“Team culture is more about how you work than how you socialize. We all have our preferences for how to work. Every team is made up of a particular combina - tion of personality types. And with these unique person - ality types come different ways of processing and con - veying information. We can see what people are doing when we work together in the same place. Behavior is implicit because we can easily observe people and make inferences. When we go remote, we must make our behaviors more explicit: leaving nothing implied so there is little room for confusion. On a remote or hybrid team, we can avoid some basic miscommunications by creating a team agreement: a basic set of expectations for working together. A team agreement outlines what kind of information we share, how we communicate, and how we know what each other is doing. A team agree - ment can also clarify roles and responsibilities and in - clude policies for conflict resolution, decision-making guidelines, and other aspects that impact how you work together as a team. Whether you’re starting fresh with a new team or whether you’ve been working to - gether for a long time, creating a team agreement can help form the glue that binds your group together.“ Lisette Sutherland | Collaboration Su- perpowers What efficient strategies can I use to track time and attendance in my home-based business, ensuring productivity and effective team management? “Beebole is a provider of time and attendance soft - ware, but we’ve also had a fully distributed team since the company was founded in 2008. So, we eat our own dog food, and we are able to offer some particular in - sight when it comes to time tracking for home-based businesses. Here are a few of the top takeaways from my experience as CEO. It’s critical to set clear expec - tations for how and when team members should log their working time. Are timesheets filled daily, weekly, or monthly? Are you expected to include comments or additional details in time entries? Who is responsible for reviewing or approving hours? This does not mean micromanagement or rigid working schedules, which brings me to the next point. Allow for flexible work schedules and work-life balance. Remote work implies a certain level of flexibility, and trusting your distributed team is absolutely essential. You can give team mem - bers quite a lot of control over their work schedules while still ensuring set times for communication and collaboration. This “collaboration time” should include regular team meetings. We all hate meetings that could have been emails, but it’s still important to hold regular virtual meetings to discuss ongoing projects, track te-
am. Perhaps most importantly, home-based business - es need to choose the right time-tracking solution for their specific needs. Most digital timesheet tools, like Beebole, offer projects, tasks, billing, automated re - minders, reports, and a mobile app. Don’t forget about data privacy and security. Ensure that tools adhere to strict data privacy standards and protect your team’s sensitive information. Finally, a thank you goes a long way. Never underestimate the importance of gratitude and recognition of your team’s efforts. If your compa - ny gains insights and value from time tracking, share that achievement with everyone. Boosting motivation always encourages productivity.” Yves Hiernaux | Beebole How can I leverage distributed work practices to enhance my home workspace for remote work? “At Voltage Control, we firmly believe that the future of work is not just about where you work, but how you work. Distributed work practices aren’t merely about technology or tools; they’re rooted in mindset shifts, one of which involves transitioning from merely presenting to actively engaging through questions. When enhanc - ing your home workspace, start by asking yourself:
“What does a conducive environment for questioning, learning, and facilitating look like for me?” Your work - space should inspire curiosity and active participation. Think of it as a facilitation studio: well-lit for video calls, equipped with tools that allow for spontaneous white - boarding or brainstorming, and organized to reduce distractions. Embrace modularity. In facilitation, we ad - just techniques to cater to the group’s dynamics. Sim - ilarly, a modular home workspace—adjustable chairs, movable desk setups, or changeable background settings—allows for adaptation based on the task at hand, promoting both comfort and productivity. Lastly, your workspace should be a reflection of your facilita - tive spirit. Surround yourself with artifacts or elements that prompt questions, foster creativity, and stimulate conversation. Remember, a well-designed workspace doesn’t just support the work you do—it enhances how you approach it.” Douglas Ferguson | Voltage Control Given the increased virtual nature of educational and professional applications, what strategies can I adopt to stand out in a competitive market? “Remote work is one of the best employee perks in
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • VOL 23 ISSUE 3
VOL 23 ISSUE 3 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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