Do you know that 74% of employees prefer to have remote work and that would make them less likely to leave the organisation?
As we reach the COVID endemic stage, there has been a shift across organisations and individuals. We have adopted and evolved during the last three years. We lost a few loved ones, colleagues, and friends. Life will not be the same.
As I was writing this, I had an opportunity to visit a customer and he had invited us to meet him at his office. We were equally delighted to go as face-to-face meetings have become Fossil (like the millennials or the gen Z calls it).
As we walked in 600-seater floor looked relative empty and we could see around 10 to 20 people spread out. It hit me how we have adapted to the new normal and the business still goes on and sometimes with higher profitability as well.
Having said that, the greatest challenge organisations face in today’s context is managing their remote employees. The future of the workplace is predicted to be 50% remote and adding gig workers.
Employees getting hired and fired on a zoom meeting has become an everyday practice today. At the same time, empathize with the team who have been there for us or joining us by trusting us should be given the attention and care they deserve. This article covers how effectively one can manage a team.
Creating an Experience
19% of the remote team feels lonely while working remotely. So, engaging the workforce and creating an experience is a necessity today.
Creating an employee experience is crucial while working remotely be it every day or while onboarding. Onboarding is incredibly important while we are doing it remotely. While there is an opportunity to make the program more enjoyable and interactive.
- Create meaningful interactions with the team and the new joiner
- Deploy tools that will help in creating a unique experience
- Ask for support and provide an instant solution or update when it is likely to close
- Connect the new person to an appropriate HR (Human Resources) partner
- Plan an Induction with other team members or you can plan it at the office
- Make a great introduction session online
Drive value
How to create value while we are working remotely, most organisations are struggling as these practices are new. Creating a culture of feedback and reviews helps to a larger extent
- Feedback must be multi-directional; it cannot be one way. Simple gestures and smiles go a long way.
- Creating wellness programs that support employees to address the fatigue of being online always is an essential requirement.
- Supporting with right health benefits for them and their families must be well thought out and designed
- Keeping recognition and appreciation as part of our behaviour helps us create a positive and promising workplace.
Investing time in face-to-face meetings is vital while you are managing a team. Wherever possible meet the team at a common place to keep the synergy continuous. When we have employees who are engaged then we can see drastic increases in the profitability of the organisation.
Setting the objectives right
Setting the objectives and making the team aligned toward a common goal is exceedingly difficult.
If we increase the focus of the team by which we can increase the goal alignment by 42%. Having that established, focus can be driven only if you have clarity of what is trying to do.
Using frameworks like OKR (Objectives and Key Results) helps the team to understand what the priority is and what matters to the business.