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5 Ways a Remote Manager Can Kill
Your Workplace Culture
By: Janine Yancey
Here are the common
pitfalls to avoid to keep
your company’s culture
strong in the new WFH
“normal.”
ere’s the simple truth: the
“new normal” is not new
Hanymore. It’s just normal.
According to a recent report
from the Stanford Institute for
Economic Policy Research, the Letting everyone stopping by a colleague’s office
U.S. economy is now truly a 1 turn the webcam off to say hello and casually check
work-from-home economy, with the progress on a project? Or
more than 60 percent of U.S. during meetings the friendly banter in the hallway
When it comes to team
economic activity now coming meetings, ever notice that over or lunch room when you learned
from people clocking in from a that an employee was dealing
home residence. time, more and more of your with a stressful family situation
And although the best colleagues start to turn the at home or even a client matter
managers and corporate video off? Set a good example that might be impacting their
leaders have been able to keep by leaving yours on — always work? Yeah, those days are over,
if possible. And encourage the
the wheels on the bus and and the 30 seconds of chit-chat
maintain productivity levels rest of your team to follow suit at the start of a Zoom meeting
during the craziness of current with few exceptions. will not suffice.
times, sustaining a company’s Sure, it can be extremely That’s why it’s even more
workplace culture health has tempting to shut off the video critical for remote managers
when heading into the first (or
not always been as successful. to establish a regular routine
Honestly, it can be easier in last) Zoom meeting of the day. that includes daily check-ins
some cases to harm your After all, you reason, no one with team members. An early
company’s culture inadvertently really needs to see your ratty morning email and end-of-
than to promote it when you’re ponytail or messy living room, day wrap-up might seem
do they? And plus, why not get
dealing with a workforce where like overkill, but it will go a
so many are juggling kids, pets a little bit of email done while long way toward reducing
and myriad other household coworkers are droning on? isolation and promoting open
distractions with their jobs. Resist the urge. Face time — communication.
If you are a remote manager, albeit through video — is more The communication should
what are the fastest ways to kill critical than ever these days. be two-way of course. Be sure
workforce morale and damage to remind team members to
your company’s culture? In the Being too hands-off share updates on their work
spirit of learning from others’ 2 in terms of check- and prompt them to ask for
mistakes, here are a few of the ins with individuals help on any roadblocks they
most common pitfalls to avoid. and your teams might be experiencing; set up
Remember the days of
12 Propane Magazine September/October 2020
