For a lot of people, the world turned inside out in March and we’ve felt like we were in a holding pattern. With the threat of COVID-19, companies shifted to remote work unexpectedly. Now, managers are needing to alter their management style to ensure that their team is productive and feels like a part of the team. How should you approach remote management to be most effective?
Set Expectations and Communicate
Without the structure of an office environment, some people aren’t sure how to manage their time and projects. It’s up to you to set the expectations with them and regularly check–in. Communication will be the key, especially since you’re not there to see the process that leads to the results.
Maintain Good Organization
Organization will also be essential to your success as a manager. This not only applies to time management but also the workspace itself. And this way you can lead by example. When this started, a lot of people worked at home on any available surface, like their dining room tables. But having an established workspace will help you stay much more organized. Encourage your team to do the same.
Be Flexible
For a lot of U.S. workers, working from home is a completely new experience. That means there’s a pretty large learning curve for everyone, employees and managers alike. We all need to be more flexible, especially in a time when parents and children are home and trying to figure out this new version of normal.
Stay Available
As a manager, you should make yourself available for your team during working hours. That doesn’t mean you can’t have boundaries and walk away from your work after business hours. But it does mean that you should be available during business hours via chat, phone, email, or other remote working tools for employees who have questions.
Provide Collaboration Tools
Another important part of the work-from-home process is access to the tools that will help everyone succeed. While Zoom has become a verb to mean video conferencing, it isn’t the only service available so choose one that’s right for your team. You can also use chat channels such as Slack or even groups on social media to connect your team while working from home.
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