While many business professionals navigated through challenging times, the sudden global spread of the coronavirus brought twists and turns nobody has experienced. Unlike a natural disaster which hits suddenly but goes away, the pandemic has left many of you uncertain about your next steps.

Despite this uncertainty entrepreneurs are resilient and you shifted your business to the world of virtual, where possible. This shift has opened up new and exciting pathways.

Below is the good news and creative ways my clients and I have changed the way we work:

ONLINE AND OFFLINE

The online world brings alternative ways to work with your clients and generates revenue streams. Training companies who have created their online schools are using Facebook Groups, Zoom, or their own company portals to work with a wider audience.

For many years, Excellerate Associates offered many courses online and, based on feedback, shifted to face-to-face courses. With the pandemic and subsequent limitations on class size, we now have incorporated both online and face-to-face courses simultaneously.

At the height of the pandemic, we converted our Create Your Signature Program and worked with our clients completely online. When the economy started to open up, we experimented with the Wake Up Profitable Boot Camp for Business Owners by holding class both online and in person simultaneously.

With the number of in person registrations nearing the gathering limits, we opened up our online portal for this event simultaneously. Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and the clients who participated online all said that they felt included as part of the onsite experience even though they joined us remotely.

Not all businesses can operate entirely online. For some businesses, like clothing and alcohol manufacturers, they pivoted into making masks and hand sanitizer. In some cases, companies created new business lines or expanded their services into markets they had not considered before the pandemic.

IDENTIFY EFFICIENCIES

The pandemic presents the worst-case scenario but this often paves the way for surfacing what’s most important. There are many efficiencies that our client companies discovered, such as:
Prioritized Expenses

Companies that rely heavily on employees quickly prioritized expenses to avoid layoffs. Magazine subscriptions, employer-provided coffee, or snacks can add up to thousands of dollars that can be earmarked toward an employee’s salary instead.

Re-Evaluate Job Goals

While it wasn’t always possible to avoid layoffs, our client companies re-evaluated their organizational structure by reviewing each position and the desired outcomes for each position. When employees returned, their goals were reviewed and updated giving each team member renewed focus.

Reduce / Consider Alternative Work Space

With companies realizing they can operate with a remote workforce, they are questioning the amount of office space they really need. In areas where employees require onsite meeting space or working from home is not an option, employers seek out boutique coworking spaces, which often offer more agility as their business constricts and expands.

Some employers are already offering reimbursement for employees who work from a coworking space. Coworking, especially through an independent or boutique coworking space is often a cost-effective alternative, since most coworking provides high-speed wifi, professional meeting spaces, and other all-inclusive amenities.

INCREASE COMMUNICATIONS

With a remote workforce, it’s more important than ever to communicate, communicate, communicate. Employers are sharing tips on resources for teaching children at home, food banks for employees, and sharing their wins to calm an anxious workforce.

Random Check-In Calls

We continued our random client calls. Each day, we randomly call a client to check in just to see how they are doing. These calls helped us to also assist our clients, put them in touch with needed resources, or support them during their breakdowns. The same could be modeled to check in randomly with an employee.

Keep Human Wiring In Mind

Remember to keep human wiring in mind when communicating. Not everyone receives information in the same way. With a remote workforce, email has become an essential method. If you want to make sure your emails are read, it’s all in the format. Download our handy Wiring Matters InfoGraphic to show you how.

If you’re inspired to build a highly-effective team, tap into your innate motivators and align your environment with those innate motivators, join us for the Wired to Win 101: How Are You Hardwired? Workshop on Friday, August 14, 2020 from 8:30 am – 1 pm.