The neighbor has returned with two pallets of toilet paper. March used to shower your spirit in the sheer joy of busting your brother’s NCAA tournament bracket. Things are looking a lot different, and they’re changing in your workplace too. In a continued effort to slow the spread of Coronavirus, many companies are taking a fresh look at how they organize and manage remote teams. Some companies scoff at the abrupt changes that come with this managerial shift. They think home offices are challenging to implement and gripe at the prospect of communicating with remote staff. But remote work doesn’t have to be a daunting task—it can actually drive innovation and growth in your organization. Here are five ways you can make it happen.
Start off slow.
Removed from the typical work structure, not everyone has the industrious spirit needed to jumpstart and organize their own day. While some personalities instantly flourish in remote environments, others find it challenging to navigate the newfound flexibility. Shifting into a new workspace—especially your own home—can take time for some people. New distractions like family members, pets, or just a front-row seat to unfinished chores make it a challenge to maintain focus. How can you help work-from-home newbies learn the ropes of self-management? Stack your team with proactive members that have experience maintaining productivity without supervision. To avoid overcooked micromanaging, you can split large teams or departments into smaller circles. Assign a productivity powerhouse to each circle and have these leaders check in on project status throughout the day or provide short bursts of motivation. Coronavirus containment bestows new challenges on even your top performers. Keep in mind shuttered schools mean added disruptions from children. Elderly relatives might need an extra helping hand. Always be ready to answer questions from your team, and if possible, allow for more flexible work hours outside of your typical schedule.
Streamline Communication
Instead of long, drawn-out gatherings in the conference room, adopt regular yet quick virtual check-ins with your distributed workforce. This is the perfect time for your company to figure out which video or instant messaging app works best for you. Bear in mind that not every team member operates identically. Some might prefer Slack or HipChat where they can fire off quick questions throughout the day. Another might appreciate a face-to-face Zoom or Google Hangout. Strike the right balance of communication styles for each team member.Does your workflow require many levels of approval? Don’t let administrative back-and-forth consume the day. Workflow automation tools like can make it easy to follow-up and make sure important steps are completed.
