The pandemic caused by COVID-19 is expected to fundamentally change the way organizations function in the coming years. As governments and companies globally call on people with symptoms to self-isolate and all others to practice physical distancing, working from home is becoming our new reality.
Although it is desirable to establish clear policies and rules for mobile work and/or working from home as well as employee training, in times of crisis or other rapid changes in conditions, this level of preparation is impossible.
There are specific guidelines and steps based on research that managers can take, which can easily improve the engagement and productivity of mobile workers or employees working from home, even when there isn’t much time for preparation.
For our readers, we have prepared a series of texts with which we will try to help managers effectively and efficiently manage employees during times of crisis and working from home.
In this first text, we will focus on the obstacles that managers face in managing employees who work from home.
To start, managers need to understand the factors that can make virtual work especially difficult. If these factors are not addressed, a drop in productivity and engagement can be observed even among employees who achieve high results in their work.
Lack of face-to-face supervision
Very often employees and managers have concerns due to the lack of face-to-face interaction. Managers are concerned that employees will not put in enough effort or will not be efficient enough. Employees, on the other hand, have difficulties due to the lack of managerial support and communication.
In extreme situations, employees feel that their supervisors do not have a sense of their needs, and therefore do not provide the necessary support and help in completing work tasks.
Lack of access to information
Employees who start virtual work are often surprised by the time and effort required to locate information that their colleagues possess. Even obtaining simple information can be a major obstacle when working from home.
This phenomenon is included in interpersonal challenges that can arise between employees who work virtually. Research indicates that the lack of “shared knowledge” between employees working from home can contribute to a low level of trust between colleagues, especially in difficult situations.
As an example, a situation from a real work environment can be cited where if a colleague has problems, a tense e-mail is seen as a result of stress. But if an employee receives an e-mail from a colleague who works from home/virtually, without additional understanding of the conditions in which the colleague is located, then such a message is more often perceived as aggressive and offensive, and a negative image of the colleague’s professionalism is built.
Social isolation
Loneliness is one of the main disadvantages of working from home, because employees miss the informal social interaction they find at work.
It is believed that extroverted personalities will suffer more from isolation in the short term, especially because they will not have the opportunity to connect with others in the environment in which they find themselves. However, over a longer period of time, isolation can contribute to any employee feeling less belonging to their organizations, and can even lead to an increased need to leave the company.
Interruptions at home
We have witnessed in the past period, and especially now, quite humorous scenes of parents working from home with their children in their arms, video conference interruptions by pets, as well as people working from beds and armchairs in their homes. This actually represents a poor presentation of effective virtual work.
Usually, employees are encouraged to create a separate space intended exclusively for virtual work and to provide adequate childcare before starting to work from home.
However, in such unexpected and crisis situations of sudden transition to virtual work, there is a high possibility that employees will not be able to provide optimal and necessary working conditions, given that kindergartens and schools are closed and they themselves must take on all responsibilities around the children.
It is especially important during this period for managers to be attentive and expect such interruptions in work and to show appropriate understanding and support.
Do you need help?
If you need help or advice related to managing virtual teams, contact us at the e-mail addresses and phone numbers found on our website: www.vivendumsolutions.com.mk.
