3 ways your employer can help you master remote working?

With most of us in lockdown until October, if not longer, many of us desperately yearn for some social interaction and are counting down the days until we can return to the office.

To understand how people are faring during such pressing times, I conducted a short survey with 37 remote workers to see how they’re coping and what suggestions they have to improve home working. Naturally some key themes surfaced; here are the top 3:

Managing the workload

Increased workload is one of the biggest challenges felt by employees. With companies in survival mode — many with reduced staff — the stakes to deliver have never been higher, and employees are feeling it.

Most businesses have had their previous plans quashed and many have resorted to the government’s job retention scheme to keep them afloat. At the last count, 8.9 million employees have been furloughed, which has huge consequences, not just economically.

A performant business runs like a single organism, with each interdependent part working harmoniously to live and flourish. Removing or changing any of these functions will inevitably change the company’s dynamic and may even limit its trajectory.

Staying nimble by reviewing and adjusting plans regularly and doubling down on what customers need is vital for every business, especially now. Of course, this includes being transparent with shareholders, suppliers and staff, and making sure plans are realistic and reflect your team’s capacity.

One man that certainly had direction and didn’t mince his words was, Steve Jobs.

“Staying focused is about saying no” — Steve Jobs

So, next time you’re sitting in a meeting and someone pushes an idea that strays from your company’s goal, be sure to practice the n-word. Diplomatically, of course!

Practical tips

• Be intimate with your company goals and use them as a basis for prioritising work (or next ‘job to be done’).
• Be virtuous in guiding others.
• Call out your employer if you don’t have company goals, or if they are guilty of being unfocused. A Mckinsey 2018 survey ‘Eight shifts that will take your strategy into high gear’ shows that well executed strategic planning can double your company’s chances of moving from middle to top tier performance.

People management

Although communication proved to be one of the strongest survey themes in terms of how companies adapted to remote working, a number of suggestions surfaced on how companies could improve.

With reduced social contact and increased anxiety surrounding job security, participants felt that managers should maintain 1–2–1 meetings, regardless of whether or not people are on furlough. Some even felt staff check-ins should be increased. Either way, consistent communications is clearly needed to monitor staff wellbeing and give people a chance to vent.

As a people manager myself, a key symptom of increased workload can be reduced capacity to support others. When pressure mounts, or that hairy deadline creeps up, 1–2–1 meetings are typically the first calendar items to be pushed back. We’ve all been there, right?

However, put yourself in the other person’s shoes. What message does that send to them? I’m not valued; how can my boss support me if they can’t manage their own time; if it’s ok for them, it’s ok for me, etc. These are all possible concerns and thoughts.

At Zoopla, people management is treated as a great responsibility and privilege. The basic expectation of people managers is to hold a regular cadence of 1–2–1s, set personal objectives, organise quarterly reviews, and importantly, to lead by example. My ethos is simple:

A purposeful workforce is a happy workforce, and therefore more productive.

Practical tips:

• Raise any concerns with your line manager; its important feedback is reciprocal in a good working relationship. Keep the feedback light, candid, and above all, professional — perhaps start by explaining the impact it’s having on your productivity and wellbeing. Be human!
• Even suggest to HR ways to optimise the people management policy.

Effective time management

Since lockdown, there is legitimate concern about increased mental health issues, with companies doing all they can to support staff. Whether it’s exercise classes or mental health workshops, the result is an eruption of online social events and meetings. For some, it’s seen as a blessing; for others, it’s an added distraction or pressure, especially for those people living with children.

Developing boundaries to limit the number of meetings, making social events optional, or enabling employees to block off time in their calendars, can be a huge help in balancing mental health and productivity paradigms.

Practical tips:

• If there isn’t already, ask your company to provide a method of capturing anonymous feedback on a regular basis. If there is, use it!
• Block off ‘Busy’ slots in your calendar.
• Speak to HR/ your line manager about ways to maximise your time/productivity.

Whether you’re an employer or employee, hopefully you found the above insights useful. Although the sample was small, it’s no doubt indicative of how many of us are feeling.

A big thank you to all those who participated in the survey, as well as providing valuable insights, £100 was donated to the Samaritans. This will fund 21 calls to people in need!

Originally published at https://www.productyoda.com on July 1, 2020.