People around the world are working from home during the pandemic. Here are some of the best lessons we’ve learned from the experience.
A decade before the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of people around the globe to work from home, a study was being done to compare the effectiveness of home-based versus office-based work, as well as the impact on employees. One of the concerns centred around work-life balance; how could managers help employees stay focused on work without feeling consumed by work as home life and office life blended together.
In 2020, working from home suddenly became a reality for many Canadians. Along with this change, came the added pressure of children home from school and the anxiety of not contracting a deadly virus that was spreading across the planet. Research company, McKinsey Digital gathered the best practices established by workers in China who were the first to face this situation, and assembled a blueprint for remote working.
They discovered that when it was done effectively, remote working could boost productivity and morale. If it was done poorly, it could foster inefficiency, damage work relationships and leave employees demotivated. Here is a summary of the eight findings from China that could help Canadians to adapt to a remote working situation more easily.
1: Designing an effective structure
In an office setting, one accessible person may be able to steer a large team effectively, but when employees suddenly find themselves in isolation, confusion can set it. It may be more effective to create smaller teams, each with a specific focus. Tasks are easier to implement when the mission and reporting lines are clearly defined. The lesson: Setting up small, cross functional teams with clear objectives and a common purpose keeps everyone on the same strategic course.
2: Leading from afar
Managing people is always challenging, and now managers must contend with the fact that each employee will respond in their own unique way to the cultural shift and challenges of working from home. With the lack of in-person contact or opportunities to set course corrections with an impromptu cubical visit, managers need to find a way to increase one-on-one interaction. When they are in contact with employees, they need to establish a strong vision of the employee’s expected objectives. Managers should be realistically flexible to the situation of the employee and focus on creating an ‘outcome-driven culture’ that empowers their staff while holding them accountable for timely results. The lesson: Determining how managers communicate is just as important as what’s being said, and it needs to be done confidently, consistently and reliably.
3: Instilling a caring culture
While some employees will have no distractions at home, others may be caring for children while schools are closed. When managers show understanding in addressing an employee’s situation, it goes a long way to preventing feelings of isolation and insecurity. Managers intuitively know to stay in touch with clients and customers to ensure their needs are being met. The same must happen with employees who are offsite. Increased contact, being inclusive in decision making and offering guidance through challenging situations can create a sense of psychological wellbeing for colleagues. The lesson: Connecting on a personal level and instilling empathy within the culture is doubly important when working remotely.
4: Finding a new routine
A busy office creates its own productive rhythms, but those are not automatically replicated when employees begin working from home. Managers shouldn’t assume all employees will find their own stride organically; managers need to specifically address their expectations, understand the challenges employees face and work with them to develop their own clear daily rhythms. The lesson: Establishing robust working norms, overflows and lines of authority is critical, but all too easy to skimp on.
5: Supercharging ways of communicating
Communication is always a key to remote office productivity. There are many options available for real-time communication and video conferencing. Whichever one(s) you choose, be sure you prepare a concise agenda and have a moderator who can keep the discussion on track. Keeping cameras turned on throughout the meeting contributes the important nuances of non-verbal clues, and finding platforms that utilize virtual whiteboards or screenshare will enhance joint problem solving. The lesson: Choosing the right channel is critical to getting it right. If you pull employees from topic to topic, you’ll interrupt their workflow and drive down productivity.
6: Harnessing the power of technology
A fast, stable and secure internet network and an ergonomic home working space are essential. Many companies expanded their virtual private network (VPN) access so employees could access systems remotely, and established a digitally accessible performance dashboard to keep everyone aligned. The lesson: Using technology can be vital in keeping everyone on track, but it’s important to get the basics right.
7: Taking security seriously
Employees who have always done their work within the walls (and firewalls) of an office, may not be aware of the steps required to work securely from a remote location. Companies will need to educate employees on the technological side of remote working which will take an investment of time and resources. The lesson: Make it easy for employees to comply with security requirements while investing in strong safeguards.
8: Adopting a ‘test and learn’ mentality
What works well for one organization, may not work at all for another. You may want to test innovations in small groups before rolling them out to the entire company. Then, still be open to change. The final lesson: Being ready to recognize what isn’t working and changing it fast.
Across Canada, provincial governments are announcing plans for employees to return to work, as early as next week, although this migration will be staggered and closely monitored. No one can be certain what the ‘new normal’ will look like, but it is likely that some remote working situations will continue indefinitely and some remote best practices may migrate to the workplace. The lessons that businesses are learning now are critical; reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic will influence and possibly redefine the workplace for years to come.
Photo courtesy Bench Accounting and Unsplash
