Managing Your Team When They Work From Home

The Coronavirus has forced managers to reconsider their work environment. The CDC and others have encouraged companies to send their staff members home to work. But, some bosses are nervous about this. Maybe you’ve never managed a team of remote workers. Uncomfortable as it is to admit, maybe you don’t trust your team to work hard and well from home. Or you may even believe they’ll take advantage of you.

I’ve built and managed a team remotely many times. I’ve learned a few things that might help you.

-          Communicate clear expectations. Do this in writing to the whole team. If you’re expecting people to work within certain hours, make sure everyone knows that. Outline any flexibility you’re offering in this challenging situation.

-          Build culture.  Express the confidence you have in your staff and the aspiration you have that this time could even make you a better team as you’re more deliberate about staying connected. Look for opportunities to share stories of success and for team members to acknowledge each other’s good work.

-          Grow trust. Give your team the opportunity to demonstrate their trustworthiness by scheduling a daily or every other day video check-in as a team. Everyone is on. Everyone reports in. Everyone stays connected.  Come prepared with a word of encouragement and don’t forget to praise your team for a job well done.

-          Schedule check-ins. For your direct reports, hold a weekly video meeting that isn’t optional. Create an agenda and be there for your leaders. Stay on task with your strategic plan and SMART goals helping your team members understand that they still play a vital role in the success of the organization. Encourage your direct reports to do the same with their team members.

-          Be empathetic. Learn to listen well and feel and understand what your team members are feeling. These are uncertain times and they provoke anxiety. Encourage your team members to use online mental health resources. Don’t foster anxiety or insecurities by allowing your team members to wonder if you’re for them.

-          Communicate well. If there are changes in the organization, this is the time to over communicate. One leader I admire says in a communications vacuum suspicion and fear rule. You’d be surprised how much information is transferred organically when you’re in the office together. You’re going to have to be more deliberate with the exchange of information.

-          Put tech to work for you. If you’re not already using a tool like Slack, begin to. Find one that works for you and your team and create a more fluid flow of information.

-          Be flexible. This is a rapidly-changing scenario. What works for you this week may not next week.

Yes, this is hard. Yes, we are facing challenges that we have never faced before. But, that’s often when great leaders emerge and new ways of doing things surface.  We can do this!

[ COVID-19, Coronavirus, Work from home, remote work]