Page 5 - The Leadership Line: March 2022

Making Remote Work, Work

In March 2020, moving from in-office work to teleworking was welcomed by many employees especially those
who did not have the option to work from home prior to the pandemic. No longer did we listen to the traffic
report; instead, we enjoyed a few extra minutes in bed before starting our workday. Grabbing lunch from your own
kitchen became convenient and we enjoyed the comforts of home especially having your dog by your side all day.
But as the months passed and became years, remote work became our “new normal.” In turn, many of us started
to feel a little disconnected from our team and our managers. Overall, the level of engagement has decreased
across the US workforce for the first time in 10 years according to a recent Gallup poll. The two categories of
employees experiencing the most disengagement are healthcare professionals and managers.
As a leader at MIL, it is critical that you are engaged to keep your team members engaged. They take their cues
from you.
Here are some easy things you can do starting today to connect better with your team when
working remotely:

Smile! Use your camera during Teams meetings. The ability to see people rather than just hear them
exponentially improves the effectiveness of communication. When there is silence, you can see they are
silent because they are confused or silent because they are writing down notes.

Check-in! Make sure to check in daily with each team member – this does not have to take a lot of time,
just a quick text can help keep you connected and goes a long way toward maintaining and continuing to
build a relationship with each team member.

Fast Feedback. “Catch” your team members doing something great and let them know you noticed it and
you appreciate their constant, solid results. Employees who received meaningful feedback in the past week
are almost four times more likely to be engaged compared to other employees.

Make the implicit explicit. Be very clear with your expectations. If you have not already, make sure each
team member knows your expectations for response times for chat or emails for example.

Take care of yourself. As a leader, you have more pressure on you. You are responsible for your
performance and your team’s performance. Pay attention to your own health; make time to enjoy your
hobbies, family, and friends, and anything that helps you feel well, happy, and healthy.