Ambition Issue 45 (March/April 2021)

Page 76

Columnist Helen Hardy, Managing Director, BeyondHR

Effective Remote Working To help you improve the engagement and productivity of your remote employees, BeyondHR Managing Director Helen Hardy shares her top tips for motivating the workforce.

used to but by this stage in lockdown most of us are well accustomed to daily Teams and Zoom meetings! Take advantage of these programmes to establish a new way of creating face-to-face interaction – as well as providing hang-outs to get things done quickly. This is also a great way to check in with your team to talk over any issues, planning or even for some team building!

T

he COVID-19 pandemic struck fast and hard and saw mass change in how workforces operate. It accelerated the move from the traditional office-based model to remote working – something that has been struggling to gain traction before COVID-19. Although vaccines for everyone are on the horizon, the return to the office still seems like a distant goal with hybrid models of remote working appearing to be here to stay as normality is redefined. Moving from an office environment to remote working brings its own set of unique challenges. The crisis resulted in a sudden change of circumstances, meaning many companies were unable to establish clear remote working policies or training prior to the change, having to hit the ground running to accommodate the transition. We hadn’t planned to be in this situation, but it was an opportunity. Suddenly, the tools and ways of working we were so used to no longer worked. We have had to adapt our whole way of working and become more intentional in our behaviour as we learnt new ways of collaborating and talking. Now well into the pandemic, we have a better understanding of the benefits and limitations of remote working. We know that a lack of face-to-face supervision, limited access to information and increased social isolation can impact an employee’s level of engagement, performance, and sense of connection. With many companies pondering how best to deliver coaching remotely, here are five ways in which you can mentor your team, to ensure they stay engaged, productive and motivated:

• Manage expectations Agree ways of working, set clear expectations of your team and ensure communication is efficient and constant. Many employees are now facing new obstacles such as physical and emotional isolation and with the ongoing closure of schools, many employees are also walking a tightrope as they try to juggle childcare, home schooling and the demands of work. If this is affecting your employees ,consider adopting a more flexible approach to working. Removing that obstacle will enable employees to be more productive. • Virtual team building! By now, many of us have done more Zoom quizzes than we care to count, but holding virtual events with your team allows social interactions – and they can be fun. Try and carve out some time for non-work conversations and activities throughout the week. The virus broke through previous barriers, that may have prevented remote working in the past, resulting in a structure shift in where and how we work. Establishing a successful remote working policy requires time, attention, and consistency, but it is worth it, and will ensure you and your team are better equipped to navigate the incoming waves of change.

“We hadn’t planned to be in this situation, but it was an opportunity. Suddenly, the tools and ways of working we were so used to no longer worked. We have had to adapt our whole way of working and become more intentional in our behaviour as we learnt new ways of collaborating and talking.”

• Communicate Communication is key to any successful team, but a lack of faceto-face interaction makes regular communication even more paramount. We can no longer rely on body language, tone of voice or conversations at the kettle for extra information and therefore regular check-ins are vital in remote working. Ensure all employees have access to any information they may need, as well as training. Always keep the team up to date with tasks, duties, and upcoming projects and set clear boundaries for engagement and deadlines. • Empathise Acknowledge that employees may be feeling anxious or stressed. Working from home provides an opportunity to bring more empathy to the workforce, supporting one another and resolving any issues, so always try to keep your virtual door open to ensure employees know they can approach you. • Embrace the tech! The lack of face-to-face interaction may have taken a while to get

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Jim Fitzpatrick

8min
pages 98-100

Fashion - Joanne Harkness

5min
pages 95-97

Dine & Wine - Chris Rees

2min
page 94

Gerry Rourke

7min
pages 92-93

Fastest Growing Companies Forestside Announced as New Sponsor of Arts & Business NI Awards

3min
page 91

Business Class Motoring

7min
pages 88-90

Gabi Burnside

4min
pages 86-87

Breath of Fresh Air

5min
pages 74-75

Brendan Drain

4min
pages 82-83

Maybeth Shaw

3min
page 78

Helen Hardy

3min
page 76

Charles Hurst Announces New Chief

1min
pages 84-85

Unprecedented Change by

8min
pages 70-73

Danielle McWall

4min
pages 68-69

Stairway to Seven

2min
page 67

Why is COP26 Relevant to You?

6min
pages 64-66

Openreach NI Receives its First

2min
page 63

Kate Marshall

4min
page 62

Sustainable Solutions

5min
pages 58-61

My Ambition is to

2min
pages 56-57

Swift Response

5min
pages 54-55

Martin Breheney

2min
page 53

Righting the Way Forward

5min
pages 50-52

The Drive for Equality

7min
pages 46-49

Membership NI Chamber in Conversation With

11min
pages 32-35

John Campbell

4min
pages 44-45

The Work-From-Home Pioneers

4min
pages 36-39

Awards Launched Export Growth for Bloc Blinds

2min
page 43

Harnessing Nature’s Energy

6min
pages 40-42

Patrons Make the Most of Your

6min
pages 30-31

NI Chamber Welcomes New

3min
pages 28-29

CEO Update

5min
pages 26-27

Robert McCullough

3min
page 22

Announces Expansion Belfast Telegraph Business

3min
pages 24-25

Jane Shaw

5min
pages 16-17

A Healthy Response

6min
pages 18-21

Jonie Graham

4min
pages 14-15

BT’s 655m Contribution

3min
pages 10-11

Artemis Technologies Unveils

2min
pages 12-13

Dale Farm Unveils Rebrand

4min
pages 8-9
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