Supporting Staff Who Work Remotely
Blues Perspectives
| 3 min read
Trying to support employees working remotely? Whether you’re a business owner or a leader in your organization, there are steps you can take to help make remote work better for everyone in your organization. Building a culture of support is an important first step, particularly for members of your management team. Leaders need to be creative to find ways to make working from home a productive and positive experience for the whole team.
- Establish expectations: Working from home is usually more flexible than in-office work. Talk to your team about start and end work times expectations if you have them. Let them know how you will contact them and when you expect them to be available. Also, discuss things like childcare, appointments, and the need for well-being breaks and how they should be handled. Being upfront will reduce the chances of frustrations later if you cannot reach a teammate during normal business hours.
- Establish regular check-ins:Working remotely can be lonely and employees may feel they don’t have the same access to leadership and teammates as they did in the office. Set up regular video meetings so you can see everyone which improves communication and collaboration. Make your check-ins at a predictable time. Then, your employees know they have time set aside in your schedule to discuss progress or barriers. Take time in your calls to talk about something personal like weekend plans or children so there is a feeling of connection. Also, ask your team about their emotional health by asking how they are adapting and what is stressing them about their work. Listen to their answer and provide both sympathy and encouragement that you are confident in their abilities.
- Establish social time: When your team is remote, you will need to find new ways to bond. Start your meetings with a round table of things that made them grateful in the past week. Some teams have virtual lunches where they join in a video call and chat while they eat. Or, you can encourage social well-being by pairing teammates up for projects and let them know that socialization during their work sessions is valued along with the project results.
Learn more about effectively managing your team from afar by checking out this Blue Cross® Virtual Well-Being webinar. You’ll also find related resources you can use to help your employees make the switch to remote work. Employers and Blue Cross members can sign up for future webinars here and check out past sessions and resources. Related:
- Tips for a Healthy Home Work Environment
- Dos and Don'ts of Video Calls
- 5 Ways to Socially Connect with People You Can't See in Person
Photo credit: ake1150sb
