Working remotely has become the new normal. Many workers are discovering that they prefer working from home, as it gives them more flexibility, freedom, and comfort that increases their productivity. But for management, remote teams can feel daunting. Managing people who are spread out over a large area can be challenging, but with a few simple practices, it can help your team thrive.
- Check in
You should already have been doing one-on-one check ins with your team before everything transitioned to working from home, and there’s no reason to stop doing it. In fact, checking in with your employees on a regular basis can help you keep an eye on areas where they’re excelling, and where they might be struggling.
- Work/Life Balance
It’s far too easy to overwork yourself when you’re at home all the time. Usually, employees who work in an office have commutes, scheduled breaks, and chats with coworkers to break up the monotony, but a lot of those things have been removed from the home office environment. Ensure that you and your employees are taking breaks, establishing boundaries, and preventing burnout.
- Schedule Bonding Events
Just because you’re not all together in an office doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take time to be social with your coworkers. Anything from a simple weekly coffee chat to a full-blown virtual trivia night can help you feel more connected and help strengthen your work relationships, even if you’re not seeing each other in person.
- Be Flexible and Empathetic
This is a weird time for everyone, and we need empathetic managers now more than ever. Everything is changing, and everyone is adjusting to this new way of working. It’s important to remember that your team might be experiencing other stresses that you’re not privy to, and you need to be there for them to ensure that their work doesn’t suffer while they go through this difficult time. Be open to new solutions and work together with your team to make this transition as simple as possible.