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Keep Calm and Communicate On(line)

Learn more about working remotely as part of a team.

Updated:

March 23, 2020

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WFH shouldn't mean you are alone.

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Working From Home – Where to Start

If you are transitioning to working from home, first and foremost, it is important to take a breath and start planning. There will be challenges and complications that arise, but these issues do not mean you and the team will not be successful.

Preparing Your Team to Work Remotely

Working from home can be an adjustment for workers and managers. It sounds great, but it requires discipline and good communication from both the manager and the worker. In some cases, family obligations may be present for workers who have small children at home. This can add to worker stress and require flexible work hours. Start by establishing a routine and discussing the need for flexible hours with your supervisor. This can eliminate misunderstandings. Workers may also fear that if they are not in the office, the supervisor might question the workload. It is important for managers to listen to concerns and help workers become autonomous and productive. Managers need to find new ways to capture and evaluate results.

Communication is Key to Managing Virtual Teams

Managing virtual teams can be challenging, but as Lepsinger and DeRosa's research suggests, virtual teams can be effective if emphasis is placed on building relationships, accountability, motivation and a sound process.

When working on a virtual team, it is important to dedicate time to forming and maintaining relationships. Isolation can cause team members to feel that their contributions do not matter. Therefore, addressing the human-element of working remotely is important to make sure people feel valued and connected. Setting time for personal conversations may seem contrived but while teams are logging in to a meeting, try asking people to share something about their workday. This can spark discussion, build rapport and lead to creative problem solving. It is also important for managers and workers to schedule regular meetings. Five minutes of one-on-one-time a day with a virtual employee can keep work on-track, prevent surprises and minimize frustration. It is better to address concerns immediately rather than waiting for a monthly meeting to occur or for a problem to arise. Practicing active listening and paraphrasing also assures that both parties understand the situation and agree on the course of action. This can prevent later dissatisfaction for both parties if results don't meet expectations.

Holding workers accountable can also help to build trust on virtual teams. It is easy to think you are the only one working hard when you don't see what employees or co-workers are doing. That is why it is important to track assignments, tasks and projects. By holding people accountable for deadlines, everyone understands expectations and shares a common goal. Once assignments and deadlines are determined, give workers the autonomy to complete tasks as needed. Managers will need to monitor deadlines to make sure employees stay on track and assure they have needed resources. It is also important to understand the challenges the team is facing so it is important to allow people to openly share concerns without the fear of retribution.

Motivation is also key to engaging and retaining good virtual employees. The use of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators can help keep workers engaged. Extrinsic motivators like providing timely recognition and feedback keep people engaged and prevent misunderstandings. Intrinsic motivators like challenging assignments or tasks that require learning new skills can also motivate workers. Workers want to feel that they are competent and valued. Acknowledging concerns and achievements keeps people motivated.

Finally, it is also important to develop a process that keeps everyone on track. A running agenda keeps recurring meetings on track by adding new items as they arise and revisiting old items until they are completed or resolved. Including milestones and assigning responsibility within the process will help prioritize topics that need attention and assure that someone is making sure the task is accomplished. By setting and tracking SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, Timely), managers can evaluate results instead of counting time workers spend at the keyboard.

If working from home is new to you, there are many team tools that can be used such as Google Suite and Office 365. There are also telecommuting applications like Facetime, Skype and Zoom. Whatever software the team chooses, allow yourself time to learn the new platforms. Ask for help and realize that it will take time and effort to change the way you work. Planning time for both work and family is an important part of balancing a work from home situation. The key is good communicate with your co-workers, your manager, and your family, and it is important to set time to take care of yourself. Remember to breathe.