30th October 2020
Inspiring your people in a changing world – Building a supportive culture while remote working
The world is upside down. Work, family, downtime: everything has changed and continues to change during this pandemic. Many years from now, we’ll look back and wonder how we managed it all. Employees are juggling multiple schedules and are under pressure to handle so much change. How do we continue to inspire when the usual in-person methods simply don’t apply?
From Arity’s viewpoint, the first three pillars of a supportive company culture — Recognition, Community, and Working Together — haven’t changed, but our environments certainly have. When teams are 100% remote, we must work differently.
- Leverage New Technology Systems: Teleconnecting is not new, but it’s now the primary way we communicate. Leveraging new technologies to bring interactions to life helps keep teams motivated, connected, and engaged. At the same time, new technology can be unpredictable and stressful; showing understanding when hiccups occur can decrease employee stress.
- Model Healthy Behaviors: With a remote connection comes the pressure to be “on” around the clock, which can lead to burnout. Employees have the right to disengage, take a break, grab a snack, and sleep during their time zone’s sleeping hours. Leaders can model healthy behaviors to show that, for example, being unavailable during a scheduled break is acceptable and expected.
- Establish New Rules: When the team is in different time zones, it’s important to respect their individual working hours, and recognize that there are forces beyond their control that affect availability. Establish a system that works for your industry and team and publish it for everyone.
We are all in this together, and together, as leaders, we can continue to show we care, foster strong relationships, and model new systems and behaviors to give confidence that a balanced life is encouraged.
This blog is a part of the IW Official Guide: World Mental Health Day Supporting the workplace during the pandemic & beyond. Download the full guide here.