In this day and age, especially due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, it has become a norm for companies to house remote employees. While the responsibilities of these employees vary from industry to industry and role to rule, one thing remains true among all remote working situations: the need to maintain productivity and morale.
That is not to say that a remote worker does not have the capacity to self-govern and stay productive. If your company hired them, surely you trust their sense of work ethic. However, there are necessary adjustments supervisors should consider making to adapt to these situations. Such considerations include the following:
- Adhere to communication styles: Especially as it pertains to non-verbal communication, you should consider adapting how you react to and speak with your remote employees. In person, you may use your hands as a means of communicating your idea. Over the phone or in an email, what measures can you take to add an extra element to your communication?
- Give your employees opportunities to connect: Social connections are important in maintaining company morale. When you and your staff have time to connect as a group, you potentially boost your chances of productivity and strengthen the professional bonds between you.
- Be understanding about distractions: Remote work is not without its drawbacks. Some employees may enter a video conference late or they may forget to mute their microphone in the middle of a presentation. Empathetic correction can go a long way in fixing the problem and keeping your remote employees content.
- Make yourself available and give regular feedback: Another drawback to having employees who are not physically present is you may forget to give positive reinforcement and recognition. Give yourself daily or weekly goals for providing such feedback to those who may need encouragement.
It seems the working world changes more with every season. Your company’s survival may depend on how well you and other supervisors adapt to the changes.