Remote Leadership - Ways to lead effectively when working apart from your team

Remote leadership

I was speaking on a panel at a virtual event recently and we were discussing many of the significant changes to the world of work since the outbreak of coronavirus.

We got talking about new workplace norms and the opportunity that we have to reset, reflect and do things differently due to COVID. One area that stood out was how to lead a team that is working remotely.

We have heard lots over recent months about remote working. However, what about remote leadership?

How can managers and leaders keep people engaged, motivated and working ‘together’ as a team while they are working apart?

There are 5 ways in which I’ve been helping clients with this and some practical tips to help.

1. Remote working and work life balance

·       Set boundaries with people. Boundaries can become blurred when working remotely. Encourage people to switch off at the end of the day and take their breaks when working from home. Make it common knowledge that an answer to emails is not expected between certain hours.

 2. Health and Safety and Wellbeing

Employers have a legal duty to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees and this still applies when working from home.  

·       Ensure that people have a safe and healthy working environment. Ensure they have adequate equipment and an adequately set-up work space.

·       Communication is essential to help people feel connected.  Regular team meetings should be scheduled to communicate business news as well as 121s to understand and deal with any issues quickly.

·       Provide access to online chat during the working day to help replace water cooler moments and casual social interactions.

·       Connect regularly with team members and really listen and show genuine concern for people’s individual lives.

·       Encourage people to be kind to themselves by incorporating activities into their day which promote wellbeing; taking breaks, connecting with people and getting outside in daylight hours, particularly as winter is coming.   

 3. Trust and Integrity

People are more likely to work at their best in an environment where they feel trusted.  The last 7 months for many organisations has been a huge exercise in trust with many people working from home where they weren’t previously. 

·       Measure productivity on outputs rather than activity or working time to demonstrate that you trust your people to do a good job.

 4. Purpose and Inclusion

A strong sense of purpose creates a feeling of belonging and being a part of something.

·       Ensure that people understand the purpose behind the organisation and why you do what you do.

·       Once you have defined your purpose, make sure you talk about it regularly in your communications.

·       Ensure people have a meaningful job and let them know how their role contributes to what you are trying to achieve collectively.

·       Ensure hard work is recognised; celebrate wins and say thank you for a great job.

 5. Be Agile

You need to be agile enough to make decisions quickly and adapt to changes as the situation with coronavirus develops. For example, your business may be growing and you may need to hire and onboard remotely, so you may need to consider what strategies you need to put in place in order to do this most successfully.

It’s clear that change and uncertainty are continuing due to the current circumstances. It’s time to consider the opportunities for people-centred remote leadership.