more understanding of their employees while they are working from home. During this phase, when your Employees are struggling to manage work, kids, and household chores, a little support from your end can go a long way. So, the least you could do is allow them a certain amount of flexibility with regards to the work schedule. This is your chance to win their trust and affection by being a more considerate and understanding Employer.

At present, Employers are struggling to manage their business overheads due to the economic slowdown, while Employees are keen on holding on to their jobs in order to pay their bills. While everyone is going through so much, we have decided to do our bit. Therefore, Small World offers you low transaction fees on all overseas fund transfers to your loved ones. Grab this opportunity to send home some money to your dear ones during this difficult phase.