Managing employees is even more challenging these days due to the remote work setup. You can barely keep in touch with them, unlike in a regular work environment. Since work has to keep moving forward, you should find a way to manage them more efficiently. Before you think about it, you should start with yourself. Make sure you’re doing well. It isn’t easy to manage others when you couldn’t even manage yourself. Stay healthy by carefully selecting what you eat. Regularly drinking clean water also helps. If you can install the Big Berkey filter, it guarantees that you have clean water. Once you’re already okay, it’s easier to manage your team. These tips are worth considering.
Be clear with the tasks
Providing clear instructions is necessary with the remote management of a team. You can’t explain to everyone the details of the tasks. Offering a clear set of instructions is necessary. Be open to questions and clarifications. Encourage your team to ask questions first before working on the assigned tasks.
Track progress
Find a way to track the progress of your employees. Some of them might end up being too lazy to do the job since they only have to work from home. Follow up with them to track the progress—request an initial submission of the required tasks to ensure that everyone is working. As long as you don’t annoy your employees, it’s okay to make follow-ups.
Don’t rely on zoom meetings
Zoom meetings might be more common these days since everyone needs to work from home. It’s the best way to keep in touch with the employees. However, zoom meetings are only perfect for general concerns. You can’t be too specific with the details. If you need to follow up with someone, you should do it in private. You can have more discussions without bothering others during a private call.
Organize fun games
Managing your team isn’t only about ensuring everyone does the job. You should also help your employees get through this rough time. Some of them work in isolation and are far from their family members. Find a way to improve everyone’s relationship outside a work environment. An excellent option is to organize fun games. You can still do it via zoom. This time, everyone has a chance to participate and enjoy. People already started hating zoom meetings since they seem endless. However, if you start to change things up, zoom calls wouldn’t be too bad. As long as these fun games are optional, you can do them.
Setup private talks not related to work
Some of your employees might have a hard time coping up with the new work setup. They’re just not vocal enough to express their feelings. Try to call your employees and make sure they’re doing okay. Some might be willing to share what they feel, while others are a bit hesitant. Regardless, being able to reach out to them means a lot.
Be flexible
Although you still set deadlines, you should be a bit more flexible. Some of your employees have issues at home that could derail the completion of the task. For instance, single parents have to manage their homes and continue working. It’s too tough on them since their children are at home due to the closure of schools. As long as you’re informed about some delays, it’s acceptable.
Send something to your employees
You can remind your employees that you remember them and care about them by sending something to their houses. It can be a small souvenir. You can also order dishes from food delivery apps and send them to the residence of your employees. These small actions would mean a lot to them.
Utilize brainstorming apps
You don’t have to use zoom as a platform to meet with your employees. There are brainstorming apps where everyone can contribute knowledge and ideas. They’re still useful. Besides, you’re still at a brainstorming phase. You don’t have to take all of these words seriously.
Provide coaching lessons
If you have new employees or those who feel lost, you can offer coaching lessons. Teach them a few ways to be better at doing the job. You can also impart specialized knowledge, such as the use of online platforms. You can make the job easier for them if you’re kind enough to be a coach. Besides, the success of your employees will also reflect the success of the company. Make it your goal to extend help to employees in need.
Coaching should also be done to aspiring leaders. When you’re in a regular work environment, it’s easy to coach them. However, since you’re working remotely, it could be a challenge. Despite that, you shouldn’t halt your coaching program. There are still a few things you can teach online.
Offer free wellness programs
Again, some of your employees aren’t doing well. They go through tough mental health challenges. Others are also starting to feel depressed even if they’re trying hard to be better. The least you can do is offer free wellness programs. Some experts share their knowledge online. These programs can be practiced remotely. Some of them come with fees. The company can sponsor these expenses as a way of helping the employees.
Don’t forget to remind your employees to live a healthy lifestyle. Gyms might be closed, but exercises can still be done at home. You can also learn how to cook dishes so you can pick the right ingredients. It’s easy to be lazy when you’re at home all the time. You don’t even make efforts to look good since no one can see you in your day to day activities. Remember that the current setup is only temporary, and we will eventually get back to normal. It’s understandable if you feel terrible. You can adjust to this setup and learn from it. We’re in a unique situation right now, and there are too many things we can learn from it.
