Let’s talk about how to manage your team successfully while they work at home. This article also gives a great overview
1. Over-Communicate
Make sure to actively listen, require that from them as well, and repeat things back to make sure you both “get it.” Then, make notes with action items, and put things in your calendars. Over-communicate everything; it is harder to stay on task when you’re working at home, so more than ever, over-communicate deadlines, expectations and follow-up dates.
2. Trust Them
Trusting your team has been proven to increase performance (read “The Speed of Trust” by Stephen Covey), and they NEED YOUR TRUST while they work at home. Trust them to deliver, don’t micro-manage, and stick to talking about the results you want from them. They may have different ways of working to achieve the objectives normally achieved at work. For example, kids, pets and other distractions at home will pose challenges. Trust them to do the great job they’ve always done.
3. Make Sure They’re Taking Care Of Themselves And Not Working 24/7
Make sure they have specific work hours and that when they’re not working, they’re NOT WORKING. Make sure they don’t start working 24/7—they will resent you later, and they will not be happy campers. Tell them when they’re off, they’re OFF—no work phone or emails. Oh, and YOU TOO! Make sure to take care of YOURSELF!
4. Ask For Feedback Often And Make Sure They Have What They Need To Successfully Achieve Their Goals
You want to make sure they are okay, they feel empowered to do their jobs, and that there are no barriers to them achieving their set objectives and outcomes.
This video is from the start of the pandemic (March of 2020—speculating that the crisis could possibly go on as long as July!) and gives some great advice on how to shift that old paradigm to look after your workers remotely as best you can:
Good luck to you, you brave, brave entrepreneur you. I’ll be thinking of you.
If you need more help on how to manage your team while they work at home, contact TMH Business Coaching and Consulting today for a confidential, free, no-obligation consultation to propel you forward. Also, please feel free to add yourself to our weekly coaching tips email!
