How to Share Information With Team Members Online
In the business world, sharing information is crucial to success. Whether it’s sharing ideas with colleagues or sharing data with customers, the ability to share information quickly and easily is essential. That’s why software developers have created a number of tools specifically for sharing information. These tools make it easy to share documents, presentations, and other files from one computer to another. And because they’re designed for sharing, they’re also very user-friendly. So if you’re looking for a way to improve your business communication, consider using one of these sharing tools.
Why should you set up a system for sharing information online?
As remote work has become more popular. It has gotten harder to keep everyone on the same page. A common complaint from managers is that it is harder to effectively communicate with their team. And a common complaint from remote workers is the lack of communication.
Sometimes a when an employee complains about a lack of communication they are really saying “we want to be in the know”. When an employee does not feel like they are being kept up to date on news within the company they no longer feel part of the team, and they start to panic thinking, maybe they are not that valuable anymore.
Different Ways to set up communication online for remote employees
- Create on online server that is updated regularly the most current news.
- Send out a weekly update from their direct manager with any updates to the project the team is working on.
- Weekly email newsletter from the corporate office.
- Use Sharable docs like Google Docs that anyone can edit
- Solicit feedback from the employees
- Send out monthly surveys that allows employees to respond anonymously
- Don’t use just one channel for communication.
Weekly Team meeting using Zoom or some other face to face conference.
This one seems to be the most popular with manager but the most hated by employees. A zoom call that is not run well can he a huge waste of time for everyone involved and can cause a lot of resentment if only one person is doing all the talking.
Zoom is good for a meeting where you want everyone to see your face when you are talking to give a sense of connectedness. These meetings should be short and too the point to allow everyone to get back to work. Its always best if they are followed up with some type of email breaking down what is going to happen and who is responsible for what.
Group Emails
These can be effective if used correctly and if there are some rules put in place for responding to them.
Too many times you see group email when it would be more appropriate to just send a email to the individual who needs to know.
Everyone’s inbox is full the way it is and the last thing you want is a email that gets lost in the clutter because staff is so used to ignoring them because they get so many.
Slack instant messanger
This is popular with teams that use Slack and can be a nice way to send a quick message.
The issue with this one is that sometimes it is too easy to send a quick message. Internal rules should be set up on when to use Slack and what is appropriate to send via Slack.
Google Docs
Google Docs are a nice way to collaborate online when teaming up on a project. You can set up folder and docs that pertain to each project and then allow members of team access as needed.
Team members can then edit those docs as need to complete project.
Company Wiki
A company Wiki is the latest trend in communication. This is essentially a server that has information stored on in it and lets specific employees have access to it.
This can be a great way to release breaking news and updates.
Some programs that you can invest can send out a notification whenever something is posted on it or a news flash can come across their screen.
Communicate in ways that work for your team.
A managers job is to support their team and give them the tools and information to help them get their job done.
Too many times managers only communicate in the way that they are most comfortable in. Instead they should ask their team what their preferences are experiment with different channels of communication to see what works the best for them.
encourage Feedback
The best managers encourage feedback. An team member who is not engaged will not last long with the team or be a productive member of the team.
Employees who care enough about the project to give feedback even when it is not popular are some of the most valuable members of the team.
When this happens you know you have a healthy team and your communication channels are working as designed.