Sustaining Business Success During This Year’s Rapid Quitting And Hiring Challenges

You’re not alone in this struggle

While the worst effects of the pandemic appear to be receding, many challenges still remain for business owners and managers as we move through the new year. The “Great Resignation” has led to record numbers of employees quitting their jobs and reevaluating their approach to work-life balance. What’s more, the challenge (and opportunity) of leading a remote workforce remains with us, at least for the foreseeable future.  
 
With that in mind, here are some tips on how leaders can more effectively manage a remote team. These techniques undoubtedly require a degree of experimentation as companies search for what works with their team. Businesses will need to take a bit more initiative and maintain an uncommon level of flexibility, as they continue to rise to the twin challenges of turnover and remote work.

Good communication is key to building trust and has always been a pillar of efficient and effective teams. But when you’re managing a remote team, this becomes doubly important. Establish clear communication guidelines and practices so that team members understand their roles, as well as how they can reach other team members. Check-in regularly with team members to ensure they're on track with their projects and have everything they need. This can be quite a challenge for larger companies with a hybrid workforce, but what’s clear is that you’ll need a system that provides full transparency and an unimpeded flow of information.

Good leaders will know that employees have varying approaches to how they can work most effectively. Furthermore, different types of projects can require different levels of collaboration or more independent work. Some employees are independent and will have no trouble getting on with their assignments once they’ve been parceled out. Others can require a little more oversight and collaboration to help them along. Be understanding of this and take time to learn, and try to accommodate disparate work styles. Find ways to get them to play to their strengths and foster an open atmosphere that welcomes different attitudes and perspectives towards work. Diversity in work styles can actually be more of a benefit than a hindrance.

When you’re managing a far-flung team with members in different parts of the globe, it’s obvious that not everyone will be available at the same time. Fostering communication and collaboration in this environment requires a significant degree of flexibility, especially when arranging meetings. Talk to your colleagues - learn from the many companies that are at the forefront of making remote work environments the norm. How do they take the best advantage of tools like Slack or Google Docs? How might those practices be adapted in your own context? And keep in mind that recording meetings and making the recordings available to people who can’t attend is a great way to make people feel that they’re in the loop.

Managing a team in which some members are working remotely while others are on-site brings new challenges. Try to remain available to each team member and ensure no one is left out. Make yourself even more available than you normally would, and maintain an open-door policy: even if that “door” is miles away from some of your team members. Be patient and reach out to any team member that you think might be struggling. Again, open communication is key.

Today’s managers need to take a serious approach to looking after their team’s emotional well-being. Burnout is one of the most common reasons that many employees quit their jobs. Watch for the signs of burnout: low motivation, lack of energy, poor attitude, cynical comments, negative outlook, detachment, etc. Encourage a healthy work-life balance. If team members are struggling, listen to their concerns and be open to making changes if they’re under too much pressure.

A lot of employees who have switched to remote work have noted that they miss some aspects of the office, most notably the informal chats and banter around the water cooler. Consider establishing a “virtual water cooler” on Zoom or Google Meet or Slack where team members can talk about things unrelated to work, get to know each other, and blow off steam. Create a separate message board or Slack channel for informal chats and sharing photos and ridiculous memes. Ensure that such venues have relevant community guidelines, just as you would provide for your company’s external community and social channels. Encourage team members to share their interests and find things they have in common. Doing so will create a stronger sense of community and counteract feelings of isolation.

Despite the much-vaunted benefits of remote work, not everyone has the ability to thrive when working from afar. Some people may find it hard to get motivated when they're not surrounded by colleagues. Some overcompensate and feel pressure to work harder to prove their worth to their employers. Managers should be aware of these differences and adopt a flexible approach. Perhaps some people will be more motivated to work at night, once their families are asleep. Others might need the structure of a regular nine-to-five schedule to keep them on track - you may have different time zones and many 9 to 5s. Experiment with new arrangements and be open to employee suggestions about what will work best for them. Sometimes, the simple act of asking employees what they need is enough to turn around the attitude of an employee approaching the burnout stage.

Managing a remote team comes with its challenges, and reminding yourself that you’re not alone in the struggle can make a big difference in how you manage the challenge. Keep in mind that there are a lot of great tools and apps that can make the job easier. Find what ones work for you and remain open to change and experimentation. With time, you may discover that a distributed and hybrid workplace brings with it welcome diversity and allows you to customize your workflow in a way that maximizes both productivity and employee satisfaction.