How are you and your staff handling the “new normal” of working remotely, that is, working from home during this pandemic? This is still relatively new to many, and one of the things that helps is to create some structure.
You need to stay connected to your staff, so you want to establish a check in time as a group and/or individually at predetermined times of the day. Here are some things to consider as you get into this groove.
Be flexible. Some of your team will be dealing with childcare issues, for example, so you may need to accommodate the timing. That said, you are not running a daycare. If your people are focused on their children during certain hours, they need to make up for missed work during other hours of the day.
Don’t just type. Although much of your communication will be via email or text, you need to use your voice, particularly with employees who may not be accustomed to working remotely.
Staff meetings. Use video technology when possible so that people see each other on a video conference.
Daily updates. Ask your managers and staff to provide daily updates so you know what work is being accomplished. It’s easy to let the work slip, especially when managers are out of sight.
Management check in. Your management team will benefit from a daily check in, which is usually best at the beginning or end of the day. This helps all of you, even if it’s as short as a ten-minute call.
You learn as you go in this virtual environment. Remember to adapt as necessary. If one tactic doesn’t work well, try a variation or implement something different. Make this work for you and your team so that you can maintain as much productivity as possible.
