During 2020, millions of businesses shut their doors for good. But the ones that survived were smart enough to pivot to account for our pandemic reality. Many employers realized that remote work arrangements were ultimately the best way to keep productivity on-pace while prioritizing worker safety. And even though we’re midway through 2021 and eager to return to “normal,” countless Americans are determined to continue working from home for the foreseeable future.
Whether you’re currently having the working from home vs working in an office debate or you’ve already made the decision to indefinitely allow remote work options, this is still uncharted territory for many of us. Even if you allowed employees to occasionally work from home prior to this health crisis, our post-pandemic world will bring lots of new challenges for employers.
The truth is that a substantial portion of the American workforce wants to maintain a remote work environment. Employers who won’t allow for this new way of working will undoubtedly be left behind. That said, you’ll still need to do your job – even if your employees aren’t physically at the office. If you want your business to thrive in 2021 and beyond, you’ll need to learn how to effectively manage your remote employees. Let’s take a closer look at why continuing with remote work might make sense for your organization and how you can become an even better boss (with better results!) in the process.
Some employers are resistant to the idea of ongoing remote work. They may be reluctant to let go of the past or embrace something that seems so uncertain. But we’re starting to see the effects that could have on the workforce. Currently, many businesses are understaffed. And while it’s easy to chalk that up to a labor shortage, low compensation is frequently being cited as at least a contributing factor. However, one survey found that increased wages might not even be enough to convince workers to come back to the office. Data compiled by Blind found that 64% of employees (many of whom work for major brands like Microsoft and Google) would take a permanent work-from-home option over a $30,000 increase in pay. At a time when the national rates of take-home pay and the average cost of living couldn’t be more poorly aligned, that’s a pretty big deal.
Another study found that at least two-thirds of remote employees want to continue working from home after the pandemic ends. While that might seem like a sweet deal for workers, it’s also worth mentioning that remote work can save companies quite a bit of money on overhead. And since multiple studies have shown that working remotely can boost productivity, it makes sense for employers to get on board. Many already have. By May 2021, Gallup reported that 70% of U.S. white collar employees were still working outside of a traditional office environment.
As more well-known companies publicly state they’re extending their work-from-home policies or embrace hybrid work models, it’s becoming clearer to both employers and employees that remote work isn’t going anywhere – and that workers will go elsewhere to get it if they have to. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that many startups are continuing to offer remote work positions. Not only can it keep existing employees around, but it can help you attract new hires as you grow.
Still, you may not be doing as much as you could be to manage your staff while they work from home. No matter what the future brings, you can improve your culture, reduce turnover, and boost engagement if you follow these tips.
- Keep Checking In: It’s easy to feel isolated when you work from home. But you don’t have to settle for a disengaged culture when you have a remote workforce. Make sure that you’re making time to check in with your employees in a meaningful way and on a regular basis. That means you may want to schedule one-on-ones, team standups, training sessions, and performance reviews even more frequently. Above all else, make yourself available (especially to new hires) and take the initiative to give or receive feedback.
- Build Trust Through Listening: Speaking of feedback, you can make a huge impact by practicing your active listening. So much can get lost through an email or a ping, so remote work can put our communication skills to the test. You can illustrate how much you care about the employee experience by improving your ability to truly listen. Remote work can be a challenge for those who are used to micromanaging, so active listening can also act as a good way to build trust between employer and employee.
- Empower With the Right Tools: Your employees won’t thrive if they don’t have access to the resources they need. Good management starts with providing your employees with those tools. Whether it’s hardware, software, or professional development, it all starts with identifying the barriers that exist and doing what you can to remove them. Of course, you’ll want to empower your employees to problem-solve and take initiative – but don’t use that as an excuse to sit back and relax while your team struggles.
It takes a concerted effort to be a great manager for a remote workforce. While many of the guiding principles of good management can apply no matter where you are, it may take some tinkering to get the balance right in 2021. But if you’re up for the challenge, you can end up growing your culture, keeping your employees motivated, and exceeding your business goals – all without ever going into the office.
