For those who had not previously worked remotely, there was a novelty to the transition from office-based employees to work from home, Forbes compared it to an extended snow day. Now in early May, that novelty has worn off and what was assumed to be a temporary fix is becoming the new normal. Employees have long been craving the option to work remotely but some employers were previously hesitant regardless of the multiple studies proving remote employees had a higher satisfaction and productivity rate than in-office employees. Today, those cautious employers are forced to make the transition to remote teams, and it will likely be challenging to move back to a full-time in-office culture even after the COVID-19 pandemic. How can management teams embrace the new normal and find the positives in remote work? We offer some points to focus on to make the new normal work for everyone and maybe even improve team processes.

Establish communication protocols and expectations. If remote work is new for your team, be transparent on how you intend to communicate. As a team, discuss ideas for how, how often, and when one-on-one meetings will be held. Determine how employees should report on their current projects and how feedback will be given. Forbes poses the question, “What Type of Remote Worker Are You?” To determine what works best for your remote employees, ask for feedback, keeping in mind that different personalities will respond to different strategies. Try to incorporate more conference video calls to keep teams engaged and avoid the temptation to multitask while on a call. It may take some time to figure out what the schedule needs to look like, and the initial plan may need change but establishing a plan from the beginning will help your staff adapt to the new routine.

Encourage balance for staff to help them transition to this new work environment. It can be challenging for employees who are not used to working outside an office to establish a new routine at home. Start by setting office hours when team members are expected to be available and encouraging them to disconnect at the end of the day. Offer resources to keep a healthy work/ life balance like setting up a designated office space in their home, taking breaks, and practicing self-care to help your employees create a balanced schedule.

Establish practices to help with trusting your employees. Ask yourself what information you need in order to have confidence your staff is performing in their remote locations. Managers will need to change the way they supervise, focusing on the quality of employee’s work and contribution to goals rather than the quantity of time they are spending in the office. Work with your staff on forming guidelines for how projects will be supervised and then commit to sticking with them. Setting clear expectations will make your staff more comfortable and confident and give managers peace of mind that their remote teams are performing to the same standard as in-office.

In this time of transition and uncertainty, it is important for managers to lead by example. Stick to schedules you make for your projects and take deadlines seriously. Embrace communication technology and help your staff get comfortable with it. Even if a Zoom call is outside your comfort zone, make it a priority to connect with your staff regularly. Not hearing from their supervisor regularly could make them feel disconnected and negatively affect productivity. Offer examples of how you have been trying to keep a healthy balance of work and personal life and show vulnerability to let them know it is okay to feel stressed and overwhelmed while growing accustomed to this new way of working.

Encourage staff to keep a sense of community. As a society, we are all struggling with the lack of social interaction and it can take a toll on our overall well-being. Employees may be craving the ‘watercooler talk’ in an office setting. Take the time to recreate those socialization opportunities to simply talk to one another, laugh, and share personal stories. A supportive network within your staff will keep employees feeling positive and productive. You may also consider sending a care package to your employees with snacks, books or games to show that your employee’s mental health and well being is just as important as their performance.

The PharmaOut team remains committed to doing our part to fight COVID-19 and help keep our families safe. Our team of expert recruiters and consultants have years of experience to assist our clients in successfully continuing their business with our staffing, consulting, HR and investigator meeting services. Please contact us if you would like to discuss how PharmaOut can be your strategic partner.

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