Covid-19 caught the world off guard and forced us to quickly adapt virtually. It’s essential to consider new behaviors associated with shifting towards virtual work. I-O psychologists have prepared best practices for managing people within remote and hybrid environments.
This article serves as a survival guide for understanding virtual workplaces, associated pros and cons, and best practices to ensure a successful transition.
What are Virtual Workplaces?
A virtual workplace lets employees work from any location with internet connectivity. This space allows employees from anywhere in the world to collaborate.
Some businesses allow employees to work remotely, which is a role that only works off-site. Remote work is the most convenient option, especially for employees who live in large cities or have kids.
Other businesses enforce a hybrid or a flexible in-person and remote work schedule. A major challenge with hybrid environments is finding the right balance of an in-person: remote ratio that satisfies everyone’s needs.
There are pros and cons associated with virtual work. Adopting best practices can give you higher chances of success after deciding which environment works best with your business structure.
Pros of Virtual Work
Remote work offers more flexibility and has shifted the standard nine to five work schedule. A flexible work schedule has been a blessing for people like myself who prefer 2 a.m. work sessions. Some of the benefits of remote work include:
Time Savings
Morning and after-work rush hour can add approximately two hours away from home. So, we spent a total of 10 hours a day at work. In just one year, the average employee spends approximately 2,600 hours away from their families. This realization makes virtual work even more attractive.
Productivity
In many cases, virtual workplaces have resulted in higher productivity. Standford found that shifting to remote work has boosted productivity by 13 percent over nine months. This may result from fewer distractions, quieter working environments, and fewer sick days.
Balancing Work and Family
Virtual work gives employees more time to spend with their families. We spend most of our lives at work and miss those precious moments shared with our loved ones. Balancing work and family life is one pro we couldn’t truly appreciate until now.
Cost Saving
Since we no longer commute as much as we used to, savings on gas alone is compounding in interest. Similarly, savings from buying business clothes, lunches, and morning coffees make a substantial difference in most people’s bank accounts.
Cons of Virtual Work
Although the pros seem too good to be true, the cons might balance things out. Leaders must remain aware of these cons as they drastically affect employee well-being and productivity.
Loneliness
We are social creatures that thrive on human interaction. Virtual work come with a major con of feeling disconnected from our communities, making us feel lonely. This is especially true for employees who live alone, like me. Leaders must consistently assess employee loneliness since it’s linked with lower work satisfaction and productivity.
Collaboration
Virtual conference calls don’t compare to the excitement of in-person collaboration sessions. This experience has shown that virtual work can result in employees feeling disconnected from peers. It’s easier for the collective energy to drive creative problem-solving and knowledge-sharing in person.
Leaders should aim for two virtual collaboration sessions a week to ensure continuous collaboration. These sessions can also be a great way to connect with everyone while noticing shifts in attitude or motivation.
Blurring Work and Life
An unexpected con is that many remote employees work longer than in-person. It’s challenging for motivated employees to take a break while the thoughts of unfinished work keep them up at night. When I worked in an office, I found myself racing out the door five minutes before my shift ended. Now I find myself working 12-hour days working virtually. As such, leaders can remind motivated employees to remain mindful of their working hours and spend more time with family or friends.
Despite every situation coming with its pros and cons, there are best practices that can ensure a motivated and productive workforce.
Best Practices for Managing Virtual Employees
Since there are fewer chances to interact with your team, there are other ways you can foster cohesion and trust. If you would like a refresher on psychologically safe environments, check out my blog!
Building Trust
Working with people you don’t trust in a virtual environment can be challenging. So leaders must work toward building a climate of trust. A good strategy involves setting clear expectations for employees on responsibilities and communication. In fact, clear expectations can also reduce micromanagement, resulting in a more collaborative team environment.
Positive Work Environments
Positive work environments are only possible when employees know their leader cares. Leaders need to prioritize becoming skilled in the art of questioning. Asking more thoughtful questions uncovers valuable insight into employees’ strengths, values, and ambitions. Similarly, thoughtful questions can also reveal a disturbed mental and emotional state, which comes with opportunities to provide emotional support.
Help People Connect
It’s vital to ensure that the team feels connected to everyone on their team in virtual workplaces. A helpful tip is scheduling weekly meetings where the team reconnects over lunch. These meetings give employees the space to bring up work challenges so the group can collaborate to find different solutions. Leaders can also schedule non-work-related events. For instance, Friday night virtual get togethers can be a great way for the team to bond over a few drinks.
Celebrate Wins
Celebrating wins as a team sustains motivation and positive energy throughout the group. Leaders can facilitate this by creating a group chat exclusively for shoutouts. Taking the time to call out employees for their successes is a great way to show that you’re paying attention, which will boost motivation. Sending shoutouts also influences the team to join in on celebrating successes with you.
Provide Ongoing Training
Providing on-demand training is a great way to ensure employees remain up-to-date on their skills while respecting their time. A great way to incentivize training is to create a contest that names a winner each quarter. However, rewards should vary by employees’ personal preferences.
For example, since I love reading, a great reward would be a new book.
Consistent Feedback
Consistent feedback in virtual workplaces is vital for employees to understand their responsibilities, performance, and leaders’ expectations. Feedback sessions can also be an excellent opportunity to coach employees toward self-insight and learning. Allowing employees the space to find solutions to their problems can cultivate higher confidence and accountability.
Tracking Employee KPI
It’s best for leaders to understand the fine line between tracking performance and micromanaging. Micromanaging assumes that employees aren’t accountable for completing their work, so leaders must constantly intervene. Instead, leaders should focus on creating a climate of trust and transparency. One strategy includes using employee performance apps that promote a fun and engaging environment. For instance, Workvivo is an app designed for teams that encourage sharing personal and professional updates. Apps like this ensure leaders remain up to date without micromanagement.
Conclusion
Covid-19 has caused a shift in our reality by forcing us to adapt virtually. Since virtual workplaces aren’t going away, leaders should understand the pros and cons associated with remote work to anticipate potential risks.
Fortunately, there are several ways to ensure that employees remain happy and productive while working remotely. These best practices share one theme in common; they focus on the employee.
To lead effectively in a virtual environment, you have to gain employees’ trust by showing how much you care. A brilliant quote by Theodore Roosevelt applies to this context
“people don’t care about how much you know, until they know you care.“
Bianca Cardenas, M.S., Ph.D., is a Fellow in Executive Assessment and Consulting with Leadership Worth Following. Dr. Bianca Cardenas empowers leaders to transcend competition by helping them unlock their people's potential.
I think other web-site proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and wonderful user genial style and design, as well as the content. You are an expert in this topic!