Working from home tips: Managers

COVID-19 measures have presented unprecedented working circumstances for businesses and their people.

Some people will be able to work remotely from their homes, others will not have this opportunity. There are those who will already be experienced at working from home, for others it will involve a period of adjustment. 

To help managers during this period of Level 4 lockdown in New Zealand, we have put together some tips of support while working from home:

Working from home top tips for managers

Be structured: 

• Establish regular daily / weekly catch-ups
• Maintain good lines of communication – 1 on 1 & team
• Share updates on how the company is doing & ‘wins’
• Don’t over-react; stop, reflect, anticipate and act, focusing on what you can influence

Resource your team: 

• Provide different communication technology options
• Provide alternative meeting options - Zoom, WhatsApp, Teams, Slack, etc.
  

Set clear expectations:

• Establish priorities, deadlines and deliverables as clearly as possible
• Respond to questions promptly for clarification
• If you anticipate change, signal this as early as possible to create surety

Be appreciative: 

• Communicate your appreciation to employees - those who feel more valued have higher energy, be involved in their work & feel connected to what they do
• Exercise empathy and maintain a focus on keeping your team engaged without communicating your own stress

Encourage social interaction: 

• Encourage Friday afternoon ‘Virtual Happy Hour’ interactions

• Run competitions:

• ‘Rate my Plate’ cooking and submitting photos of your meal  
• Inventive photos of your home workspace
• Photography competition – e.g. of your plans for the weekend, your backyard or your pet
• Encourage employee lunch dates via video call

Be flexible and trusting:

• Focus on outcomes, not an activity
• Be patient of people's adjustment periods, how others behave and of your expectations
• Be trusting of your employees that they will work, be productive and avoid micromanaging    

What next?

We're working closely with employers to provide them with the people support they need when they need it. Find out more about how we're helping employers during this time here: https://www.eqconsultants.co.nz/hr-consulting/