As we quickly approach the end of 2020, many leaders are desperately trying to determine what 2021 looks like for their employees and organizations. Will there be a plan to bring people back into the office? Will businesses use the data they gathered from this pandemic to allow employees to continue work flexibly? These are just a few questions that leaders are asking as they determine what the next 3, 6 and 12 months looks like. For now, many employees are continuing work in a virtual environment, one that they have grown accustomed to and would like to continue in the future. How does “flipping the work environment” affect your employees? Is this something that can be sustained for the long haul? Can employees be productive, engage with their team, and thrive in this environment?
According to a survey released by PwC, 83% of workers said they prefer to work from home at least some of the time, even after Covid is no longer a concern. This means many organizations and leaders are being challenged to look ahead and prepare a plan that will support work from home arrangements as the new preferred way of working. The good news is that this pandemic has paved the way and proved that working from home while ensuring productivity and team engagement is very much achievable. In fact, a quick search online will show data on how productivity and work life balance has increased while working in our remote environments. Conversely, even with the support of the data, managers still continue to struggle with managing the work of remote employees. To navigate these struggles, here are some recommendations that Lance Knight, a Forbes magazine contributor, suggested:
· Acknowledge the Struggle: Although we are over 6 months into the Covid experience, these still remain to be unprecedented times. This will require you to be flexible and pivot when necessary. You won’t always get it right and that’s okay.
· Assume the Unexpected will Happen: As we mentioned above, we are navigating (and learning) our way though challenging times. As such, things will constantly change, and needs will have to be adjusted often.
· Stop Managing Time and Place: This seems to be a huge issue in the work from home environment. Leaders are spending way too much time managing every minute of their employees’ schedule. Instead, the focus should be on managing your desired outcomes. Communicating your expectations with your employees will provide you both clarity and direction.
As we continue to move forward, and in some cases, make the decision to make work from home a permanent option, it’s important for you as a leader to understand the dynamics of your team while acknowledging and navigating the challenges. Managing a team virtually can be a success!
