2020 has been a year full of unprecedented challenges. Industries have been flipped upside down and our day-to-day routines have been anything but normal. The Coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of employees to work from home and most companies not even slightly prepared. For managers, this new normal requires quick-thinking and a progressive attitude. I have had the opportunity to speak with several managers about how they adapted to managing remote employees successfully. Here are 3 of them.
Jacob Klein, VP of Product development at Logo Creator, manages a team of 7 developers and designers that are creating groundbreaking AI to help revolutionize the logo design process. Jacob says “Beyond giving your employees to tools to succeed, it is crucial you have visibility into your team’s well being. Worried and stressed out team members will not be productive, take every opportunity to communicate, and provide reassurance.”
Scott Bales had some great actionable advice as well. He is the vice president of delivery and solution engineering at Replicon. Replicon is a time management system tool out of California. He said “Providing guidelines, setting boundaries, and reviewing the basics are among the most important steps to take when setting out on your project. There will be questions; be accessible and provide clarity on priorities, milestones, performance goals, and more. Outline each team member’s availability and ensure you can reach them when needed.”
Perhaps my favorite advice came from Paul Pellman. He is the CEO of Kazoo, a software development firm from Texas. He talked about the importance of celebrating success. Pellman said “Managers should look for opportunities to celebrate the same work milestones that would be celebrated in the office. Employees just might have to switch out their high-five for a virtual elbow bump for the time being.”
Now of course adapting to such drastically new circumstances is never easy but it can be done successfully if you work together. If you equip your team with the right tools, communicate effectively, and lead with patience, your transition will be a certain success!