This is the second of a three-part series on the three Rs of surviving and thriving through a business disruption: Readiness, Responsiveness and Resilience.

A member of our team traveled roughly 8,800 miles recently from her office to visit family. She continued working remotely during that time.

When asked about her experience, she said, “Regarding working from India, it wasn't any different than if I was working from home here (in California). Except for the time difference :-).”

Take the ‘place’ out of ‘workplace’ People have disruptions, just like businesses. Being responsive to employee needs means providing them with the tools to be successful wherever they need to be.

This is particularly important during a crisis when speed is critical to addressing product or customer issues. You want your employees to be able to set up call forwarding on their own, for example, so they are reachable when a customer calls their business line. Help your teams replicate their office experience anywhere around the globe so they are able to respond as circumstances change.

"Regarding working from India, it wasn't any different than if I was working from home here (in California). Except for the time difference." - Susmita Dey, 8x8 Product Marketing Manager on working remotely

Rally your people Business disruptions, particularly extended ones, can be an existential threat to the life of a business. Surviving and thriving often require your employees to rally to your cause and step up beyond their normal roles during times of distress. Here are some tips to help motivate your teams:

  • Inspire employees to feel like they are part of the solution and give them clear guidance about expectations
  • Deliver timely news and updates in multiple formats such as chat and video conferences
  • Prioritize integrations so that CRM and other key apps are as readily available as your phone system

Want to learn more about empowering your employees to serve customers during a crisis? Listen to this conversation with Jon Arnold, principal of J. Arnold & Associates and noted cloud communications expert. He provides insight on the following and much more:

  • Keeping your business connected when the unexpected happens
  • Addressing customer needs quickly and satisfactorily
  • Increasing collaboration when your team is working from home