Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, many team leaders have found themselves managing a remote team for the first time. This brings with it different challenges and opportunities, but above all, it\u2019s essential to encourage collaboration within your team \u2013 especially in times of uncertainty.<\/p>\n
Tiger\u2019s Head of the Permanent Division in the West End, Missy Shutt-Vine, recently hosted a webinar with Tessa Cooper, Founder of Collaborative Future[1], HR and collaboration specialist. During the session, she offered practical tips for managers on how to foster a collaborative environment while working remotely.<\/p>\n
Tessa says managers need to be \u201cable to share the things they\u2019re going through themselves, what\u2019s new to them and what they\u2019re struggling with\u201d. In the current climate, many people are worried about supporting a team in a situation where no one knows how long it will last or its future implications. If this is you, communicate openly and transparently with your team, as this will allow them to really understand your situation. You can\u2019t \u201chave all the answers for everyone all the time\u201d, she says.<\/p>\n
Managers need to be \u201cable to share the things they\u2019re going through themselves, what\u2019s new to them and what they\u2019re struggling with\u201d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This also sets an example in communicating the way you\u2019re working. Whether that\u2019s \u201csignalling to your team when you\u2019re coming online or when you\u2019re leaving for lunch. Or it could be on a much larger scale, [such as] how you set\u2026flexibility\u2026for yourself [due to] children at home\u2026or caring responsibilities. You may also be suffering from anxieties and stress, so ask for the flexibility you need from your team to demonstrate to them that it\u2019s OK to ask for [the same from you]\u201d, Tess explains.<\/p>\n
Missy adds that, \u201cIn this situation, communication is key! Despite not being able to be face-to-face with your remote team, constantly stay in touch so you can empathize with their challenges on both the work and personal side.\u201d<\/p>\n
Change the focus<\/h3>\n
While this is an uncertain period for everyone and may bring with it high stress and anxiety, it\u2019s important to try to, \u201csee this as an opportunity to take a pause as a team. Your routine [and the way you communicate] might have changed, [so] talk about what your expectations are of one another and how this change can be best managed together\u201d, Tessa explains.<\/p>\n
If you and your team now have the space and time to work on things you\u2019ve never had the chance to before, take advantage of it! Tessa says that could include \u201ca whole host of things \u2013 a new strategy, team-building, learning new skills together [or working on] personal development.\u201d It will allow the team to feel involved in the plan of action over the next few weeks, motivating them to dive head-first into this new focus.<\/p>\n
Let your team know if your workload has changed<\/h3>\n
If you and your team are now working from home, it may feel like you get to the end of the day and realize you\u2019ve not ticked one thing off your to-do list due to the never-ending stream of phone calls and video meetings! If this is you, Tessa suggests that you \u201cshould feel comfortable sharing with [your] teams that it\u2019s having a knock-on effect on [your] work. A lot of people don\u2019t realize that their managers have a lot of other things to focus on, so we really need to work on being a lot more open with our teams and sharing the pressures on us.\u201d Communication and collaboration go hand in hand!<\/p>\n
A practical solution may be a shift in thinking with our calendars. Instead of \u201cblocking out time [where] we need to focus on one particular thing\u201d, Tessa has seen it work much more effectively if \u201cyou can block out time that people can proactively make appointments with you. That way, [your team] knows\u2026there\u2019s a section of time in the day or week where you are having one-to-one conversations.\u201d She says this has other benefits too, as it \u201cwill also help you with task switching, which is another difficult thing when you\u2019re jumping on and off calls: It\u2019s really hard to sit down for the 20 minutes you have between calls to crack on with something else.\u201d<\/p>\n
Managers also may be able to use this time to start to implement more of a coaching mindset with their team, to allow them the scope and ability to come up with ideas and make decisions for themselves. \u201cThat\u2019s a much longer-term thing around how you ensure people are much more self-sufficient\u201d, Tessa explains, but it may allow the pressure to be released slightly on a manager whose team constantly looks to them for guidance.<\/p>\n
Think mindfully about company announcements<\/h3>\n
In times of crises, managers and business leaders need to balance internal communication very carefully. Tessa says that \u201cthere\u2019s a real risk of under-communicating now you\u2019re not based in an office together and [are] potentially working different hours from one another.\u201d However, keep in mind that \u201cpeople are already feeling a heightened sense of stress in all sorts of ways, so businesses need to tread a careful line between the types of communication they send out [and] how regularly [they are sent].\u201d<\/p>\n
Also, think about the timing of these messages. For example, don\u2019t send anything that may provoke anxiety or questions \u201clate at night, when people are about to log off and go spend time with their families \u2013 that is unhelpful as it is going to cause them stress overnight and won\u2019t allow them to talk to their managers about it\u201d, Tess says. This may cause negative feelings within a remote team, hindering an open and collaborative environment.<\/p>\n
Manage your own stress<\/h3>\n
Alongside worrying about your team\u2019s health and well being, you\u2019re probably also feeling uncertain and anxious about the current situation. Tessa has seen that, \u201cone of the challenges is about how you manage your own stress, worries and fears so they don\u2019t have a knock-on effect for people who are also experiencing [the same thing].\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s \u201cstress to do with the coronavirus outbreak, using new technology and ways of working, [or] feeling like you may be judged for your ability to manage this sort of change, [realize] that everyone is in the same situation.\u201d It\u2019s unprecedented and there isn\u2019t a guide book to follow \u2013 so you\u2019re allowed to make mistakes!<\/p>\n
Tessa suggests that \u201cmanagers [should take] time to think of ways to release their stress, [including] taking breaks from work when they need it [or] doing things outside of work [they enjoy]. [This means] when they are working with people and are relied upon to answer difficult questions, they are not projecting that stress and anxiety onto other people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Understand that every team within the business is different<\/h3>\n
\u201cTeams within businesses have all been affected very differently,\u201d Tessa explains. \u201cUp until now, a lot of businesses think that being fair is about treating everyone equally. [However], the reality is that this situation is impacting people a lot differently.\u201d For example, some front-line teams may find their workload has significantly decreased due to the pandemic, whereas others, like operations, may find they\u2019re busier than before. Missy adds, \u201cI think the only thing that everyone has in common at the moment is that things are uncertain. We\u2019re all trying to change and adapt to work out the next steps forward as best we can.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo,\u201d Tessa continues, \u201cit\u2019s really important that managers take time to understand what each individual in their team needs and how they can best be supported through this time.\u201d It\u2019s also a good idea to encourage your remote team to take this into account when collaborating with others within the company.<\/p>\n
Future-proof your team<\/h3>\n
\u201cThe most important thing a manager can do right now is really seeing this as an opportunity to future-proof your team and business,\u201d Tessa says. \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s any going back to normal or the way things were. Some people are going to now [expect] more flexibility because they can actually see that it\u2019s helped them to do their job. Other people are going to continue to be affected by the last few weeks, even after the situation has passed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I think making time to actually work out what\u2019s important as a company and as a team [is a good idea].\u201d Experiment with new ways of working, like implementing flexible hours, upgrading remote systems, or trying new ways to collaborate with online programs such as Trello[2] or Monday[3].<\/a><\/p>\n
Tessa says that \u201cwhile the tools we use are important, most important are the people you\u2019re working with. Without those people, you can\u2019t do the work that you need to do, [which means] you don\u2019t have a business. Now is an important time to make sure we\u2019re really looking after our people in one way or another and giving them the support they need. In terms of those needs, [managers should be flexible]\u2026to help those people in the best way that suits them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Focus on what\u2019s certain<\/h3>\n
Tessa explains that \u201cthe other thing I\u2019ve been encouraging teams to do is focus on what they do know is certain.\u201d Identify these things first, whether it be your company mission, your customer base or your commitment to your staff and use these as a way to motivate your remote team. It\u2019s \u201cjust [about] reiterating the basic things that aren\u2019t going to falter in one way or another.\u201d They will find this comforting and \u201cbe able to hold onto that\u201d when carrying out their work and communicating with others.<\/p>\n
Facilitate team learning<\/h3>\n
There are a few things you can do to facilitate team collaboration beyond the company-wide meeting. Tessa shares that she\u2019s \u201cseen lots of teams learning or [taking] online courses together and sharing the [lessons]. [For example, they can] self-organize workshops using Zoom, [or try out] an online learning platform [where the team] can all come together to learn, [such as] Future Learn[4] or EdX[5]\u201d.<\/p>\n