Throughout the stay-at-home order, many companies have had to restructure their businesses to accommodate the new normal of work from home. As a manager, this sudden change can be difficult to navigate. Here are a few tips to help you manage your remote employees.
Start by setting clear expectations and guidelines to ensure your employees are being productive during this transition. It is important for your employees to understand exactly what they need to be working on in order to be successful. Ensure that you set time aside to map out your goals for each employee, as well as check-in with them on a consistent basis.
A great way to keep employees engaged, even though they aren’t in the office, is to offer ongoing training and education. Employees want to be able to better themselves, especially during a time when they cannot be in the office. Try to offer e-books, articles, or other resources so your employees can continue to expand their knowledge.
Another way normal work activities may be hindered during this time is through communication. When you are primarily speaking through email and video-conferences, it may be more difficult to maintain constant contact. Ensure that you are providing multiple ways to communicate, like daily Zoom meetings, open chat rooms, like Slack, and an ongoing to-do list for each person.
Employees need to be informed of their goals and tasks while they are not in the office, but they also need to be motivated and feel a part of the larger whole. This can be the most difficult task for leaders during a time when we need to be socially distant from others.
Some ways managers and leaders can connect their employees is through Zoom or other video conferencing apps. Whether that means Zoom happy hours, all-company Zoom yoga classes, or other celebrations over video chat.
Lastly, leaders need to trust their employees to do the work they are asking for. Because your employees are not in your direct line of sight, it can be challenging to trust they are being productive and efficient with their work. Be sure to offer support whenever they need it. As long as you communicate your expectations and the goals and tasks you have for your employees, you are setting them up for success remotely.
Creating an effective company culture during this time can be difficult. Be sure to communicate consistently with your employees and ensure that you are a source of support for them during these unprecedented times. Contact us to receive your culture assessment today!