It may not be commonly recognized, but nearly a quarter of the workforce in the United States already worked from home — at least part of the time – prior to the pandemic. So it’s safe to say that managers who are currently demonstrating these best practices can teach us a thing or two. While it is generally better to develop clear remote-work policies and training in advance, this level of preparation may not be possible in times of crisis or other rapidly changing conditions. Fortunately, yet when bosses have limited time to prepare, there are specific, research-based activities that managers have to make without much effort to boost the employee engagement and motivation of remote employees. What do you think? It’s now or never!
To begin, managers must comprehend the variables that might make remote work particularly taxing. When heavy individuals start working remotely, they may see a drop in job engagement . in addition, especially if they haven’t had any prior preparation or training. However, the proportion of organizations in many well-intentioned firms are already actively or passively disengaged. Consider how working from home affects their level of involvement, performance, and commitment to the objective. Make sure to use high quality remote tools such as Anydesk.
This may sound excessive, but it is critical for managers and teams who are new to remote working. Managers that are successful in their distant leadership attempts are increasingly using video conferencing to establish the face-to-face engagement that is now lacking, while email, phone, and texts may have previously sufficed. Further than simple daily check-ins, excessively about the team’s tasks, obligations, responsibilities, and expected outcomes is critical, as we’ll discuss in a moment. In a typical office setting, a lack of communication might already be a problem. However, when people work remotely – and are maybe focused on new or different activities and goals – communication is critical.
When managers communicate clearly for their teams’ productivity level, means, and optimal timing, remote work has become more economical and rewarding. “We utilize teleconference for daily check-in discussions, but we use instant messaging when something is urgent,” for example. Establish expectations for when team members should contact their manager (maybe you), and when the manager should contact each team member. Also, make sure that your peers are providing knowledge when it’s essential.
This has always been a requirement, but it has become even more so in the current climate. As previously said, many businesses and teams have been forced to pivot (some considerably), which implies that the same individuals may now be refocused on different duties, affecting ability and motivation…and thus performance and outcomes. Set clear expectations and solicit feedback to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Don’t just assume the team knows where they should focus their efforts.
It’s always important to define the WHY when it comes to emotionally attaching personnel to the mission. On a new battlefield, however, with new efforts, new foes, and a great deal of unpredictability and complexity, ensuring that everyone understands the main vision and their methods for achieving success is the core of remote team success.