Managing A Remote Workforce: Tips During COVID-19 Conditions

While some states are beginning to soften the restrictions on shelter-in-place orders due to COVID-19, others are still mandating that nonessential businesses operate remotely until further notice. For employers and employees who have been working from home for several weeks now, it can be expected that companies will continue to face challenges as they attempt to normalize their day to day operations as much as possible. 

Here are some tips for working and managing a remote workforce to help you maintain a positive work environment, mediate issues, and stay strong during this time at home due to coronavirus:

 

Stay Connected 

It’s important to socialize and stay engaged with colleagues while working from home, just as it is important to keep in touch with family members and friends. Holding daily team meetings on Zoom, BlueJeans, or other video chat platforms can help maintain comradery and a team-focused environment, even when you’re not physically in the office. These can be formal or informal meetings depending on their purpose. It’s a way of touching base with employees, where you can discuss your top goals for the day and provide others the opportunity to speak up if someone is stuck and needs assistance with a problem. It’s also an opportunity for you to share your appreciation for your hard-working team and encourage them through this hard time. 

 

Check-In

Checking in weekly with individuals via phone or video chat is also a valuable way to stay connected and make sure that colleagues and employees have the resources and mindset that they need in order to perform their jobs from home. Discussing how others are feeling and if they need any help or tools to make working from home easier is a great way to gauge how your team members are doing and make changes if necessary. If not, small, easy to fix issues can escalate into real problems if they aren’t addressed early on. 

 

Get Organized

One way to make sure that your company and colleagues are on the same page when it comes to working remotely is to make sure that everyone has access to the tools and resources they need in order to complete their tasks. This is most likely a difficult shift for many companies that do not have an existing system when it comes to online documentation. It can be done by utilizing platforms such as Dropbox and Google Docs so that everything is easily accessible, and you can continue to utilize these systems when you return to the office. 

 

Experienced Employment Law Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator, Legal And Media Commentator

Angela Reddock-Wright is an employment law attorney, mediator, arbitrator and workplace/Title IX investigator in Los Angeles, CA. Known as the “Workplace Guru,” Angela is an influencer and leading authority on employment, workplace/HR, Title IX, hazing and bullying issues. She is a regular legal and media commentator and analyst and has appeared on and provided commentary with such media outlets as Law and Crime with Brian Ross, Court TV, CNN, ABC, CBS, KTLA, KPCC Airtalk-89.3, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the LA Times, People Magazine, and Essence Magazine.

 

For more information regarding tips on how to manage a remote workplace, connect with Angela on LinkedIn for new updates, or contact her here

 

This communication is not legal advice. It is educational only. For legal advice, consult with an experienced employment law attorney in your state or city.

 

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