1. Focus on long-term goals
Think about the last few months. How much time have you spent working on long-term goals and strategy? If it was less time than usual, that's understandable. When you're not sure what next week will bring, it can be hard to think about the next quarter or next year. But once you settle into long-term telework, it's important to refocus on your company's long-term goals. These goals will help shape what your organisation prioritises in the short term.
Take the example of Alan Mulally's work at Ford. Mulally began as CEO of Ford in late 2000. His responsibility was to lead the brand in the ensuing financial crisis. Instead of cutting costs wherever he could, he used his long-term vision for the company to create high-quality green vehicles as its key product. Every decision he made was aimed at coming closer to that goal. At the same time, he spent a lot of time explaining his intentions to the management team and ensuring they and the rest of the company were in line with the long-term strategy.
2. Clearly state your expectations
You have probably communicated the measures in a timely manner and at all levels in response to the pandemic. However, the fact that you and your team are settled in new remote work routines does not mean communication should be slowed down. In fact, now is the time to improve communication - especially when it comes to setting expectations for remote work.
According to Zapier, which has a fully remote team, it is crucial to set expectations about how quickly employees should respond to reports, what tasks need to be completed, who is responsible for completing them, and set deadlines for completing those tasks. It is also necessary to open various communication channels through which you will communicate new standards and expectations - e-mail, departmental meetings, or personal meetings of managers with employees.
3. Establish basic rules for meetings
Rules and expectations for virtual meetings are important to ensure online discussions are truly effective and uninterrupted. "At the very least, expect employees to be accurate," suggests Christine Alemany, general manager of TBGA's brand and marketing firm. "Late entry to a virtual meeting is as disruptive as when you show up late for a face-to-face meeting." "Do anything to reduce multitasking and ensure that employees pay full attention to the meeting," adds Alemany.
4. Make time for the corporate culture
Just because you're not in the office doesn't mean you can let your corporate culture disappear. Your efforts to promote a culture among your employees may now be even more important. Use an instant messaging platform like Slack to post calls that encourage employees to communicate and keep in touch with one another. These calls might include sharing photos from vacation, productivity tips, home work settings, or pictures of pets, etc. Encourage employees to use video for their online calls to remind themselves that there are people on the other side of the screen. The opportunities are endless: just make sure they are in line with your cultural practices.
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