User Interviews are a UX research method during which a researcher asks one user questions about a topic of interest (e.g., use of a system, behaviors, and habits) with the goal of learning about that topic. A company by that name also specializes in conducting this type of research and offers user interview work-from-home jobs. User experience research, known as UX research, can be very valuable to those doing market research for companies or organizations to seek out information to help better their product, service, or program. Researchers often interview users or potential users during the design phase or after…
Author: Pam Berg
Pam Berg
A former English teacher and currently an elementary principal in a rural school, Pam entered the world of working remotely about four years ago. Also an avid runner, she was approached by a digital company to write articles related to fitness and exercise. This launched a part-time job of writing on a variety of different topics. Pam enjoys the flexibility of working from home on a per diem basis when her schedule allows.
Team building is especially important for remote teams, even though the process can be challenging. Some workers may be new to remote work and feel lonely not having coworkers nearby. The team also needs to fuse so they can work as units. Team building activities for remote teams can help. The pandemic caused many workplaces to jump into the remote work environment. Their usual communication with workers became video chat through platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google, and Slack rather than face-to-face communication. As employers recognized that virtual employees might struggle to feel connected to the workplace as well as…
A virtual town hall is a live stream event on Zoom or other conference software where management shares company goals, progress, and performance with employees. They can ally employees and management and build corporate culture. Most town halls even encourage questions. The company have an outstanding year? Or did sales fall off? You can inform employees about news like this in a memo or email, but sharing the update in a virtual town hall is more personal. When you recap what a business has accomplished over the course of a year or project in an online event like a virtual town, you can…
Virtual team building offers many benefits, such as improving team morale, communication, and commitment. Conducted on meeting software such as Slack or Zoom, these games might be part of onboarding, periodic meetings, or holiday celebrations. Teams that excel at cooperation, creativity, collaboration, and communication can significantly contribute to the workplace. Remote workers often have fewer chances to develop these bonds, so companies are promoting virtual team-building activities to promote interaction among remote coworkers. How companies do this goes behind playing online games during a team meeting. With offerings ranging from classic board games to virtual book clubs to gameshow-type games,…
When all or part of your staff works remotely, building the team spirit needed on most projects can be harder. Virtual meeting icebreakers can help develop the bonds among people that naturally develop when people interact in person. They can be conducted with a degree of levity and informality not always appropriate for the workplace. When remote teams are new or get new members, employers might look to virtual icebreakers to coalesce diverse members into a functioning team. Whether in a Zoom meeting or using some other platform, a remote meeting can leave people feeling detached from the conversation. Starting…
Building rapport among virtual teammates is difficult as there is no personal contact. Online games for remote teams can help teammates know and trust each other, which helps foster work relationships and collaboration. It can also foster personal interactions that reduce the sense of isolation that remote workers can feel. The pandemic created a world of people working remotely, which had employers scratching their heads about how to build a team attitude among remote employees. Hosting fun virtual events may sound challenging, but it does not have to be. Whether you have a few employees or a large group, there are…
Virtual meeting platforms allow face-to-face communication when teams can’t meet in person. Software such as Zoom and Google Meet became even more popular during Covid shutdowns. Still, the pandemic made businesses realize the value of virtual meetings to interact with staff and customers anytime. The world of virtual meetings and video conferencing is here to stay. Whether you use well-known options like Skype and Zoom or lesser-known ones like Zoho Meeting and BigBlueButton, you can find virtual meeting platform to meet your company’s needs. Many different packages are also available, either free or for purchase versions, with many features to…
Just because workers are not present on site does not mean they should not be rewarded or appreciated in addition to their paycheck. Finding appropriate remote employee appreciation gifts can be challenging to select and costly to ship. Gift cards are a likely choice, but there are many other ways to acknowledge workers. Acknowledging your workforce shows appreciation for their hard work and boosts morale. Offering tangible recognition in the form of remote employee appreciation gifts can go a long way in creating a positive work culture. Virtual employees of your remote team can suffer from disconnect and benefit from…
Slack, the top tool for team communication, also facilitates playing games that help build team rapport, strengthen connections, and foster collaboration. The Slack app offers many choices, while many offered by third-party vendors integrate with the app. Slack is an excellent communication method for businesses with either an entirely virtual workforce or hybrid teams. As the virtual workforce continues to increase, there has become a greater need for virtual team-building activities and social games you can play online to build team culture. Enter Slack games for remote teams. What Is The Purpose Of Gameplaying For Remote Teams? When individuals engage…
If you work from home and your employer issues you a 1099 rather than a W-2, you are considered an independent contractor. What you can claim on taxes as an independent contractor varies from what you can claim as an employee. Covid has presented new tax challenges for many workers. Many people seeking to improve their work and home life balance find themselves a work-from-home gig where they work for themselves as independent contractors. As they are self-employed, they are among the growing number of Americans with 1099 work-from-home jobs. Nearly 16.2 million people or 10.1% of the workforce are full-time self-employed…