HR executives are being asked to take the lead in assisting with the transition to remote working environment. Working from home has become a reality for most employees and in many companies, it literally happened overnight with no warning or time to train managers or staff. Recognize that normal work patterns, communication, and team dynamics will be disrupted for weeks if not months. This brings with it the opportunity for HR to encourage and guide leadership to ensure that operations can continue as normally as possible.
Here are tips and strategies to help managers and employees continue to collaborate effectively and meet deadlines. These tips and strategies include spelling out deliverables and roles repeatedly as circumstances require changes, making an extra effort to stay personally connected with people so teams don’t feel disconnected, and providing guidance, support, and encouragement for working remotely.
Make communication a top priority
You need to make sure important information is easily and frequently communicated.
Don’t rely solely on email to stay in touch with your team. Set up frequent meetings with each employee to touch base and keep the connection strong.
Utilize chat and collaboration tools to facilitate remote communication. Use platforms like Zoom for these meetings, the ability to see each other while talking gives a sense of teamwork and closely imitates an office setting.
Set clear goals
Teams that suddenly change work patterns from in office to remote workplace need to rethink how to accomplish their tasks and ensure that essential duties and goals are met. All members of your team should know what goals they and the team are working toward, and how these goals will be met.
Check-in regularly, but don’t micromanage
Let your staff know how and when they can reach you throughout the workday. Schedule a daily or weekly check-in meeting to ensure all tasks and goals are on schedule and any issues are addressed. Ask for weekly email update from each member of your team. Figure out what works for you, and make sure everyone knows.
Recognize achievements
Remember to write a “good job” email to staff whose work you’d otherwise acknowledge casually in the office. You can also call out their achievement in your group chat platform.
Provide resources
Especially for telecommuters who are not used to working from home, it can be a good gesture to offer advice on how to work from home effectively. Ideas include information on how to set up home office spaces, how to establish working hours, and how to set boundaries with any family members who may be present in the home.
Let your employees know that HR is available to help with work and life and they should feel free to reach out as the need arises.
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