Many businesses had to work quickly to move their companies into work-from-home scenarios with the first shelter-in-place orders in mid-March. The transition was done hastily and was fraught with obstacles. Employees, many for the first time, were challenged with meeting new expectations and new work models, often without a transition period.
As we approach the 6-month anniversary of the original Orders, and since local counties are not moving off the State Watch List, we are coming to terms with the idea that we will remain in remote work environments for quite some time. Now is the time for businesses and managers to reassess the situation and your current work model to determine what changes are needed to productively sustain a remote work force for long-term success.
Successful long-term remote work can be attained with strong, reflective and proactive leadership committed to engaging and supporting its employees during stressful times. Below are some key areas to consider as you evaluate your next steps.
Communication is key
Communicate clearly, simply and frequently about all things work and COVID-19 related. Provide employees with clear expectations of tasks and deadlines. Get feedback and adjust as needed. As your policies change in response to revised governmental guidance and health orders, ensure that the information is presented to employees quickly and in easy to reference formats. Provide employees with access to the latest health information from your county’s public health department; let employees know that you are concerned about them and their family’s well-being. Keep employees up to date on key decisions about the future financial viability of the company; employees perform better under stress if they have an understanding of what the company’s obstacles are and how it is trying to overcome them.
Make sure employees have the right tools
It’s tempting to think that employees can grab a laptop and a cell phone and be productive anytime, anywhere. But not all jobs are created equal. Make sure that your employees have the tools they actually need to get the job done. Anything from a poor internet connection to lack of basic office supplies can negatively impact an employee’s productivity.
Ask employees if they have everything they need and help them get it.
Check in with your employees
Each situation demands a different type of management. In the office, effective managers recognize that every employee is unique with unique work and communication styles and use that information to find ways to motivate their teams. Expand that thinking to the remote environment and adapt your style to their unique circumstances. Some employees may thrive while working remotely. But most are struggling with endless distractions that did not exist before.
With schools opening up using distance learning, parents will be juggling work commitments while trying to homeschool their young children. Others may have multiple adults competing for quiet space within the home to focus on their own work. Even employees living alone with increased productivity may be feeling isolated from the lack of in-person interactions.
Check in with your employees, learn what, if any, obstacles they have to continued productivity; assess if there are creative ways that you can accommodate their new normal. Can meetings be rescheduled around 5th grade math class? Can projects be switched from individual to team responsibilities? Can schedules be adapted in any way?
Once you think your team has settled into a routine continue to check in with them. Schedule, and keep, one-to-one meetings. Get updates about their work and check in on their health and well-being. Use the tools available to “drop by” throughout the day as if you were in the office. Phone calls, texts, emails, and chat conversations allow you to obtain necessary work-related information. It will also go a long way to help your employees stay connected with you and the rest of the team.
Don’t micromanage
Be mindful to avoid a micro-management approach. Whenever possible, focus on what your employees are accomplishing, rather than on exactly when and how they are completing their tasks. Consider the output over the input. Be flexible, when appropriate, in how and when they meet deadlines. Try to manage each employee based on their unique situation.
Allow for social interactions
Moving out of the office means we are leaving behind the small, daily interactions that lead to a healthy social environment. Now that employees are no longer spending 8 plus hours a day with co-workers, much of their non-family social connections have been disrupted. Try to find ways to replace those lost in-person connections.
If you’re company has not yet embraced virtual meetings, such as Skype or Zoom, now is the time to do so. Virtual meetings provide a measure of face-to-face interactions for teams while allowing managers to discern possible areas of concern by noticing facial or physical cues.
Continue to build trust
Since in-person interactions are missing, a key part of employee engagement is trust in their employer. One key component to trust is having a strong personal connection. Fortunately, there are many small actions employers can take to provide opportunities for social engagement and inclusion that have big impacts on maintaining relationships. It can also benefit employees’ well-being.
Some ideas include: arrange a social get together for happy hour, where managers and employees spend some time chatting and sipping their favorite beverages; celebrate birthdays by having cupcakes delivered to employees for a more real experience, or just have a plain 20 minute “water cooler” break.
Encourage chitchat during virtual meetings before getting down to business. Allow employees to use your virtual meeting platforms to get together outside working hours. Experiment with online team building exercises.
Remember that employees are people that help make the business objectives become reality. Engagement, or lack thereof, directly affects their productivity, work quality, what they contribute to your customer’s experience and customer service. Ultimately, employee engagement impacts the bottom line.
If you would like a presentation on this topic for your management team, please let me know. I’d be honored to help.