How to Manage a Successful Remote Work Reset

Vincent Van Den Bossche of Wisper discusses how to reset your remote work strategy to reboot and refocus on results.

Remote work is not getting any easier to manage, and the reason for that may be rooted in the office you have left behind.

Due to the pandemic, many employers are still trying to adapt their in-person management practices to virtual work.

So, it might be time for a reset, especially considering it may be a while yet before it is possible to a return to a traditional office experience.

Time to Reconsider How You Schedule Team Meetings

Get smart in your approach to virtual meetings. The main interest of remote working is the opportunity to improve the way you work, to cut way back on meetings, to cut back on the number of people that need to be involved in any decision, and so on….

There is no need for having video conferences all day long. Consider setting aside dedicated meeting-free times to give people the bandwidth they need to work without interruption.

Give Employees the Opportunity to Find Their Own Work Rhythms

The pandemic has totally modified employees’ framework of activities. Indeed, they have been asked to make a whole lot of changes in short order to account for shifting needs.

It seems only fair and logical that employers do the same for them, allowing workers to structure their days in a way that produces their best results.

One thing is sure, this will not be the same for everyone. For example, if it’s hard to concentrate when you know the kitchen is full of dirty dishes, perhaps make a habit of calling into your first meeting of the day by phone instead of video, and do the dishes while you listen in.

If you find yourself struggling with the blues every afternoon, when the isolation of home-based work sets in, maybe it would be useful to restructure your workweek around two-part workdays, and spend the middle of each day going for a walk or visiting a friend.

Accept That Distractions Will Happen

For now, people are working from home in unusual circumstances – with children, spouses, and roommates also present. Therefore, the right way to make remote work productive is to minimize distractions.

Vincent Van Den Bossche

On top of this, home-based distractions are always within reach. Managers should try not to worry too much about it: Even though employees may be more easily pulled away from their desks, there’s evidence that they tend to work longer than they would in a traditional office – as much as two hours longer on average.

Rethink Your Expectations

To adapt to this new situation and environment, managers should be very clear about expectations for the work assigned and when it’s due.

For further insights from Wisper and to find out more about their contact centre solutions, visit: www.wisper.io

Author: Robyn Coppell