Maintaining Motivation in Lockdown

In my experience the ability to successfully manage a remote team is the best test of a leader’s effectiveness. This unprecedented time, where many people are required to work from home is a great opportunity for more leaders to develop these essential skills. It is not enough for your workforce to simply go through the motions, ticking off their assigned tasks. You need to ensure that they are still motivated and engaged during this difficult time and into the future.

I’ve put together some tips which may help you. These are all based on  real life examples from my clients and together I believe they provide a framework to best practice for inspirational remote worker leadership.

Team Huddle

Whatever you call it; Progress Report, Catchup, Update Meeting a regular get together where you all share information, updates, issues and successes should continue even when your team work remotely. These meetings are best conducted using teleconferencing or video chat technology. Keep to your normal schedule, whether that is daily, weekly, fortnightly and ensure the meetings are still short and focused. You may find that some adjustment of format is required to make it work, but it will be worth it to maintain momentum.

Coffee Chat

Of course you don’t have to bring a coffee, but a casual get together over the phone or video chat is a great way to create that bond that we all have when we see each other regularly in an office environment. It’s nice to make this a regular day, but with no compulsory attendance. Perhaps you can vary the time each week to fit with people’s commitments at home. Everyone can just drop in and talk about whatever they like.

Start and End of Meetings

If your team is smaller in size consider calling on people one by one to ask how they are feeling at the beginning and end of each meeting. Give people maybe 30 seconds each, but remember to note down any issues and follow-up with anything that is more serious or that may effect the team as a whole.

Team Wellbeing

This final tip is a little more complex. Some of your team are bound to thrive on remote working whilst others will struggle. Being isolated will effect everyone’s mental health in different ways, so remember to continue your regular 1-2-1’s with your team. If you can do this by video so that you can observe their body language and facial expressions. Take action to resolve any issues that may occur and be ready to offer additional support if required.

Finally here are some quick tips for you to check with your team

 

• Do they have the right environment to work at home. Is there a room or space set up as their office and do other people in their home know not to interrupt them when they are working.
• Have they set a schedule for their working day and are they taking regular breaks like they would in the ‘real’ office. People should get up and move around every 45-60 minutes and totally switch off at the end of the working day
• Do they have the right equipment to be comfortable ie. A proper desk, adjustable chair
• Are they eating well and keeping hydrated. With no junior to make the tea and coffee, no assigned lunch break and the kitchen within easy walking distance people who work from home often snack rather than eat properly and forget to drink enough water
• Are they taking regular exercise – energy levels drop significantly if you just sit all day and all evening
• Are they taking some time out to think, to be creative and to learn, if nothing else self-isolation gives us time – something that is normally in very short supply
• Have they got realistic goals? In theory you can get a lot more done at home, but only if you pace yourself and manage interruptions and distractions
• And finally do encourage all of your team to reach out if they are feeling isolated or depressed

I am optimistic that this experience will change the way we work forever. Managers who have not allowed their teams to work from home can build the trust they need to let this continue. The constant merry-go-round of work and everyone being overloaded can be replaced by valuing time to think, plan and be creative. If we all can learn to work more effectively, rather than just working more, then we can all be happier and more productive in the future.