Author: Franz Malten Buemann

We are still in the grips of a new working world, making it essential we continue to work from home if we can. We have already adapted to a world where remote teams have become the norm but ensuring our teams are effective involves a new approach to management. Keeping teams motivated, productive, and empowered in their work can be difficult from afar but there are strategies you can put in place to support your team and ensure your business continues to run smoothly.
Maintaining engagement and motivation
It is understandable that the first few days or weeks of this current climate resulted in a flurry of activity. Employees and teams – all of us – are keen to show they are willing and get to grips with new methods of communication and working practices. And maybe there was a bit of adrenalin involved in this new working from home routine?!
However, the first few days are hard to maintain in the long term, which is why it is essential to have a rough schedule and regular check-ins. Don’t forget some employees may find a relatively huge influx of communication and change difficult, so having a measured approach can be really helpful. Flex to the personalities and needs of your team, colleagues, and leadership.
Working from home requires a different kind of mindset and you need to give your team members the chance to get used to the new system. Team calls can help to increase morale, especially if you theme the calls or give them an informal edge, as well as getting down to business. You also need to appreciate the flexible nature of the modern working world, which seems to have accelerated incredibly these last couple of months or so! Not all employees will be able to sit and work standard office hours what with home-learning and so on. So be mindful of this to help keep employees engaged and motivated.
It is how we all need to live and work these days, but it can be hard to get used to. Or you can try to adopt the mentality of “it doesn’t matter when or where the work gets done, as long as it’s on time and at least of the required quality” to help come to terms with variable hours.
Embracing the changes
The way we are currently working may be in place for some time so we have to embrace it and get on with it as best we can. From a management perspective, this means finding ways to motivate and empower your team in their roles in an effective way.
Provide regular meetings without overwhelming staff with daily calls. Adapting to change is essential and, as has been provided in some sectors, it can be easier than we think. But it is not always easy for all people. Mastercard, for example, has reported huge uptake in the use of contactless payments, showing consumers have swiftly adapted to this change. The same can be said for video conferencing and Zoom calls in many workplaces. The regular weekly team chat has become a scheduled Zoom call, and the power of this tool is something we simply cannot underestimate.
While a standard telephone call can keep the updates flowing, video conferencing and calls allow for a more personal approach, which many of your staff will appreciate. (Although some simply won’t – so respect their preferences and roll with it.)
Create a safe virtual workspace
For teams to feel safe working online you have to do more to ensure their work environment is as safe as possible. A standard security protocol for offices simply doesn’t provide the level of protection required anymore. With this in mind, it should be the role of the management and senior teams to provide all employees with the information and tools they need to feel safe at work.
VPN use has been standard in countries like China where censorship is much more prevalent, but they can in fact simply help with the security of your network. Although many see VPNs as complex and aren’t entirely sure how to use them safely, plenty of people use them on a daily basis to access geo-restricted content on streaming platforms like Netflix, whose huge traffic highs further demonstrate just how popular their worldwide content is.
Remote-first SaaS boom
The demand for software to improve the remote working environment has never been higher, with many companies seeing a demand like never before. SaaS companies have been able to take advantage of this huge boom, with huge amounts of new usage in successful existing tools. Of course, this includes brands that have become household names like Zoom, and also other companies such as FreeConferenceCall, BrandDive and LogMeIn, or simply finding cloud storage that’s right for you and your teams.
The top growth activity for SaaS companies is new customer acquisition, which has been choked off for many businesses right now, and 59% of SaaS companies rate renewals and customer retention as second most important. Companies are testing many different tools to support their new remote working teams and this gives companies in the SaaS sector the chance to show off what they do and utilize their skills to avoid churn and retain, as well as bring in new customers.
Combining technology and personality
The software and technology out there are designed to make working from home and in remote teams as easy as possible, helping to make this time more straightforward to navigate and even enjoyable and productive.
This technology is the starting point but it is what you do with it that will help your teams manage these difficult times and ensure they work effectively despite being apart. Combining the technology available with personal skills in motivating and empowering your team is key to successful management at the current time. Easier said than done… but certainly achievable.
The post Management Strategies for Developing an Effective Remote Work Culture appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog – Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

We are still in the grips of a new working world, making it essential we continue to work from home if we can. We have already adapted to a world where remote teams have become the norm but ensuring our teams are effective involves a new approach to management. Keeping teams motivated, productive, and empowered in their work can be difficult from afar but there are strategies you can put in place to support your team and ensure your business continues to run smoothly.
Maintaining engagement and motivation
It is understandable that the first few days or weeks of this current climate resulted in a flurry of activity. Employees and teams – all of us – are keen to show they are willing and get to grips with new methods of communication and working practices. And maybe there was a bit of adrenalin involved in this new working from home routine?!
However, the first few days are hard to maintain in the long term, which is why it is essential to have a rough schedule and regular check-ins. Don’t forget some employees may find a relatively huge influx of communication and change difficult, so having a measured approach can be really helpful. Flex to the personalities and needs of your team, colleagues, and leadership.
Working from home requires a different kind of mindset and you need to give your team members the chance to get used to the new system. Team calls can help to increase morale, especially if you theme the calls or give them an informal edge, as well as getting down to business. You also need to appreciate the flexible nature of the modern working world, which seems to have accelerated incredibly these last couple of months or so! Not all employees will be able to sit and work standard office hours what with home-learning and so on. So be mindful of this to help keep employees engaged and motivated.
It is how we all need to live and work these days, but it can be hard to get used to. Or you can try to adopt the mentality of “it doesn’t matter when or where the work gets done, as long as it’s on time and at least of the required quality” to help come to terms with variable hours.
Embracing the changes
The way we are currently working may be in place for some time so we have to embrace it and get on with it as best we can. From a management perspective, this means finding ways to motivate and empower your team in their roles in an effective way.
Provide regular meetings without overwhelming staff with daily calls. Adapting to change is essential and, as has been provided in some sectors, it can be easier than we think. But it is not always easy for all people. Mastercard, for example, has reported huge uptake in the use of contactless payments, showing consumers have swiftly adapted to this change. The same can be said for video conferencing and Zoom calls in many workplaces. The regular weekly team chat has become a scheduled Zoom call, and the power of this tool is something we simply cannot underestimate.
While a standard telephone call can keep the updates flowing, video conferencing and calls allow for a more personal approach, which many of your staff will appreciate. (Although some simply won’t – so respect their preferences and roll with it.)
Create a safe virtual workspace
For teams to feel safe working online you have to do more to ensure their work environment is as safe as possible. A standard security protocol for offices simply doesn’t provide the level of protection required anymore. With this in mind, it should be the role of the management and senior teams to provide all employees with the information and tools they need to feel safe at work.
VPN use has been standard in countries like China where censorship is much more prevalent, but they can in fact simply help with the security of your network. Although many see VPNs as complex and aren’t entirely sure how to use them safely, plenty of people use them on a daily basis to access geo-restricted content on streaming platforms like Netflix, whose huge traffic highs further demonstrate just how popular their worldwide content is.
Remote-first SaaS boom
The demand for software to improve the remote working environment has never been higher, with many companies seeing a demand like never before. SaaS companies have been able to take advantage of this huge boom, with huge amounts of new usage in successful existing tools. Of course, this includes brands that have become household names like Zoom, and also other companies such as FreeConferenceCall, BrandDive and LogMeIn, or simply finding cloud storage that’s right for you and your teams.
The top growth activity for SaaS companies is new customer acquisition, which has been choked off for many businesses right now, and 59% of SaaS companies rate renewals and customer retention as second most important. Companies are testing many different tools to support their new remote working teams and this gives companies in the SaaS sector the chance to show off what they do and utilize their skills to avoid churn and retain, as well as bring in new customers.
Combining technology and personality
The software and technology out there are designed to make working from home and in remote teams as easy as possible, helping to make this time more straightforward to navigate and even enjoyable and productive.
This technology is the starting point but it is what you do with it that will help your teams manage these difficult times and ensure they work effectively despite being apart. Combining the technology available with personal skills in motivating and empowering your team is key to successful management at the current time. Easier said than done… but certainly achievable.
The post Management Strategies for Developing an Effective Remote Work Culture appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog – Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

We are still in the grips of a new working world, making it essential we continue to work from home if we can. We have already adapted to a world where remote teams have become the norm but ensuring our teams are effective involves a new approach to management. Keeping teams motivated, productive, and empowered in their work can be difficult from afar but there are strategies you can put in place to support your team and ensure your business continues to run smoothly.
Maintaining engagement and motivation
It is understandable that the first few days or weeks of this current climate resulted in a flurry of activity. Employees and teams – all of us – are keen to show they are willing and get to grips with new methods of communication and working practices. And maybe there was a bit of adrenalin involved in this new working from home routine?!
However, the first few days are hard to maintain in the long term, which is why it is essential to have a rough schedule and regular check-ins. Don’t forget some employees may find a relatively huge influx of communication and change difficult, so having a measured approach can be really helpful. Flex to the personalities and needs of your team, colleagues, and leadership.
Working from home requires a different kind of mindset and you need to give your team members the chance to get used to the new system. Team calls can help to increase morale, especially if you theme the calls or give them an informal edge, as well as getting down to business. You also need to appreciate the flexible nature of the modern working world, which seems to have accelerated incredibly these last couple of months or so! Not all employees will be able to sit and work standard office hours what with home-learning and so on. So be mindful of this to help keep employees engaged and motivated.
It is how we all need to live and work these days, but it can be hard to get used to. Or you can try to adopt the mentality of “it doesn’t matter when or where the work gets done, as long as it’s on time and at least of the required quality” to help come to terms with variable hours.
Embracing the changes
The way we are currently working may be in place for some time so we have to embrace it and get on with it as best we can. From a management perspective, this means finding ways to motivate and empower your team in their roles in an effective way.
Provide regular meetings without overwhelming staff with daily calls. Adapting to change is essential and, as has been provided in some sectors, it can be easier than we think. But it is not always easy for all people. Mastercard, for example, has reported huge uptake in the use of contactless payments, showing consumers have swiftly adapted to this change. The same can be said for video conferencing and Zoom calls in many workplaces. The regular weekly team chat has become a scheduled Zoom call, and the power of this tool is something we simply cannot underestimate.
While a standard telephone call can keep the updates flowing, video conferencing and calls allow for a more personal approach, which many of your staff will appreciate. (Although some simply won’t – so respect their preferences and roll with it.)
Create a safe virtual workspace
For teams to feel safe working online you have to do more to ensure their work environment is as safe as possible. A standard security protocol for offices simply doesn’t provide the level of protection required anymore. With this in mind, it should be the role of the management and senior teams to provide all employees with the information and tools they need to feel safe at work.
VPN use has been standard in countries like China where censorship is much more prevalent, but they can in fact simply help with the security of your network. Although many see VPNs as complex and aren’t entirely sure how to use them safely, plenty of people use them on a daily basis to access geo-restricted content on streaming platforms like Netflix, whose huge traffic highs further demonstrate just how popular their worldwide content is.
Remote-first SaaS boom
The demand for software to improve the remote working environment has never been higher, with many companies seeing a demand like never before. SaaS companies have been able to take advantage of this huge boom, with huge amounts of new usage in successful existing tools. Of course, this includes brands that have become household names like Zoom, and also other companies such as FreeConferenceCall, BrandDive and LogMeIn, or simply finding cloud storage that’s right for you and your teams.
The top growth activity for SaaS companies is new customer acquisition, which has been choked off for many businesses right now, and 59% of SaaS companies rate renewals and customer retention as second most important. Companies are testing many different tools to support their new remote working teams and this gives companies in the SaaS sector the chance to show off what they do and utilize their skills to avoid churn and retain, as well as bring in new customers.
Combining technology and personality
The software and technology out there are designed to make working from home and in remote teams as easy as possible, helping to make this time more straightforward to navigate and even enjoyable and productive.
This technology is the starting point but it is what you do with it that will help your teams manage these difficult times and ensure they work effectively despite being apart. Combining the technology available with personal skills in motivating and empowering your team is key to successful management at the current time. Easier said than done… but certainly achievable.
The post Management Strategies for Developing an Effective Remote Work Culture appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog – Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

We are still in the grips of a new working world, making it essential we continue to work from home if we can. We have already adapted to a world where remote teams have become the norm but ensuring our teams are effective involves a new approach to management. Keeping teams motivated, productive, and empowered in their work can be difficult from afar but there are strategies you can put in place to support your team and ensure your business continues to run smoothly.
Maintaining engagement and motivation
It is understandable that the first few days or weeks of this current climate resulted in a flurry of activity. Employees and teams – all of us – are keen to show they are willing and get to grips with new methods of communication and working practices. And maybe there was a bit of adrenalin involved in this new working from home routine?!
However, the first few days are hard to maintain in the long term, which is why it is essential to have a rough schedule and regular check-ins. Don’t forget some employees may find a relatively huge influx of communication and change difficult, so having a measured approach can be really helpful. Flex to the personalities and needs of your team, colleagues, and leadership.
Working from home requires a different kind of mindset and you need to give your team members the chance to get used to the new system. Team calls can help to increase morale, especially if you theme the calls or give them an informal edge, as well as getting down to business. You also need to appreciate the flexible nature of the modern working world, which seems to have accelerated incredibly these last couple of months or so! Not all employees will be able to sit and work standard office hours what with home-learning and so on. So be mindful of this to help keep employees engaged and motivated.
It is how we all need to live and work these days, but it can be hard to get used to. Or you can try to adopt the mentality of “it doesn’t matter when or where the work gets done, as long as it’s on time and at least of the required quality” to help come to terms with variable hours.
Embracing the changes
The way we are currently working may be in place for some time so we have to embrace it and get on with it as best we can. From a management perspective, this means finding ways to motivate and empower your team in their roles in an effective way.
Provide regular meetings without overwhelming staff with daily calls. Adapting to change is essential and, as has been provided in some sectors, it can be easier than we think. But it is not always easy for all people. Mastercard, for example, has reported huge uptake in the use of contactless payments, showing consumers have swiftly adapted to this change. The same can be said for video conferencing and Zoom calls in many workplaces. The regular weekly team chat has become a scheduled Zoom call, and the power of this tool is something we simply cannot underestimate.
While a standard telephone call can keep the updates flowing, video conferencing and calls allow for a more personal approach, which many of your staff will appreciate. (Although some simply won’t – so respect their preferences and roll with it.)
Create a safe virtual workspace
For teams to feel safe working online you have to do more to ensure their work environment is as safe as possible. A standard security protocol for offices simply doesn’t provide the level of protection required anymore. With this in mind, it should be the role of the management and senior teams to provide all employees with the information and tools they need to feel safe at work.
VPN use has been standard in countries like China where censorship is much more prevalent, but they can in fact simply help with the security of your network. Although many see VPNs as complex and aren’t entirely sure how to use them safely, plenty of people use them on a daily basis to access geo-restricted content on streaming platforms like Netflix, whose huge traffic highs further demonstrate just how popular their worldwide content is.
Remote-first SaaS boom
The demand for software to improve the remote working environment has never been higher, with many companies seeing a demand like never before. SaaS companies have been able to take advantage of this huge boom, with huge amounts of new usage in successful existing tools. Of course, this includes brands that have become household names like Zoom, and also other companies such as FreeConferenceCall, BrandDive and LogMeIn, or simply finding cloud storage that’s right for you and your teams.
The top growth activity for SaaS companies is new customer acquisition, which has been choked off for many businesses right now, and 59% of SaaS companies rate renewals and customer retention as second most important. Companies are testing many different tools to support their new remote working teams and this gives companies in the SaaS sector the chance to show off what they do and utilize their skills to avoid churn and retain, as well as bring in new customers.
Combining technology and personality
The software and technology out there are designed to make working from home and in remote teams as easy as possible, helping to make this time more straightforward to navigate and even enjoyable and productive.
This technology is the starting point but it is what you do with it that will help your teams manage these difficult times and ensure they work effectively despite being apart. Combining the technology available with personal skills in motivating and empowering your team is key to successful management at the current time. Easier said than done… but certainly achievable.
The post Management Strategies for Developing an Effective Remote Work Culture appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog – Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

We are still in the grips of a new working world, making it essential we continue to work from home if we can. We have already adapted to a world where remote teams have become the norm but ensuring our teams are effective involves a new approach to management. Keeping teams motivated, productive, and empowered in their work can be difficult from afar but there are strategies you can put in place to support your team and ensure your business continues to run smoothly.
Maintaining engagement and motivation
It is understandable that the first few days or weeks of this current climate resulted in a flurry of activity. Employees and teams – all of us – are keen to show they are willing and get to grips with new methods of communication and working practices. And maybe there was a bit of adrenalin involved in this new working from home routine?!
However, the first few days are hard to maintain in the long term, which is why it is essential to have a rough schedule and regular check-ins. Don’t forget some employees may find a relatively huge influx of communication and change difficult, so having a measured approach can be really helpful. Flex to the personalities and needs of your team, colleagues, and leadership.
Working from home requires a different kind of mindset and you need to give your team members the chance to get used to the new system. Team calls can help to increase morale, especially if you theme the calls or give them an informal edge, as well as getting down to business. You also need to appreciate the flexible nature of the modern working world, which seems to have accelerated incredibly these last couple of months or so! Not all employees will be able to sit and work standard office hours what with home-learning and so on. So be mindful of this to help keep employees engaged and motivated.
It is how we all need to live and work these days, but it can be hard to get used to. Or you can try to adopt the mentality of “it doesn’t matter when or where the work gets done, as long as it’s on time and at least of the required quality” to help come to terms with variable hours.
Embracing the changes
The way we are currently working may be in place for some time so we have to embrace it and get on with it as best we can. From a management perspective, this means finding ways to motivate and empower your team in their roles in an effective way.
Provide regular meetings without overwhelming staff with daily calls. Adapting to change is essential and, as has been provided in some sectors, it can be easier than we think. But it is not always easy for all people. Mastercard, for example, has reported huge uptake in the use of contactless payments, showing consumers have swiftly adapted to this change. The same can be said for video conferencing and Zoom calls in many workplaces. The regular weekly team chat has become a scheduled Zoom call, and the power of this tool is something we simply cannot underestimate.
While a standard telephone call can keep the updates flowing, video conferencing and calls allow for a more personal approach, which many of your staff will appreciate. (Although some simply won’t – so respect their preferences and roll with it.)
Create a safe virtual workspace
For teams to feel safe working online you have to do more to ensure their work environment is as safe as possible. A standard security protocol for offices simply doesn’t provide the level of protection required anymore. With this in mind, it should be the role of the management and senior teams to provide all employees with the information and tools they need to feel safe at work.
VPN use has been standard in countries like China where censorship is much more prevalent, but they can in fact simply help with the security of your network. Although many see VPNs as complex and aren’t entirely sure how to use them safely, plenty of people use them on a daily basis to access geo-restricted content on streaming platforms like Netflix, whose huge traffic highs further demonstrate just how popular their worldwide content is.
Remote-first SaaS boom
The demand for software to improve the remote working environment has never been higher, with many companies seeing a demand like never before. SaaS companies have been able to take advantage of this huge boom, with huge amounts of new usage in successful existing tools. Of course, this includes brands that have become household names like Zoom, and also other companies such as FreeConferenceCall, BrandDive and LogMeIn, or simply finding cloud storage that’s right for you and your teams.
The top growth activity for SaaS companies is new customer acquisition, which has been choked off for many businesses right now, and 59% of SaaS companies rate renewals and customer retention as second most important. Companies are testing many different tools to support their new remote working teams and this gives companies in the SaaS sector the chance to show off what they do and utilize their skills to avoid churn and retain, as well as bring in new customers.
Combining technology and personality
The software and technology out there are designed to make working from home and in remote teams as easy as possible, helping to make this time more straightforward to navigate and even enjoyable and productive.
This technology is the starting point but it is what you do with it that will help your teams manage these difficult times and ensure they work effectively despite being apart. Combining the technology available with personal skills in motivating and empowering your team is key to successful management at the current time. Easier said than done… but certainly achievable.
The post Management Strategies for Developing an Effective Remote Work Culture appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog – Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

We are still in the grips of a new working world, making it essential we continue to work from home if we can. We have already adapted to a world where remote teams have become the norm but ensuring our teams are effective involves a new approach to management. Keeping teams motivated, productive, and empowered in their work can be difficult from afar but there are strategies you can put in place to support your team and ensure your business continues to run smoothly.
Maintaining engagement and motivation
It is understandable that the first few days or weeks of this current climate resulted in a flurry of activity. Employees and teams – all of us – are keen to show they are willing and get to grips with new methods of communication and working practices. And maybe there was a bit of adrenalin involved in this new working from home routine?!
However, the first few days are hard to maintain in the long term, which is why it is essential to have a rough schedule and regular check-ins. Don’t forget some employees may find a relatively huge influx of communication and change difficult, so having a measured approach can be really helpful. Flex to the personalities and needs of your team, colleagues, and leadership.
Working from home requires a different kind of mindset and you need to give your team members the chance to get used to the new system. Team calls can help to increase morale, especially if you theme the calls or give them an informal edge, as well as getting down to business. You also need to appreciate the flexible nature of the modern working world, which seems to have accelerated incredibly these last couple of months or so! Not all employees will be able to sit and work standard office hours what with home-learning and so on. So be mindful of this to help keep employees engaged and motivated.
It is how we all need to live and work these days, but it can be hard to get used to. Or you can try to adopt the mentality of “it doesn’t matter when or where the work gets done, as long as it’s on time and at least of the required quality” to help come to terms with variable hours.
Embracing the changes
The way we are currently working may be in place for some time so we have to embrace it and get on with it as best we can. From a management perspective, this means finding ways to motivate and empower your team in their roles in an effective way.
Provide regular meetings without overwhelming staff with daily calls. Adapting to change is essential and, as has been provided in some sectors, it can be easier than we think. But it is not always easy for all people. Mastercard, for example, has reported huge uptake in the use of contactless payments, showing consumers have swiftly adapted to this change. The same can be said for video conferencing and Zoom calls in many workplaces. The regular weekly team chat has become a scheduled Zoom call, and the power of this tool is something we simply cannot underestimate.
While a standard telephone call can keep the updates flowing, video conferencing and calls allow for a more personal approach, which many of your staff will appreciate. (Although some simply won’t – so respect their preferences and roll with it.)
Create a safe virtual workspace
For teams to feel safe working online you have to do more to ensure their work environment is as safe as possible. A standard security protocol for offices simply doesn’t provide the level of protection required anymore. With this in mind, it should be the role of the management and senior teams to provide all employees with the information and tools they need to feel safe at work.
VPN use has been standard in countries like China where censorship is much more prevalent, but they can in fact simply help with the security of your network. Although many see VPNs as complex and aren’t entirely sure how to use them safely, plenty of people use them on a daily basis to access geo-restricted content on streaming platforms like Netflix, whose huge traffic highs further demonstrate just how popular their worldwide content is.
Remote-first SaaS boom
The demand for software to improve the remote working environment has never been higher, with many companies seeing a demand like never before. SaaS companies have been able to take advantage of this huge boom, with huge amounts of new usage in successful existing tools. Of course, this includes brands that have become household names like Zoom, and also other companies such as FreeConferenceCall, BrandDive and LogMeIn, or simply finding cloud storage that’s right for you and your teams.
The top growth activity for SaaS companies is new customer acquisition, which has been choked off for many businesses right now, and 59% of SaaS companies rate renewals and customer retention as second most important. Companies are testing many different tools to support their new remote working teams and this gives companies in the SaaS sector the chance to show off what they do and utilize their skills to avoid churn and retain, as well as bring in new customers.
Combining technology and personality
The software and technology out there are designed to make working from home and in remote teams as easy as possible, helping to make this time more straightforward to navigate and even enjoyable and productive.
This technology is the starting point but it is what you do with it that will help your teams manage these difficult times and ensure they work effectively despite being apart. Combining the technology available with personal skills in motivating and empowering your team is key to successful management at the current time. Easier said than done… but certainly achievable.
The post Management Strategies for Developing an Effective Remote Work Culture appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog – Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

We are still in the grips of a new working world, making it essential we continue to work from home if we can. We have already adapted to a world where remote teams have become the norm but ensuring our teams are effective involves a new approach to management. Keeping teams motivated, productive, and empowered in their work can be difficult from afar but there are strategies you can put in place to support your team and ensure your business continues to run smoothly.
Maintaining engagement and motivation
It is understandable that the first few days or weeks of this current climate resulted in a flurry of activity. Employees and teams – all of us – are keen to show they are willing and get to grips with new methods of communication and working practices. And maybe there was a bit of adrenalin involved in this new working from home routine?!
However, the first few days are hard to maintain in the long term, which is why it is essential to have a rough schedule and regular check-ins. Don’t forget some employees may find a relatively huge influx of communication and change difficult, so having a measured approach can be really helpful. Flex to the personalities and needs of your team, colleagues, and leadership.
Working from home requires a different kind of mindset and you need to give your team members the chance to get used to the new system. Team calls can help to increase morale, especially if you theme the calls or give them an informal edge, as well as getting down to business. You also need to appreciate the flexible nature of the modern working world, which seems to have accelerated incredibly these last couple of months or so! Not all employees will be able to sit and work standard office hours what with home-learning and so on. So be mindful of this to help keep employees engaged and motivated.
It is how we all need to live and work these days, but it can be hard to get used to. Or you can try to adopt the mentality of “it doesn’t matter when or where the work gets done, as long as it’s on time and at least of the required quality” to help come to terms with variable hours.
Embracing the changes
The way we are currently working may be in place for some time so we have to embrace it and get on with it as best we can. From a management perspective, this means finding ways to motivate and empower your team in their roles in an effective way.
Provide regular meetings without overwhelming staff with daily calls. Adapting to change is essential and, as has been provided in some sectors, it can be easier than we think. But it is not always easy for all people. Mastercard, for example, has reported huge uptake in the use of contactless payments, showing consumers have swiftly adapted to this change. The same can be said for video conferencing and Zoom calls in many workplaces. The regular weekly team chat has become a scheduled Zoom call, and the power of this tool is something we simply cannot underestimate.
While a standard telephone call can keep the updates flowing, video conferencing and calls allow for a more personal approach, which many of your staff will appreciate. (Although some simply won’t – so respect their preferences and roll with it.)
Create a safe virtual workspace
For teams to feel safe working online you have to do more to ensure their work environment is as safe as possible. A standard security protocol for offices simply doesn’t provide the level of protection required anymore. With this in mind, it should be the role of the management and senior teams to provide all employees with the information and tools they need to feel safe at work.
VPN use has been standard in countries like China where censorship is much more prevalent, but they can in fact simply help with the security of your network. Although many see VPNs as complex and aren’t entirely sure how to use them safely, plenty of people use them on a daily basis to access geo-restricted content on streaming platforms like Netflix, whose huge traffic highs further demonstrate just how popular their worldwide content is.
Remote-first SaaS boom
The demand for software to improve the remote working environment has never been higher, with many companies seeing a demand like never before. SaaS companies have been able to take advantage of this huge boom, with huge amounts of new usage in successful existing tools. Of course, this includes brands that have become household names like Zoom, and also other companies such as FreeConferenceCall, BrandDive and LogMeIn, or simply finding cloud storage that’s right for you and your teams.
The top growth activity for SaaS companies is new customer acquisition, which has been choked off for many businesses right now, and 59% of SaaS companies rate renewals and customer retention as second most important. Companies are testing many different tools to support their new remote working teams and this gives companies in the SaaS sector the chance to show off what they do and utilize their skills to avoid churn and retain, as well as bring in new customers.
Combining technology and personality
The software and technology out there are designed to make working from home and in remote teams as easy as possible, helping to make this time more straightforward to navigate and even enjoyable and productive.
This technology is the starting point but it is what you do with it that will help your teams manage these difficult times and ensure they work effectively despite being apart. Combining the technology available with personal skills in motivating and empowering your team is key to successful management at the current time. Easier said than done… but certainly achievable.
The post Management Strategies for Developing an Effective Remote Work Culture appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog – Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

We are still in the grips of a new working world, making it essential we continue to work from home if we can. We have already adapted to a world where remote teams have become the norm but ensuring our teams are effective involves a new approach to management. Keeping teams motivated, productive, and empowered in their work can be difficult from afar but there are strategies you can put in place to support your team and ensure your business continues to run smoothly.
Maintaining engagement and motivation
It is understandable that the first few days or weeks of this current climate resulted in a flurry of activity. Employees and teams – all of us – are keen to show they are willing and get to grips with new methods of communication and working practices. And maybe there was a bit of adrenalin involved in this new working from home routine?!
However, the first few days are hard to maintain in the long term, which is why it is essential to have a rough schedule and regular check-ins. Don’t forget some employees may find a relatively huge influx of communication and change difficult, so having a measured approach can be really helpful. Flex to the personalities and needs of your team, colleagues, and leadership.
Working from home requires a different kind of mindset and you need to give your team members the chance to get used to the new system. Team calls can help to increase morale, especially if you theme the calls or give them an informal edge, as well as getting down to business. You also need to appreciate the flexible nature of the modern working world, which seems to have accelerated incredibly these last couple of months or so! Not all employees will be able to sit and work standard office hours what with home-learning and so on. So be mindful of this to help keep employees engaged and motivated.
It is how we all need to live and work these days, but it can be hard to get used to. Or you can try to adopt the mentality of “it doesn’t matter when or where the work gets done, as long as it’s on time and at least of the required quality” to help come to terms with variable hours.
Embracing the changes
The way we are currently working may be in place for some time so we have to embrace it and get on with it as best we can. From a management perspective, this means finding ways to motivate and empower your team in their roles in an effective way.
Provide regular meetings without overwhelming staff with daily calls. Adapting to change is essential and, as has been provided in some sectors, it can be easier than we think. But it is not always easy for all people. Mastercard, for example, has reported huge uptake in the use of contactless payments, showing consumers have swiftly adapted to this change. The same can be said for video conferencing and Zoom calls in many workplaces. The regular weekly team chat has become a scheduled Zoom call, and the power of this tool is something we simply cannot underestimate.
While a standard telephone call can keep the updates flowing, video conferencing and calls allow for a more personal approach, which many of your staff will appreciate. (Although some simply won’t – so respect their preferences and roll with it.)
Create a safe virtual workspace
For teams to feel safe working online you have to do more to ensure their work environment is as safe as possible. A standard security protocol for offices simply doesn’t provide the level of protection required anymore. With this in mind, it should be the role of the management and senior teams to provide all employees with the information and tools they need to feel safe at work.
VPN use has been standard in countries like China where censorship is much more prevalent, but they can in fact simply help with the security of your network. Although many see VPNs as complex and aren’t entirely sure how to use them safely, plenty of people use them on a daily basis to access geo-restricted content on streaming platforms like Netflix, whose huge traffic highs further demonstrate just how popular their worldwide content is.
Remote-first SaaS boom
The demand for software to improve the remote working environment has never been higher, with many companies seeing a demand like never before. SaaS companies have been able to take advantage of this huge boom, with huge amounts of new usage in successful existing tools. Of course, this includes brands that have become household names like Zoom, and also other companies such as FreeConferenceCall, BrandDive and LogMeIn, or simply finding cloud storage that’s right for you and your teams.
The top growth activity for SaaS companies is new customer acquisition, which has been choked off for many businesses right now, and 59% of SaaS companies rate renewals and customer retention as second most important. Companies are testing many different tools to support their new remote working teams and this gives companies in the SaaS sector the chance to show off what they do and utilize their skills to avoid churn and retain, as well as bring in new customers.
Combining technology and personality
The software and technology out there are designed to make working from home and in remote teams as easy as possible, helping to make this time more straightforward to navigate and even enjoyable and productive.
This technology is the starting point but it is what you do with it that will help your teams manage these difficult times and ensure they work effectively despite being apart. Combining the technology available with personal skills in motivating and empowering your team is key to successful management at the current time. Easier said than done… but certainly achievable.
The post Management Strategies for Developing an Effective Remote Work Culture appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog – Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

We are still in the grips of a new working world, making it essential we continue to work from home if we can. We have already adapted to a world where remote teams have become the norm but ensuring our teams are effective involves a new approach to management. Keeping teams motivated, productive, and empowered in their work can be difficult from afar but there are strategies you can put in place to support your team and ensure your business continues to run smoothly.
Maintaining engagement and motivation
It is understandable that the first few days or weeks of this current climate resulted in a flurry of activity. Employees and teams – all of us – are keen to show they are willing and get to grips with new methods of communication and working practices. And maybe there was a bit of adrenalin involved in this new working from home routine?!
However, the first few days are hard to maintain in the long term, which is why it is essential to have a rough schedule and regular check-ins. Don’t forget some employees may find a relatively huge influx of communication and change difficult, so having a measured approach can be really helpful. Flex to the personalities and needs of your team, colleagues, and leadership.
Working from home requires a different kind of mindset and you need to give your team members the chance to get used to the new system. Team calls can help to increase morale, especially if you theme the calls or give them an informal edge, as well as getting down to business. You also need to appreciate the flexible nature of the modern working world, which seems to have accelerated incredibly these last couple of months or so! Not all employees will be able to sit and work standard office hours what with home-learning and so on. So be mindful of this to help keep employees engaged and motivated.
It is how we all need to live and work these days, but it can be hard to get used to. Or you can try to adopt the mentality of “it doesn’t matter when or where the work gets done, as long as it’s on time and at least of the required quality” to help come to terms with variable hours.
Embracing the changes
The way we are currently working may be in place for some time so we have to embrace it and get on with it as best we can. From a management perspective, this means finding ways to motivate and empower your team in their roles in an effective way.
Provide regular meetings without overwhelming staff with daily calls. Adapting to change is essential and, as has been provided in some sectors, it can be easier than we think. But it is not always easy for all people. Mastercard, for example, has reported huge uptake in the use of contactless payments, showing consumers have swiftly adapted to this change. The same can be said for video conferencing and Zoom calls in many workplaces. The regular weekly team chat has become a scheduled Zoom call, and the power of this tool is something we simply cannot underestimate.
While a standard telephone call can keep the updates flowing, video conferencing and calls allow for a more personal approach, which many of your staff will appreciate. (Although some simply won’t – so respect their preferences and roll with it.)
Create a safe virtual workspace
For teams to feel safe working online you have to do more to ensure their work environment is as safe as possible. A standard security protocol for offices simply doesn’t provide the level of protection required anymore. With this in mind, it should be the role of the management and senior teams to provide all employees with the information and tools they need to feel safe at work.
VPN use has been standard in countries like China where censorship is much more prevalent, but they can in fact simply help with the security of your network. Although many see VPNs as complex and aren’t entirely sure how to use them safely, plenty of people use them on a daily basis to access geo-restricted content on streaming platforms like Netflix, whose huge traffic highs further demonstrate just how popular their worldwide content is.
Remote-first SaaS boom
The demand for software to improve the remote working environment has never been higher, with many companies seeing a demand like never before. SaaS companies have been able to take advantage of this huge boom, with huge amounts of new usage in successful existing tools. Of course, this includes brands that have become household names like Zoom, and also other companies such as FreeConferenceCall, BrandDive and LogMeIn, or simply finding cloud storage that’s right for you and your teams.
The top growth activity for SaaS companies is new customer acquisition, which has been choked off for many businesses right now, and 59% of SaaS companies rate renewals and customer retention as second most important. Companies are testing many different tools to support their new remote working teams and this gives companies in the SaaS sector the chance to show off what they do and utilize their skills to avoid churn and retain, as well as bring in new customers.
Combining technology and personality
The software and technology out there are designed to make working from home and in remote teams as easy as possible, helping to make this time more straightforward to navigate and even enjoyable and productive.
This technology is the starting point but it is what you do with it that will help your teams manage these difficult times and ensure they work effectively despite being apart. Combining the technology available with personal skills in motivating and empowering your team is key to successful management at the current time. Easier said than done… but certainly achievable.
The post Management Strategies for Developing an Effective Remote Work Culture appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog – Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

As a blogger, you want your website to reflect your unique voice and style. You also want visitors to have a positive experience navigating your site — that is, reading posts with ease, searching for topics of interest, and discovering other content that makes them excited to return. A WordPress blogging theme can help you achieve the exact look, feel, design, and layout you envision, without the need for coding.
We’ve curated this list of our favorite free WordPress themes for bloggers like yourself — in no particular order — to consider using for your website.

1. Astra

Astra is a fast and lightweight theme that’s suitable for a variety of use cases. This flexible foundation makes Astra a quality option to consider when building a blog. The theme comes with several ready-to-use blog websites that can be imported, modified, and used out of the box.
Many bloggers get by just fine with the limited customization options for backgrounds, typography, and spacing within the free version of Astra. But for several advanced features like auto-loading previous posts, adding author sections, and removing featured image padding, you’d need to opt for the Pro or Agency plan.
Astra is one of the fastest themes available, and its compatibility with all major page builders (such as Elementor, Beaver, and Brizy) make it a great option for bloggers.

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2. Kadence

Kadence is a lightweight and fully-featured WordPress theme that makes creating beautiful fast-loading and accessible websites a breeze. It features an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop header and footer builder to build any type of header in minutes.
For bloggers, Kadence stands out because of its clean blog styling, including featured image placements and sticky sidebar options. Additionally, Kadence has a deep integration with the core block editor, so your content will match what you see in the admin panel.  

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3. Blog Way

Blog Way is a simple and professional theme. It’s clean, well-coded, and has a modern layout. Blog Way is especially great for blogs, news sites, and travel sites. It has multiple customizable features and ensures high-quality performance to help boost your site traffic. Blog Way also comes with an option to change the color of your entire site and offers social links for you to connect your site with your social accounts.

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4. Simple

Simple is a free WordPress theme developed by Themify and built for, well, simplicity. Simple is designed so customers can buy items directly from your WordPress website without being redirected to Shopify, but you can run a regular blog on it as well. Creating your design or online store is easy with the drag and drop interface through Themify Builder, which comes with the theme. 

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5. Mesmerize

Mesmerize is all about giving you customizability without the hassle. Start with a pre-built homepage and use the five header designs, slideshow capabilities, gradient overlays, and more to make the look and feel your own. In addition, there are 30 ready-to-use content sections for you to build pages quickly and easily… not to mention the helpful drag-and-drop features. It’s mobile-responsive, and it works well with WooCommerce should you ever need to set up a store.

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6. Kale

Kale is built for food bloggers. You can choose from a number of feed displays to organize your written content and images of the dishes you’re featuring. The built-in social media sidebar menus and icons make it easy for your visitors to locate, view, and follow your accounts.

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7. Avant

Avant comes with seven different header styles, three footer styles, five blog layout templates, full site color settings, and much more built neatly into the WordPress Customizer. Avant integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce and page builders like Elementor or SiteOrigin.

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8. Blossom Feminine

Blossom Feminine is a free WordPress theme that you can use to create a fashion, lifestyle, journal, travel, beauty, or food blog. The theme is mobile-friendly, search engine optimized, and fast. In addition, the theme is WooCommerce compatible, translation ready, and comes with regular updates.

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9. Blossom Fashion

Blossom Fashion is perfect for building a stylish blog without spending a penny. While free, the theme offers premium features like WooCommerce compatibility, font choosing options, an advertisement widget, Instagram section, and more. The theme makes sure it is easy to use and comes with extensive documentation, and there’s always support if you need more help.

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10. Blossom Travel

Blossom Travel is a fast-loading and mobile-friendly WordPress theme for travel blogs. The theme blends accessible design with extensive features like social media integrations, theme color options, and lightbox image styling. Moreover, Blossom Travel has an Instagram section, email subscription section, and social media widgets so visitors can easily connect with you. Best of all is its HTML map section so that your visitors can visualize where you’ve traveled.

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11. Blossom Pin

The Blossom Pin theme features a Pinterest-style design, using a vibrant masonry layout with three posts/page layout options. Its infinite scroll lets visitors browse without distraction. The theme is SEO-optimized and easily customizable: Choose from many different colors and hundreds of Google fonts.

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12. Elegant Pink

Another dynamic Pinterest-like layout, Elegant Pink is a free and beautifully designed theme combining soft colors with a simple and clean layout to present your blog to the world. Elegant Pink also has a slider section above the masonry-design post on the homepage.

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13. Writee

Writee is ideal for photography or image-heavy blogs — the theme has a slider hero image feature which allows you to include several full-width images. Writee also makes managing an online store simple with its WooCommerce integration.

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14. Hemingway

Hemingway is a simple two-column blogging theme that keeps your content organized and easy to read. It includes a parallax scrolling feature, which adds an interactive, video-like experience to your blog pages. Hemingway’s translation-ready feature comes with pre-made language files so your website can be automatically translated into a number of other languages with just a click.

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15. Radiate

The Radiate blogging theme offers unique visuals, including a customizable, full-width hero image and primary color options so you can match your branding. If you have a WordPress.com Premium or Business account (that is, if you pay for WordPress), you can take advantage of custom Cascading Style Sheets.

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16. Neve

Neve is a powerful, free WordPress theme from ThemeIsle. It offers a fully responsive mobile-first design and extensive customization options to tailor your blog to your brand image. Neve frequently updates for security and new features, and its theme options panel will help you get started out-of-the-box.

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17. Bulan

Bulan offers multiple homepage layouts for your blog including full-width, boxed, narrow, and multi-column options. There are also a number of customizable sidebar and navigation configurations to enhance your blog-reading experience. Not to mention, you can install custom widgets to increase functionality.

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18. Total

Total is a blogging theme with a masonry-style layout, which places your latest three, six, or nine blog posts in a grid format. There’s also a portfolio section if you want to share some of your artistic work. Total is SEO-friendly, compatible with the most popular page builder plugins, and has a one-click demo import to get you up and running fast.

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19. Spacious

Spacious offers four page layouts, two templates, four blog layouts, and several custom widgets and widget areas to choose from. Building your site with Spacious is a painless process due to their downloadable demo sites that you can use for inspiration and support.

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20. Blog Diary

Blog Diary is meant to be lightweight and minimalistic, perfect for trendy food or travel blogs. It comes with slider functionality and color picking options, and it is easy to get up and running on the fly. In addition, it’s mobile-responsive and compatible with the Gutenberg editor.

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21. Wisteria

Wisteria is a blogging theme with a minimalist design. It includes layouts tailored to a variety of blogs including lifestyle, food, fashion, marketing, and more. Wisteria is retina-ready, meaning all of your images and content will be high-definition to ensure your site has a professional look.

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22. Editorial

The Editorial blog theme is visually engaging, simple to use, and flexible enough to organize large amounts of editorial content in a way that won’t overwhelm readers. Editorial also comes with a variety of convenient widgets that let you easily customize your page sections, no coding needed.

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23. Brilliant

Brilliant is a blog and online magazine theme that allows you to artistically pair your blog posts with photo or video content. You can add or edit your own custom logo on your homepage as well as easily customize your theme’s accent colors to match your branding. Brilliant is also translation-ready, so visitors can read your content in different languages.

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24. Poseidon

If you’re looking to include large, professional-looking photographs on your blog, Poseidon is the option for you — this theme offers a full-width image slideshow on the homepage. The layout is mainly white to create a spacious, organized look. Poseidon also includes completely customizable navigation bars to enhance user experience and improve your site’s configuration.

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25. Author

Author is a straightforward theme suitable for all blog types from business to photography to ecommerce. Its minimalist look helps readers to easily focus on your content. What’s unique about this particular theme is that it was designed not just for readability but also accessibility. 

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A free blogging WordPress theme will help you to create a unique, functional, and eye-catching place for your content. Each theme offers features, layouts, and styling that set them apart, so consider the overall design you’re going for on your blog to help you determine the ideal option for you.
Then, install your theme, begin to add content, and customize your site to create a great user experience that keeps readers returning for more.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in December 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.