Adapting our Management Systems for Remote Work

The impact of Covid-19 has been dramatic and sudden. We have been thrust into a new way of working, and some of these changes will endure past the crisis. Remote work will increase for office workers, and some form of social distancing will continue in to the foreseeable future. Supply chains will become hardened and more localized. Digital transformations and automation will accelerate.

I will explore the first of these changes – adapting to remote work. Organizations have worked hard to set up management systems. They have built mechanisms to understand the voice of the customer, established feedback loops to recognize barriers to customer value, and implemented tools for employees to collaborate and resolve issues. Management has designed kanban systems to smooth the flow of work. They have redefined roles and freed up management time to coach.

As a coach and student of lean, I have seen how principles creates the capacity for people and organizations to adapt.  And it is no different with Covid-19. As I watch my organization and clients react to the crisis, I keep coming back to the power of having principle based behavior, especially those founded on systemic thinking and respect for every individual.

So what needs to change when the team is primarily remote? How does one ensure the intent of the management system is still met? Here are three ways organizations can adapt their management systems towards remote teams.

1.      Provide Structure

Working remotely can be over-whelming for employees and result in few breaks and long hours. Team members may feel a lack of support or experience slow decision making when faced with an issue. When and what to communicate may not be clear, with default choice being no communication. We can’t take for granted what we had before will work in the future. Clear structures and routines can help.

Example structures to consider include:

• Daily check-ins to establish what work needs to be get done and maintain alignment
• A clear process to allocate work can provide a sense of ownership
• Escalation paths and access to decision makers can help alleviate problems early
• Transparent calendars and standard times to interact will help maintain progress
• Clear communication protocols can establish rhythm and confidence

2.      Develop new skills

A remote team needs to develop a new set of skills. The casual conversation is replaced with instant messaging. Use of emails increase. Writing skills become more important. Skilled use of technology for video calls can make communication more natural and habitual. Time management becomes much more important. Managing personal chores and maintaining work-life balance requires discipline and self-awareness.

Organizations and people have shown great dexterity and innovation in responding to the Covid-19 crisis. People have set up home offices, teams have implemented virtual meetings, and work is getting done. But there is potential to improve. Many teams are getting by, but techniques to work remotely are many times seen as intuitive.

Organizations need to recognize that new skills are needed for the future. Companies that invest in developing these competencies explicitly and formally will be more successful. For example, talking in front of a camera requires articulation and listening skills that are new. Similarly, recognizing when a remote employee is feeling disconnected will be a new competency for many people.

3.      Lead differently

A new set of biases and challenges crop up with remote work. Connecting daily work to vision becomes more challenging. Team members get tunnel vision and lose sight of team goals. Visibility is reduced to leader concerns and perspectives. Teams often wonder how leaders are getting influenced, and by whom. What is acceptable in terms of work standards and behaviors can get much more ambiguous. New fears crop up of undue influence by those who are physically close to the leader. Employees feel more isolated.

The role of the manager and leader has not changed. They still need to set vision, design the work, provide resources and support, empower and coach their teams to success. But new mindsets and behaviors need to be adopted with remote work.

Managers need to be accessible. This may take the form of open calendar hours, or regular check-ins. In remote work, it is easy to get transactional and keep work flowing with quick and snappy email bursts. Managers need to move beyond this and gain meaningful insight on employee challenges and have deeper conversations. Managers should establish common approaches to issues, by investing time and working through these with employees. By doing this, both parties will feel more secure on how the next problem will be tackled. Last but not least, managers need to demonstrate fairness and objectivity in their decision making.

Clearly, there is much to do and learn as we shift to more remote work. New designs, techniques, and behaviors will take hold. New work norms will be established. I would love to hear how others are responding to this challenge. Please share your experiences as we learn together.

We are all going through an unprecedented crisis. Please stay safe and best wishes for all.