RESEARCH published by Forbes magazine suggests most staff spend from 2.5 hours to as much as 6.5 hours per day reading and replying to emails.

Even at the lower end, that’s more than a quarter of each working day and that’s just the average; some workers in information-intensive roles or industries may spend much more than that. This can create significant bottlenecks when it comes to sharing information, collaborating effectively, and moving projects forward. 

OnePlace Solutions CEO James Fox said, “When email became widely adopted in the business world, it was revolutionary. It provided a faster communication method than letters and memos that had to be physically distributed and it was more private and convenient than faxes.

"However, as email has become ubiquitous, it has devolved into a time-wasting business tool instead of one that promotes productivity," he said.

“In many organisations, business managers are looking for ways to minimise the use of email or make it more efficient so that employees can focus more on deep work and creative tasks instead of on managing their emails. However, most of the solutions organisations trial end up with their own set of challenges.

"For example, instant messaging is too hard to organise and track, and it doesn’t work for team members in different time zones, while internal collaboration tools don’t always let third parties communicate with the team seamlessly.  

“As more employees and businesses are discovering the myriad benefits of remote working, the question of how to solve the email challenge is becoming more urgent.”

In many situations, email still provides the best option to communicate with teams, especially if that communication includes a lot of information. Therefore, it’s likely that the best solution to the email challenge will be one that seamlessly connects individuals’ emails to team collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams or SharePoint.  

“Often, people receive important attachments via email," Mr Fox said. "They then have to manually save those attachments into SharePoint or, worse, shared drives that don’t have an obvious or reliable taxonomy, making those documents hard to find again. 

“Being able to put those emails and their attachments straight into SharePoint without having to switch between Outlook and SharePoint is a massive time saver. It means that all project team members can access all relevant information at all times, keeping projects moving forward based on the latest information.

"This reduces the amount of time people spend on managing emails and increases the amount of time they can spend on creative and innovative work, leading to greater job satisfaction and better results for the organisation.” 

References:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/annabelacton/2017/07/13/innovators-challenge-how-to-stop-wasting-time-on-emails/#786a619e9788
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2017/02/15/as-workplace-communication-evolves-email-may-not-prevail/#27d71f80626c

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By Leon Gettler >>

A BIG ISSUE now for businesses is that employees are coming back to work, after the lockdown, but the world has changed.

Work places need to accommodate the new conditions and social distancing. And many employees who have been working remotely are reluctant to come back.

Office National CEO Gavin Ward said businesses need to come up with some ingenious ways to entice staff back to work. These include perks, creative activities, wellness equipment, elaborate desk top accessories, parties and more. 

“There’s a variety of reasons that people don’t go back. Some may say ‘I don’t want to do the traffic’ but I think you have to look after some fundamental things to make it work,” Mr Ward told Talking Business. 

“The first thing is we can’t ignore COVID. Make it safe. So one of the exercises is ‘Am I going to be safe in the new workplace’. So if you’re going to start talking about people, you will need good communication in terms of the way you’re going to prepare the workplace to ensure that they don’t get an infection so you’re going to have the right processes to say you’re going to wipe down the surfaces on a daily basis, that you’re going to have the wipes and all those sorts of things. So there is a fundamental thing, you’re going to make it safe.

“What you’re going to have to do is create an environment when they come back that they’re going to be engaged, that they’re part of the team. You’re going to promote connection about objectives, about what you’re doing and how you’re succeeding. These kinds of fundamentals are really important.

“The other thing business owners need to do is make them feel comfortable. Some businesses have been encouraging people to bring their dog into work, bringing part of the world they have at home into the office. Dogs also have an impact on the other people in the office and calming folks. Other employees might instead bring in a pot plant,” Mr Ward said.

“Business owners also need to look at the office environment. Is the light right for employees to do their work? Are there multiple screens elevated to the right height? Are the keyboards ergonomic? Are there brush-pens? Are the chairs right? Do they give good support? Can the seat be moved in and out?

“If you do these things and get the right equipment, when they come back they’ll find they’re much more connected, they’re much more productive and they can create really solid great work,” he said.

FACILITIES IMPORTANT

Fitness and wellness equipment at the workplace will also be important. Milestones like birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, successes and good occasion should also be celebrated.

Mr Ward acknowledged that many employees, after spending months working from home, would opt to come into the office three or four days a week, and do the balance from home. Companies will need to accommodate that.

“I think the world has changed forever and we’ve always had to consider the different styles of people we work with,” Mr Ward said.

“Part of what we’re doing is we need to entice people for the times that we need it, but I think we will always need to be agile and have some people working from home because I think they just won’t fit in the new workplace.”

He said the trend to hot-desking will be harder to sustain in the post-COVID environment.

“So the concept of working at a desk, getting up and moving your stuff back and someone coming down and sitting in that same space and ensuring that’s clean and ensuring you have the distance and socially isolate with the person next to you is going to be extremely challenging,” Mr Ward said.

www.officenational.com.au

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Hear the complete interview and catch up with other topical business news on Leon Gettler’s Talking Business podcast, released every Friday at www.acast.com/talkingbusiness. 

By Leon Gettler >>

THE REMOTE work force could become a permanent feature, according to Moe Vela, the chief transparency officer of TransparentBusiness.

Mr Vela, who was a strategic business adviser to US Vice Presidents Al Gore and Joe Biden, said the coronavirus had already transformed the global workforce.

Speaking from his home town of New York, he said figures showed that 80-90 percent of the global work was now being performed remotely.

“One of the challenges is that there was no transition period, there was no adjustment period. It was just a shock to the workforce system and workforce model,” Mr Vela told Talking Business. 

He said it might become a permanent feature of the workforce if it was handled correctly.

“If we make it work well during this pandemic, I actually believe it will become the new normal in phases,” he said.

“Incrementally, I think we will move over the next few years towards a more robust remote workforce.”

He cited a recent study by Gartner which found that 74 percent of managers now expected 15-20 percent of their workforce “would remain remote.”

REMOTE ‘CONTROL’

Managers, CEO and boards of directors had not previously moved towards remote work because of concerns about damage to productivity, operational efficiency and the “out-of-sight-out of-mind-out-of-control” syndrome.

Mr Vela said the first thing management should do is use the technological tools – such as Zoom, or Skype or WhatsApp – that are already in the marketplace, to mitigate those risks and concerns and create connectivity.

Another approach is to use file sharing programs.

A third is to use remote workforce management software.

“Communication is integral in making a remote workforce setting effective,” Mr Vela said.

“Communicate with this remote workforce and remind them that you value them, that you respect them, that you affirm them and that you appreciate them. Those are the kinds of messages you need to be sending.

“Number two, communicate and remind them that you trust them,” he said.

“And during the pandemic, as part of this communication effort, remind them that you as management are flexible because you understand their plight. You understand there’s a lot of anxiety in this new setting. You understand their children may not be in school because of the pandemic and maybe they have to stop in the middle of the day to play blocks on the living room floor, or put their child down for their nap, or play with them for a little while.

“Remind them as management you understand that and that you are flexible, that you are patient and that you have their back.”

TRUST MAKES REMOTE WORK

Mr Vela said these approaches by management would elicit trust, appreciation, gratitude and loyalty from the workforce.

He said studies had shown this could even create a more productive workforce. The studies found that workplace productivity increased between 15-60 percent.

Mr Vela said there were five beneficiaries of remote workforces.

The first is management producing a more productive workforce with less absenteeism and less sick leave.

The second is the employees who enjoy it because it gives them a better work-life balance and greater flexibility.

The third is the economy, with studies showing remote workforces can add $2 trillion to the national economy as they deliver more savings for companies.

The fourth is the environment, with commute times eliminated and lower carbon emissions.

A remote workforce is also beneficial for women, especially single mothers or those who cannot be on site, and people who are disabled who are unable to commute, Mr Vela pointed out. 

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www.leongettler.com

Hear the complete interview and catch up with other topical business news on Leon Gettler’s Talking Business podcast, released every Friday at www.acast.com/talkingbusiness. 

THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell has released a free online mental health webinar for sole traders, amid alarming predictions of a dramatic rise in Australian suicide rates due to the economic and social impacts of coronavirus.

Beyond Blue ambassador and sole trader, Garry Mills hosts the short webinar, during which he describes his own experiences with depression and anxiety and some of the strategies that worked for him in his darkest times.

“Garry is an exceptional person who comes from an incredible background as a former security guard for an ex-Prime Minister, running complex security operations in Australia and overseas as well as competing in triathlons and training elite athletes,” Ms Carnell said. 

“His unique story is proof that depression doesn’t discriminate. In addition to Garry’s personal story, he provides a number of excellent practical tips for boosting mental health, many of which are tailored to sole traders who may be struggling as a result of this COVID-19 crisis.

“I understand that small business owners don’t have a lot of time to devote to their mental health, but if you can find 10 minutes in your day to watch this video, it will be time well spent," Ms Carnell said.

“The webinar also directs viewers to our My Business Health web portal, which offers dedicated holistic support to employers and sole traders.

“The COVID-19 section of My Business Health walks small business owners and sole traders through the practical steps to keep their business afloat and also links with resources from Beyond Blue, which has taken a lead role in providing mental health assistance throughout this pandemic," she said.

“There’s no doubt this is a very difficult and uncertain time, but there is support for small businesses and sole traders and I would encourage them to access the free resources and services on offer.”

www.asbfeo.gov.au

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