The Remote Workforce Post Covid-19

Five best practices

We spend nearly 100,000 hours at work during our lifetime. This provides a strong hint as to why my research reveals that our work environment is the leading driver of our employee engagement. 

Prior to 2020, remote work was a fast-growing trend. However, according to U.S. Census data, only five percent of employees worked from home prior to the pandemic. Most employees working from home were often provided this flexible work accommodation to address unique circumstances as an exception, not a norm. 

As a result of Covid-19, practically overnight most employees are working from home. This shift occurred so rapidly that most organizations did not have company-wide policies, procedures, or infrastructure in place to support the majority of employees working remotely. Every organization needed to rapidly implement thoughtful policies and procedures. Leaders now recognize that in a post-Covid-19 world, though many employees will return to corporate offices, many others will forever be converted to remote workers. 

Given that the work environment so dramatically impacts employee satisfaction, corporate leaders need to thoughtfully address this important paradigm shift. The following are some best practices for supporting remote employees and teams:

Many of us are feeling isolated from our respective company and work teams. Communicating seems like a straightforward solution for staying connected among a remote workforce, but in fact, a CultureIQ survey of nearly thirty thousand employees from more than three hundred organizations found communication to be the weakest of ten dimensions of a high-performance culture.

As technology advancements offer many new channels, communication in the workplace is becoming more accessible but more complicated too. Sometimes, communicating more frequently isn’t the full solution, but instead communicating more effectively is more important. In a post-Covid-19 world, leaders should ensure that team meetings occur more frequenty to allow employees to feel connected. Managers should check in more frequently with their employees as well. Encourage phone calls and video calls whenever possible. Also create processes and tools for managers to share frequent updates, metrics and other important results. 

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, approximately 50% of employees needed to coordinate work with colleagues in other locations. Post Covid-19, that number is more than likely closer to 100%. An organization’s success hinges on its ability to cross-pollinate ideas and ongoing teamwork. With so many employees working remotely, companies need to be very intentional and proactive helping employees find creative ways in all locations to interact effectively. Some tips to facilitate and encourage collaboration include: 
 

Make sure that employees have the physical tools to perform their roles. Invest in technologies that help employees work together and provide visibility to what others are working on, regardless of their location. Tools such as Zoom, Slack, Microsoft Teams and other communication solutions are more important than ever, given the ubiquity of remote workers. Also make sure that employees have remote access to secure files. Consider remote phone support, internet connectively and other tools required for remote employees to perform. 

Many employees are now integrating their work and life more so than ever, managing their homes, children and pets, in addition to their professional roles and responsibilities. Companies and leaders should recognize that work schedules need to be more flexible to accommodate these new realities. Often children’s needs, a pet emergency, or some other unforeseen responsibility at home may take priority over a business meeting or call. Companies that prioritize flexibility will earn employee loyalty. 

Mission and values compose a company's unique identity. In a company with a strong mission and value alignment, all employees know the mission and values, understand how they connect to their individual work, and see the mission and values consistently followed in day-to-day operations. When your company and your workforce are aligned on mission and purpose, employees are more likely to be satisfied, motivated, and committed. In short, when employees feel aligned with the mission and values of their company, and inspired by the company’s purpose, the location of their office or desk becomes irrelevant. 

Recruiting and retaining the very best talent is always essential to achieve superior results and drive customer satisfaction. But during these uniquely challenging and uncertain times, retaining your top talent can make the difference between business success and failure. Being thoughtful and intentional about your future workforce post Covid-19 can ensure that your business is prepared for continued success in all circumstances.