Monthly Archives

July 2020

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN THE AGE OF COVID-19

By A Note from Shelley

NEW YORK, (July 22, 2020) –  Shelley Tanner, SanovaWorks CEO/President

The effects of COVID-19 are still manifesting in US households, communities, and markets. The workforce is adjusting to furlough, dismissal, and/or remote worker life. These effects are likely to continue through 2020, and beyond. The long term effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of practitioners and support staff are now part of the conversation and discussion of how we move forward. 

WATCH SAFELY REOPENING SAFELY REOPENING DERM PRACTICES

Whether you are on furlough, updating your resume, or comfortable and confident in your current role, communication in the age of COVID-19 looks different than anytime in our history. We are writing the book on how to manage business during a pandemic. The age of COVID and guidelines about safe distancing certainly have changed work life for many people, not only in the US, but across the globe as well. With adjustments to how we “show-up” for work, many companies have now transitioned to operating remotely. New systems and processes are being created to accommodate remote work and establish safe distancing and protection guidelines. 

READ MENTAL HEALTH IN THE AGE OF COVID19

Effective communication during a global pandemic

Step one for effectively communicating during a global pandemic, make sure you have a good internet provider and a strong connection because you are going to need it. We rely on video conferencing and bandwidth for effective communication more than ever now. If you have connection problems, it’s time to fix them. 

Follow up is essential

Don’t forget to follow up after an interview, a meeting, or a chance encounter with someone in your network. Writing a personal note is essential to remind them of the conversation, to stay at the top of their mind and to stand out from the crowd. You can even go a step further than an email communication with a personal note on a unique one of a kind card. Who does that anymore? You will certainly get someone’s attention with something chosen especially for them. 

READ COMMUNICATING WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH

When and how

If you are adapting to a remote work life during the pandemic, then you need to know the two most important aspects of communication. Working remotely requires clear communication and expectations. Setting up guidelines for when and how to communicate is important.

Signe Philstrand explains, “It’s not productive to be bombarded with IMs and emails throughout the day, and radio silence can leave you wondering if anything is getting accomplished. Set up a clear plan for when you expect to hear from your staff, or colleagues – for instance, a 15-minute touch-base call every morning, emails returned within 24-hours, or maybe a daily end-of-day report from your staff. Pick the ways that your team will communicate and get everyone on the same tools. You don’t want to have to check numerous places for messages. Decide what is communicated by each. Short, occasional messages are best for IMs, while longer messages can be via email – while longer yet should be done in a conversation by video chat.

READ REMOTE WORK AND BENEFITS OF VIDEO CONFERENCE

As we all make the necessary adjustments to type, frequency, and tools, we should remember, that clear communication is the most effective communication. And don’t forget sincerity and a personal touch go a long way.

Be well,

Shelley

DIARY OF A REMOTE WORKER: DON

By Diary of a Remote Company

NEW YORK, (July 13, 2020) –  Shelley Tanner, SanovaWorks CEO/President

Diary of a Remote Worker

Continuing with our Diary of a Remote Worker series, my longtime colleague, friend, and Medical Director Extraordinaire, Donald Morcone, gives his best survival tips on being a remote worker, and what he’s re-reading from his bookshelf.

Meet SanovaWorks Team Member

Donald Morcone, Medical Education Director

What is your speciality at work? Do you have a super power? Brag on yourself.

Celebrating the success of others.

Who is your work hero or shero? What is their superpower?

My work (s)hero is Miss Luz Figueroa. Her energy is limitless and infectious. Working alongside Luz is a constant inspiration.

How has life during the pandemic changed for you? Stayed the same?

My life has not been overtly effected by the pandemic. I have been working remotely for 7 years, so there has been no transitioning from face-to-face daily work and my M-F routine is not changed. I have been called on to accelerate my work and my workload has substantially increased so my working hours have increased.

What do you miss the most about life pre-pandemic?

I miss being able to read a person’s face, not just listen to what they are saying when enaged in conversation. Interactions with others wearing a mask does not allow me to observe facial queues and a persons lines, wrinkles, etc. tell me so much. I also miss shopping! I have always rewarded myself for a difficult work day by going shopping. I miss the opportunity to physically volunteer. Working remotely is somewhat isolating and I have enjoyed going to an organization and interfacing with others in a volunteer capacity.

What challenges have you and/or your family faced during the pandemic?

I made a major life change in December 2019 by moving to a new home in a semi-rural beach town on Cape Cod. I was just getting settled in to a new way of life, beginning to meet new people and get involved in town live and that was abruptly halted when the shelter-in-place restrictions were imposed. I had several weekend trips planned to visit friends in NYC which have been postponed indefinitely and I have not seen some of my closest friends in 6 months.

What’s your best advice for those people who are brand new to remote work?

Be disciplined. Dedicate a space in your home just for work. Don’t have a television on in the background. Limit your time spent checking personal email, texts, social media. Take breaks. I get so engrossed in what I’m doing that I often skip lunch.

What are your top 3 remote worker survival tips?

First, set a routine for yourself; get ready for work every morning, just as if you were leaving your home (shower, shave, make the bed, wear shoes!). Second, take breaks. And third, set boundaries; do not accept meetings, calls, etc. after respectable work hours and when you close down for the day, do not check email throughout the evening. Those of us who work remotely work longer hours since there’s no commuting time and work is just an arm-stretch away from everything.

What have you mastered about working remote – that you had challenges with at the start – or saw a better way to do?

I have always been a very disciplined worker and employee. I was raised by depression-era parents who instilled a heavy work ethic and inspired dedication to my work and employer. That said, I tend to over-work, so I have learned to set boundaries and balances for myself.

What are you reading for enrichment or just for fun? Work or non-work?

I have not been able to go to the library or book store in several months so I have been re-reading some of the classics on my bookshelf. I just re-read The House of Seven Gables, The Sun Also Rises (I only read it in French, so this was my first time reading it in English!) and Pride and Prejudice.

What’s on the menu? What are your favorite foods that you are indulging in or purely enjoying during this virus spring?

I have always cooked extensively for myself and others on a daily basis and bake several times per week. I’ve been baking a lot of bread (as my expanding waistline shows) and I’ve been churning my own sweet butter in an antique hand-cranked churn. I have started to eat ice cream just about every day and will start making homemade ice cream now that summer is upon us.

Speaking of self care, what do you do to reward yourself after a long week or a personal or professional success?

I am lucky to now be living at the beach. I am 2/10th mile to Nantucket Sound and 1 Mile to the Atlantic Ocean so I try to get down to the beach or town harbor every night. The light, air, and expanse of the ocean offers me a great sense of vastness and renewal. During the winter months I would light a fire in the fireplace, enjoy a glass of cab and zone out.

What is in your Netflix, [Hulu, Amazon, AppleTV, etc.] queue? What are your recommendations? Why?

My guilty pleasure is the soap opera genre. I have been watching a lot of serial-type television on-demand and I’ve just finished 5 seasons of Brothers & Sisters. I can’t wait until Hollywood reopens and The Young and the Restless starts to film.

How do you stay positive?

I remind myself that I have many blessings in my life, some given to me by the universe, and others earned by my personal discipline. I remind myself that my issues and problems are insignificant in the greater scheme of things.

Have you taken up any new hobbies? Learned a new skill?

I have revived my interest in cross stitch embroidery and I’ve been working on a Christmas tree skirt that probably will be finished in 10 years (I’m very slow).  I have also started collecting sea glass on my ocean walks. I now have a large outdoor space and have just planted a pollinator garden.

What are you most grateful for right now?

I am grateful for my physical and mental health, for my steady state of employment, for living in an idyllic environment. I am grateful for my many friendships.

Any other shout outs or closing thoughts?

I am happy to be healthy.  

READ OUR DIARY OF A REMOTE COMPANY SERIES

COMMUNICATING WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH

By A Note from Shelley

NEW YORK, (July 3, 2020) –  Shelley Tanner, SanovaWorks CEO/President

Communicating with a personal handwritten note or letter is becoming a thing of the past. Fast paced, emoji packed, short text and acronym driven digital communications are the current trends in getting your message out. I’m all for staying current and riding the waves of progress; however, I believe that a personal touch goes a long way. 

Personal and handwritten or unique one of a kind cards 

Either a personal handwritten note with a thoughtful message or a one-of-a-kind card, conveys a wish to cultivate a deeper more meaningful relationship. There are certain types of communications we all know require a more personal touch. Invitations to special events, birthdays, anniversaries, graduation wishes, condolences and messages of sympathy, all require a personal message, from the giver to the receiver. The time and effort taken, in these particular types of communications are always self-evident. 

In my leadership role at SanovaWorks, I am consistently impressed with short meaningful communications from peers, team members, interviewees, and others that I interact with. When they follow up on a meeting, conversation, or interview, with a personal communication that recalls something we spoke of, a promise to reconnect, or just a simple note to check in and say” hi, how are things?”, I experience the value in cultivating that relationship. 

Meet Erika Burnett, CEO & Creative Designer A Single Suggestion

A Philadelphia entrepreneur, Erika is the CEO and Creative Designer at A Single Suggestion. Erika creates handcrafted cards for people who love to make others feel special. 

“A couple years into running the business, I found out that creating cards was relative to my passion for making others feel special and giving their heart something to remember. In other words, I want others to feel, like I feel when someone does something special for me.” – Erika Burnett

Erika’s mission “to rekindle person-to-person intimacy through handwritten notes, one card at a time” is a true inspiration, especially considering the current state of affairs, the need for social distancing and wearing masks. We may need to adjust our styles of communicating now and in the future, but one constant is that the impact of a personal message or note is immeasurable. It’s actually a gift that keeps on giving. Every time you write a sincere, personal communication, in whatever medium you choose, it’s guaranteed to have a positive impact on the receiver. 

Follow Erika and learn more about A Single Suggestion

TWITTER @ASingleSuggest

INSTAGRAM @a_single_suggestion

FACEBOOK.com/ASingleSuggestion