According to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey
data, almost half of all Australians working over the last month have done so
from home, and more will continue to do so as states such as Victoria go back
into lockdown. With more uncertainty, numbers and anxiety levels on the rise,
now more than ever is the time to focus on company culture.
Changing the way we connect
One of the main challenges with remote working arises from the need for
companies and their teams to change how they work and collaborate while still
maintaining and building a strong culture.
What worked well in person—team syncs, all-hands meetings, brainstorming
sessions, onboarding and orientation programs—no longer applies. Gone are the
water cooler chats, coffee catch ups, and spontaneous hallway conversations
that helped teams bond in organic ways.
The lack of face-to-face connection can have negative impacts on the physical
and mental wellbeing of employees, potentially leading to increased
disengagement and even depression.
With boundaries between home and work now more blurred than ever, leaders also
need to be conscious of potential burnout among teams. We have a responsibility
to be proactive in building and providing a range of resources to support those
who need it most.
Six tips how leaders do to keep teams happy from anywhere – all while ensuring
their job obligations are met:
Tip 1: Fortnightly sentiment surveys
To ensure teams feel their voices are heard, consider including anonymous
fortnightly sentiment surveys into your business agenda. These surveys are a
valuable way to check employee sentiment and efficiently determine how engaged,
aligned and supported your remote workforce is.
Surveys should be short, concise, and specific, focusing on a particular area
for improvement or insight. Their value and benefit come from their brevity:
usually of between one to ten questions, making them quick to design and
answer, and increasing participation as a result.
Tip 2: ‘No Meeting’ Blocks and Days
When working remotely, employees can often feel overwhelmed by an increased
number of obligatory (and often, non-essential) meetings. With physical offices
gone, managers can be quick to fill that time with internal meetings with
teammates to share updates and information that simply could be an email or a
quick phone call.
To avoid creating meeting fatigue implement ‘No Meeting Blocks’, as well as ‘No
Meeting Fridays’ to give teams space to complete essential tasks without being
interrupted by time-consuming, impromptu video calls.
Tip 3: Virtual Coffee Dates
Loneliness was the most widely reported source of personal stress and lack of
productivity for Aussies during lockdown, according to ABS survey data.
Without the ability to work in the same office, it can be difficult to gauge
how teams are handling their new remote working situation. Leaders should look
into scheduling regular virtual coffee ‘dates’ or catch-ups with their teams to
not only check-in on workloads and wellbeing, but to create professional and
personal goals to maintain engagement, growth and motivation. These sessions
can also serve as a non-work-related way to bond with team members and create
positive conversations.
Tip 4: Proper Work Set-Ups
The rapid shift to working from home saw many improvise to create ergonomic
“workstations.” While for some, that means working at a desk, for others it’s
sitting on the couch or commandeering use of the kitchen table during work
hours.
To ensure your team has an adequate set-up, consider allocating some of the
budget saved from shutting down physical offices to reimburse proper office
equipment for employees, such as a faster internet connection, a headset, an
extra monitor, comfortable office furniture and adequate desk space.
Tip 5: Encourage Breaks and Stick to Work Hours
Working from home means that there’s no distinction between work and personal
time. It’s important to be explicit about when your day starts and ends in
order to set work boundaries, as well as allow time to mentally switch off.
For example, encourage staff to take as many breaks as needed in order to stay
productive and sane. Taking lunch breaks in order to reset or even doing a
quick yoga session can do wonders for an employee’s ability to stay rested and
recharged. Remember, just because you’re working from home does not mean people
should be always-accessible.
Tip 6: Team Building Activities
Just like in the office, it’s important to foster team relationships. While our
capacity to engage in offsite activities such as football or escape rooms might
be off the cards until restrictions ease, there are plenty of virtual
activities that teams can participate in from the comforts of their own homes.
Building team morale in an office setting can be difficult enough, so it’s
definitely more of a challenge to do so remotely. It’s important for leaders to
put the hard work in now, to ensure a happy and healthy work environment is
built for the future growth and success.
