Coronavirus In Nigeria: Implementing A Stable Work From Home System That Protects Your Staff And Business

In lieu of the Coronavirus pandemic, most companies in Nigeria have already enforced a mandatory work-from-home policy for their staff, for at least the next two weeks.

While most companies run perfectly online and already have tools and rules in place to ensure that work continues, there are other companies who don’t know how to approach the situation.

For the latter type of company, we will be sharing some general tips for working from home that apply for any company, whether it is an online or digital business, or one that requires physical contact with clients to operate.

The main focus is to give you tips on how to maintain staff safety, productivity, continuity, and positive team morale.

1. Maintaining Staff Safety

The main reason for you to call for a mandatory work-from-home is to reduce the spread of Coronavirus which is highly infectious and spreads fast.

That policy is in place so that people can self-isolate. When they are at home, their contact with others is limited, this self-isolation reduces the risk of your staff contracting the virus or spreading it to others.

As Coronavirus doesn’t have any cure yet, getting more people to stay at home is a sure way to contain this virus.

Encourage your workers to work from home, so that they can’t infect their family members who are also staying at home. 

Ask them to stock up on supplies and other essentials and also provide them with tools like laptops and the internet which they will be needing to work remotely.

2. Ensure Team Productivity

Communicate effectively with your workers during their work-from-home session to maintain business productivity.

Check in on them at certain times of the day, to make sure that everyone is sticking to the plan and doing their own part. 

You can also use a tool like Slack to communicate and collaborate with all of your workers on the same platform. Slack allows for private messaging and also the creation of channels where you can have group chats. You can also use WhatsApp to communicate with your team.

Schedule meetings to discuss projects and problems, hold brainstorming sessions with your team, and encourage everyone to be online all the time to make it easier to reach them. Create a sustainable schedule and stick to it.

3. Ensure Continuity

While you are communicating with your team, make sure to extend the same energy to your customers.

Keep in touch with your customers via email and text messages,  answer the questions they ask on your website, and keep your phone on. Listen to your customers needs and adapt to solving those needs.

If you previously held face to face client meetings, you can make them virtual by using an app like Zoom or even Skype.

Adapt to changes in the society and the economy as well, and think about how customers' needs will be affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

4. Boost The Team’s Morale

Being in self-isolation can go on for a long period, and can lead to loneliness and low morale which in turn affects productivity.

During this period, you must find ways to motivate your employees and get them pumped for work. 

Try to create the same warm and friendly atmosphere the office provides by encouraging employees to crack jokes and hold witty banters on group chats.

Ask them how self-isolation is going and share helpful tips they can use to get by. Advice them to take breaks, do other uplifting activities, and keep in touch with their loved ones.

This pandemic will likely change the world in more ways than anyone can imagine and the change has already begun. But, no matter what happens, we will get through it.

If you are concerned about how your company will do for the next two weeks with your workers working from home, keep in mind that the situation will favour your business, just communicate with co-workers and clients, and keep the team's morale high. 

For more helpful work from home articles, read our: 7 Important Tips For Working From Home During This Coronavirus Pandemic.

Staff Writer

This article was written and edited by a staff writer.