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Keeping staff morale high is a challenge for any growing business, and high stress environments can cause mental and physical burnouts in the most dedicated employees. You’d love to give them extra holidays but that’s a luxury you can’t afford. So how do you keep everyone happy without losing out on productivity or profits?

Mike Del Ponte (CEO of water filter company SOMA) has found a genius solution to the problem of unhappy employees…And it’s a game changer. It’s called theWork From Anywhere Week (WFAW) and it’s already taking the internet by storm.

For one week every quarter Mike lets all his SOMA employees spend a whole week out of the office – still putting in 40 hours of work, but doing it from wherever they want. Some of them simply stay home; others go jetsetting to far-flung countries with their laptop.

Mike’s novel approach has spread across the business blogosphere like wildfire; resonating with managers and employees alike. And it’s no surprise it’s proven so popular. Here are 7 awesome benefits that a WFAW could bring to your business…

1. Inspiration

Creativity is the driving force behind any start-up business. It’s essential for problem solving, innovation, and generating new ideas. Unfortunately there’s a notorious creativity killer which can dull the minds of even your best and brightest staff.

It’s called routine.

When you perform the same actions every day your creative thinking suffers. This doesn’t just apply to boring workplaces. Getting the kids out of bed, doing the same morning commute, eating lunch at the same cafe, rushing after work for the 5.30pm bus…All these little things can make the average worker’s life feel like GroundHog day. Even if they love their job.

Holding a WFAW breaks your employees out of their routine by providing a precious change of scene. They might go overseas, go on a local adventure, or simply sit in their sunny backyard. Wherever they wander, the change of environment is bound to inspire – and hopefully unleash their dormant creativity.

The experience of Soma backs this up. After holding their WFAW they said that most employees returned brimming with new ideas. Make sure you schedule a catch-up on the first day back for everyone to share their experiences and thoughts.

2. Productivity

I’ve written before about finding your ‘state of flow’ at work, and avoiding activities like compulsive email checking. Most people produce their best work when they’re in a state of deep focus. After a single interruption it can take your brain 25 minutes to resume full concentration.

Let that fact sink in… Now think about how many interruptions happen in the average office. Email certainly isn’t the only threat to productivity – it might even be the least of your worries.

Your project manager wants constant updates, and sidles up to your desk uninvited. The phone rings and it’s a client with 12,000 questions. Worst of all, maybe you’re stuck next to a singing colleague. Stephanie if you starting humming another Disney song, I will strangle you.

And let’s not forget meetings… So many unnecessary meetings.

Holding a WFAW gives your employees a brief respite from all these distractions. They can make themselves comfortable and focus on their actual work – without worrying about colleagues, ringing phones or office politics. You might find that remote working actually boosts their productivity and output.

3. Gratitude

Who remembers Office Space? The 90s film was so relatable it became a runaway hit. Pretty much every 9-5pm worker on earth has felt like Peter Gibbon at some point in their lives. Peter was trapped in a job he hated, he had no motivation, and his boss Lumbergh was an insipid jerk.

The film probably bears no resemblance to your own workplace (things have changed a lot since the 90s!) but it teaches some important lessons about motivation. Misery is the killer of productivity. If you want employees to perform their best work, their happiness and wellbeing should be your priority.

Holding a WFAW is an amazing gesture of goodwill from any manager. It shows your employees that you trust, value and respect them. And in turn they’re more likely to develop feelings of loyalty towards your company. This means they’ll do their best work – even when no-one is watching.

What’s more, having a WFAW once a quarter is novel enough to remain an exciting treat (unlike full-time remote working). Your staff will strive to impress because they don’t want to lose that privilege. It’s a win-win situation for employers and staff alike.

4. Reinvigorated Relationships

The 40 hour working week means that on average we spend more time with our main workmates than our spouse or family. That’s a pretty weird situation – and even more so if your staff don’t get along. As a manager, sometimes you can’t do much about mismatched personalities and workplace dramas.

But a WFAW at least gives your team some breathing space. Often the tension between disgruntled co-workers can be relieved with a little time apart. It’s like that super clichéd saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder”. Chances are they’ll return to work feeling refreshed and happy to see their co-workers, with minor quibbles forgotten.

Even better, the WFAW allows your staff to reconnect with their true loved ones – their children, their partner, their cat or axolotl. This will probably do wonders for their mental and emotional health (unless their kids are in the terrible 2s…in which case they might beg to come back).

5. Refined Processes

Maybe your team are a little old fashioned, or reluctant to get on board with the latest cloud based technology. A WFAW forces them to get intimately familiar with some useful tools (at least if you want it to be a success).

Tools like project management software and time tracking apps have made it easier than ever to manage a remote team. You won’t miss any data – and can calculate job costing based on the exact hours worked. Time spent on tasks can be recorded down to the minute, even from your mobile phone. A WFAW may provide the push needed to get your team happily using these tools! Leading to more streamlined processes for your business going forward.

It’s also likely a WFAW will help your business discover inefficiencies in your current practices. Almost every company indulges in some unnecessary bits of admin or procedure. If skipping these routines during your WFAW doesn’t have a huge impact on results, maybe they weren’t that important to begin with. This won’t always be the case – but you’ll certainly gain some insights about what’s truly important for your business to function!

6. Beautiful Darkness

If you go the whole hog and give your entire company a WFAW there may be hidden environmental and financial benefits.

When no-one is in the office you can turn off the power, air conditioning, heating and all other day to day utilities. Doing this for one week might not sound much, but these little expenses do make a tangible difference. This is especially true if you’re holding a few WFAW’s a year like Soma does – it could mean a whole month’s worth of power savings annually.

And if you’re not interested in embracing the beautiful darkness, your WFAW can be a good opportunity to get renovations and tidy ups done instead. Paint that wall orange like you’ve always wanted, or put up a bunch of awesome motivational posters to cheer on your staff when they get back.

7. Testing the Waters

You may have considered allowing members of your team to work remotely (or they might have requested it) in the past. But like so many bosses and business owners, you were too nervous to give the green light. How will I know if my staff are slacking off? What if I’m paying them to sit on the couch eating Doritos and playing Xbox?

A WFAW lets you test whether your employees can work productively from home, without committing to anything long-term. Sure, they will strive harder in that one week than if it was a permanent deal. But if everything goes well you can gradually increase the frequency of WFAW’s at your company. Chances are they’ll still treat each one as a chance to be kick ass and super productive, proving themselves to the company!

Finally…Tips for Success

Now that you’re sold on the benefits of a WFAW, how do you implement one in your workplace? Obviously you’ll want to set a few rules and procedures to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Here are a few basic pointers:

• Decide which online tools to use and make sure the whole team has access (and knows how to use them). Check out this Ultimate List of Apps For Working Remotely.
• Stay in touch – set up a team Skype or Google hangout, and let staff know the hours you expect them to be online.
• If your agency has clients during this time, set procedures for who will communicate with them and how. Ensure none of your customer service channels will be disrupted.
• Set achievement goals for your staff, and let them know what kind of reports will be required on their return. You might ask each person for a short presentation.
• Decide how tasks will be measured, and whether to implement time tracking software. You might even request screenshots of your team’s work activities.
• Make sure your whole team know about safety and security when working remotely. Follow appropriate precautions.

Good people management comes down to experience. Courses can teach you the theories, sure, but there’s no substitute for the day-to-day practice of managing staff and their issues.

You can, however, bolster your people management skills with a common-sense approach and a healthy respect for everyone you come into contact with.

Here are my top tips to help you better manage your employees.

1. Avoid micro-managing

Your employees were hired because they could do the job – so let them do it. Give clear instructions, ask for advice when it’s needed, and praise for the work they do.

2. Take time to get to know your staff

Understand that they have lives outside work, and that personal and domestic issues can’t always be left at the workplace doors.

3. Don’t ask staff to do tasks you wouldn’t do yourself

And don’t ask staff to take risks you wouldn’t take.

4. Listen to suggestions

Ideas often come from people undertaking tasks on a daily basis. Give these ideas careful consideration, and reward staff when their ideas generate business, save money or increase productivity.

5. Create the right teams

A good team is more than the sum of its parts. Keep an eye open for signs of tension and disagreement in teams, especially if one team member looks constantly unhappy.

6. Cultivate an atmosphere of openness, not fear

If staff feel they can come to you, they’re more likely to broach issues early, rather than covering them up and hoping for the best.

7. Give staff chances to develop and progress

Your retention levels will be better if staff feel they’re learning and growing in a job with good prospects of career development.

8. Be approachable, but stay professional

Remember, you’re a manager, not a friend. Be clear where the lines are drawn.

Good people management is imperative for business success. Make it a priority to review and hone your people skills and don’t expect miracles from your employees or yourself – they’re only human, and so are you.

When you hire someone who is buzzing with new ideas, wants to know more about your business and is passionate about what they do and what their potential role could be at your enterprise, you’re not only enhancing your work environment instantaneously, you’re also making a solid, serious investment in your business. Here we’ll run through some of the best tips from industry experts on how to attract the right employee and what key attributes you should be looking for in every candidate.

Know the role you’re hiring for

Human Resources Expert Susan Heathfield suggests that finding the right employee begins with attracting the right applicants through a solid and well thought out job description. This should start with a thorough analysis of what the responsibilities, duties, skills and outcomes will be for that role. After taking the time to do this, it’s easier to create a job description which will help you develop a well-rounded and targeted hiring strategy – making finding the right person easier.

Have a checklist

Susan Heathfield also suggests having a checklist to review whenever a candidate applies. Prioritise what key requirements are most important and also list the qualifications, traits and even characteristics you’re looking for in a new employee. Once again, by honing in on what you’re looking for, you’re able to more easily screen potential employees during the initial resume submission process and then at the interview level.

Ask the right questions

Of course, initial interview questions may focus around past experience, qualifications and expertise, but what about asking questions that assess someone’s cultural fit for your business? You want to ask questions that not only determine one’s suitability for the role as it stands but also how this individual may fit within your workplace and what they’ll contribute. Do your research and create a list of questions which are targeted and relevant and also give you a holistic idea of the candidate, how they work and what their personality is like.

John Scharz, CEO and founder of workforce analytics company Visier, suggests asking things like:

• Why do you work?
• What makes you get up in the morning and do what you do?
• Who are you going to be in 10 years from now?

Drive and ambition can be partly measured by asking questions like this and you want to hire someone who has the drive and passion to grow along with your flourishing enterprise.

Don’t underestimate potential

Many skills can be learnt on the job or during special training. Don’t underestimate the importance of the personality of a new employee or their level of social intelligence. Maynard Brusman, owner of consulting firm Working Resources and a psychologist recommends hiring someone based not only their qualifications but also on their social skill set. “Social intelligence — being able to navigate social situations and work well with others — is very important.”

Tom Gimbel, CEO and founder of staffing and recruiting firm LaSalle Network, also believes that having social intelligence is important in a future team member, “Consider soft skills — like interpersonal skills, communication skills, thought processes and emotional intelligence — because they matter.”

Find someone who is highly adaptable

In most businesses, change is one of the biggest constants, so hiring someone with an ability to adapt and be flexible should be high on the priority list. Asking a candidate about ways that they’ve previously adapted and shifted to evolve in a changing workplace in the past is a great place to start. You want to find the right person who has the ability to not only take on a new role but also continue full steam ahead should the company’s direction change or their role evolve.

Look for a love of learning

Having a key interest and pursuit of gaining new skills – even if completely unrelated to the position they are applying for – shows a desire for knowledge and an eagerness for learning. Steve Leveen, CEO and founder of Levenger, says he looks specifically for individuals who are collectors. “It doesn’t actually matter what they collect. Just that they are really interested in something, that they have passions.”

Search for those with a commitment to their career

Steve Olenski advises that it’s important to seek out an employee who is committed to their career and its progression. He argues that you don’t want someone who will simply chop and change their role in different businesses just to obtain a higher salary. Finding someone who wants to grow within a company and who has strong attributes of loyalty will pay off in the long run. Identifying candidates who frequently switch jobs should be a red flag for any potential employer.

Let the interviewee ask their own questions

It’s important that a candidate can also determine whether they want to pursue a role at your business and if it’s the right fit for them too. Opening up and providing honest answers when questions are posed in the other direction is just as important to ensure the right candidate is chosen who will enjoy working for your company, contribute in all the right ways, and be in it for the long haul.

Consider involving your current employees

In most cases, being able to work in a team environment (at least some of the time) is vital to any role. If you want to really gauge how a potential candidate will work within a particular team, why not involve a few employees in the hiring process? Each candidate should meet with a few different staff members individually and the feedback you receive from your trusted employees can also help guide you to make a final decision. If you have a few candidates who are on par with one another, going through this process can be a good way to gain additional feedback from the rest of your team. It also gives the candidate a chance to meet their potential colleagues and this can help them to visualise themselves in the role and how they’ll fit within your company culture.

Remember, there’ll always be something to learn

The truth is, each candidate will have to do some amount of learning and development when they commence a new role. No one is usually ever perfectly qualified for a position. So remember that while skills and experience are important, having a team member who contributes to your company culture in a positive way and brings their own passion to the table is also something you don’t want to discount. By asking the right questions and being prepared for the interview process, you’ll be able to hire the right person who will bring immense value to your business.