With the COVID-19 epidemic, many employees – and their managers – are finding themselves working out of the office and separated from each other for the first time. Fortunately, there are specific, research-based steps that managers can take without great effort to improve the engagement and productivity of remote employees.
Challenges of Remote Work
Lack of face-to-face supervision: Supervisors worry that employees will not work as hard or as efficiently
- Reduced access to managerial support and communication: Employees feel that remote managers are out of touch with their needs, and thereby are neither supportive nor helpful in getting their work done
- Social isolation: Loneliness is one of the most common complaints about remote work, with employees missing the informal social interaction of an office setting
- Distractions at home: A parent holding a child and typing on a laptop, often sitting on a sofa or living-room floor is a terrible representation of effective remote work
How Managers Can Support Remote Employees
Establish structured daily check-ins
- Provide several different communication technology options
- Video conferencing is especially useful for smaller groups
- Mobile-enabled individual messaging functionality is also a solution for simpler, less formal conversations
Establish “rules of engagement”
Set expectations for the frequency, means, and ideal timing of communication for teams
- Provide opportunities for remote social interaction
- Offer encouragement and emotional support
- Acknowledge stress, listen to employees’ anxieties and concerns, and
empathize with their struggles
