Ready to Find Your Next Star Performer?
The team here at JK Consultants has been serving your recruitment needs for the past three decades and wanted to let you know that we are healthy, strong and are here to support you as we all navigate the current environment together. We genuinely care and are actively supporting you by continuing to serve your recruitment needs with high-quality service and by continuing to bring you valuable information to help you thrive.
As a relationship and technology savvy company, we have easily transitioned into our new “sheltered in” environment with no loss of continuity. All of our channels of communication remain open and available as they have always been ready to serve your recruitment needs.
You have created a business built around providing incredible products and services. Just because the Coronavirus is doing its best to keep people socially distant, this is no reason why your business must be socially distant. In fact, during this time when other businesses may be laying low, your business can use this time to thrive by stepping up and filling the voids. JK Consultants, your recruitment consultant, is here to provide you with resources and support.
Do you have the tools in place to have your employees work from home? Do your employees have the ability to work effectively from remote locations? Accept the challenge to transition to an effective virtual business model with the following suggestions:
- Embrace the Virtual. There are many advantages to virtual meetings including saving time and expense. Your personnel who perform much of their work out of the office do not need to travel into the office and can spend that time being productive. It allows everyone, regardless of time zone, to participate in the meeting.
- Choose a video conferencing platform. Instead of a telephone call, choose video conferencing including Zoom, WebEx, Skype, G Suite Google Tools, Microsoft Teams. A videoconference allows everyone to see each other and each other’s facial expressions, gestures, emotions and reactions. Everyone will be more engaged and interactive.
- Set up the technology in advance. One of the biggest setbacks in videoconferencing is that the start is often delayed because someone has a problem with their speakers or camera. Encourage everyone to set up the technology in advance and ensure speakers and cameras are working properly.
- Maximize the use of the Video Conference capability and include your Clients. Most people think of using videoconferencing for internal team and one-on-one internal meetings. The applications are limitless; it can be used for presentations, training, chatting, webinars, etc. The technology can be used to work seamlessly with your prospects and clients including making sales presentations and working collaboratively when negotiating contracts. It can be used to meet virtually with your vendors as well.
- Preparation is critical to streamline your meetings. Many organizations have too many meetings because they are so conveniently scheduled. This is an opportunity to streamline your meetings and eliminate unnecessary ones. Prepare in advance by first asking whether the meeting is necessary, list what you want to accomplish, establish what the successful outcome looks like and then distribute a written meeting agenda. The agenda can contain key points to cover, length of time, who will be attending, what each member is responsible for and what documents are necessary. The agenda will allow everyone to be prepared in advance so the meeting runs efficiently. The key is that you stick to the agenda.
- Use available tools. Allow everyone to communicate through available tools such as online chats for questions or comments so that the speaker can incorporate the chats into the presentation or discussion rather than being interrupted. Work collaboratively on a presentation, document or spreadsheet using Google Docs during the meeting. If you want everyone to see something on your desktop, you will want to use screen sharing software. If members of your team are not able to attend it may be helpful to record the videoconference and distribute it. If everyone knows they will get a recording, they are more inclined to pay attention rather than focus on note taking.
- Encourage relationship and collaboration. The technology should help everyone have access to information and discussions. Proactively take the time to stop and create informal conversations and connections just as you would in an in-person meeting.
- Ban Multi-tasking. Each person should participate in the meeting and be mentally and physically present from beginning to end. Set clear guidelines that it is not permitted to go on mute to take a phone call or check email. A videoconference will allow you to see everyone and ensure that engagement level is high. As the meeting leader, it is your job to begin on time, end on time, conduct the meeting on topic, and keep everyone engaged with the subject matter. This is easier when everyone has a clear purpose for being there or responsible for a designated part of the discussion set out in the agenda. It is important that your presentation or topic is presented in an interesting manner with interesting visuals and opportunities for interaction.
- Create the virtual watercooler. After an in-person meeting there is generally a time when everyone stands up and begins an informal discussion of the meeting topics. You can reserve the last 5 or 10 minutes of the videoconference to voice those informal opinions or challenges and be transparent. Also, create a virtual communal meeting place where team members can connect outside of the structured meeting to ensure progress is being made on the deliverables.
- After the meeting. Every person who attended the meeting should leave with a clear objective of what they need to do, their deliverables, their accountability and timeframe.
JK Consultants can help to make sure you have the right team in place to help you business to grow regardless of the circumstances.
If you need help finding your next STAR performer,
contact us and ask about our ONE YEAR GUARANTEE!