The sudden changes in strategy resulting from the COVID-19 confinement have posed new challenges for leaders whose teams were accustomed to sharing an office. They now must grapple with how to effectively lead a group of collaborators who have shifted from chatting next to the coffee machine to greeting each other with GIFs.
We are currently witnessing the largest migration in history of employees transitioning from traditional office work system to remote work. While some managers are familiar with face-to-face communication, organizations that have embraced Digital Transformation are better prepared than those resistant to change. Regardless, the time has come to lead remotely, and we have some keys for successful remote leadership:
1. Clarity
The transition becomes less complicated if you prioritize and ensure that all guidelines are crystal clear. Before establishing work hours and projects, it's essential to inquire about the personal situation of each collaborator: Are they doing okay? Do they have caregiving responsibilities? Do they possess all the necessary resources? You should assist each employee in planning their availability, including when, how, and what potential needs may arise and how to address them. By having this information, you can set realistic tasks, goals, and schedules. Clear goals provide employees with a sense of security and alignment.
Moreover, this transition offers a perfect opportunity to revisit the concepts you typically work with, starting from the basics. Ensure that every team member understands their role, the significance of their work, and the objectives, both individual and collective.
When giving instructions, be as explicit as possible. In remote work settings, it's challenging to gauge facial expressions or reactions, so clarity in communication is vital. Thankfully, emoji dictionaries can help bridge the communication gap!
2. Foster connection with values
Establishing this connection cultivates engagement and enhances performance. If before the migration the organizational culture, now that each employee is at home it will be too easy for them to disconnect from the values.
To create or rekindle a connection between collaborators and the company's culture, you must consistently share it in various ways. Reiterate it often so that employees recognize and embrace these values as their own.
Sharing values is as important as crucial as posesing the right skills. Therefore, it's imperative that everyone comprehends your vision and expectations.
3. Tribal Mentality
When a team lives together in the office, it's easy to bond over lunch, by the coffee maker, or when someone brings in a cake for their birthday. These interactions can be lost working remotely, but we can reproduce them digitally. For example, having a video conference daily or weekly, creating a WhatsApp group where more informal conversations can take place, sharing stickers, congratulating birthdays with songs, bombarding memes that only you understand...
Manage taking into account the collective culture that you must continue to promote in teams that telework without forgetting the individual management of each person, as it is important not to lose sight of the personal situation that surrounds each team member: is he alone at home, does he have to reconcile with caring for other people, what are the particular emotions that each one has to deal with? You must take into account the common elements of the group and those of the individual.
4. Encourage Feedback
How will they know if they are making significant progress or if they need to adjust their strategy? Through feedback.
In this phase it is very important to share results and motivate employees to share their achievements with their peers. You can also communicate bad results, as long as you do it from an encouraging and constructive point of view. Only through continuous feedback can we improve and progress.
5. Trust
We will never tire of repeating it: don't micromanage your team. Constantly monitoring your team doesn't necessarily make it more effective. If they know well what they have to do or where they have to go, let them flow. Some studies have shown that excessive monitoring undermines confidence and can reduce productivity.
A Gallup study revealed that 54% of employees would go to a job that offers flexible hours, and 37% would go to a job that offers the option of working remotely. So see this situation as an exceptional opportunity to give your team reasons to stay, to be better and, above all, to take care of themselves!
And finally, we have decided to help you with some musical inspiration so that you can focus on achieving your goals while you are teleworking.
If you want to contribute a song to our Playlist, you can write to us! !
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