Introduction: Who might've thought that one could save the human race by sitting at home? Though work from home might not always go as intended, as managers, we need to stay on top of (especially) unforeseen events. What could be the best strategies to manage teams in these unprecedented times?
A sudden outbreak of global pandemic COVID -19 has changed the way people use to work, interact, and live. In less than fifteen days, we have a new normal. As each country makes significant interventions to beat the pandemic, most of the businesses are quickly making enormous changes to respond to the pandemic outbreak, keeping in mind the operational and financial challenges, and Shazamify is no different.
It is never easy for teams to work remotely overnight, especially if they haven't done this before. Amidst this health crisis where you don't know the source of infection that may come from anywhere, all the teams must be ready for the new working scenario i.e., work from home, and that could be daunting. Marketing managers being in a dynamic role, need to take care of a lot of things. The rundown goes like managing the team with limited resources, prioritizing team member's health, continue to generate enough qualified leads, structuring a regular workday, be creative, coordinate with the cross functional team along with Senior Management, and so on. Managers need to get the most out of employees without pressurizing them, keeping in mind these are unprecedented times.
Nevertheless, I would like to share a few approaches that may help you manage your team efficiently and give you an insight into how we work from home at Shazamify, amid these uncertainties. You could use these same strategies for any team, for instance: HR, Delivery, Operations, Administration, and many others. These pointers could be used by new managers, and even by those who are looking more tacts.
Be More of a Result-Driven Person
At this moment, you should be keener on the results than the method your team follows. Working from home could be a new concept for a lot of your team members. You should support them to get accustomed to this new change. It would help if you kept in mind that you cannot interact with them easily because you are no longer working under the same roof. At times, you may even be working in different time zones. The idea is to be more flexible and let your team members achieve their goals in their ways. In other words, you would need to fine-tune your expectations. Trust your employees and support them in all terms.
Be on the Same Page
You and your team must be on the same page. Working from home means you would need a lot of communication back and forth, so make sure everyone is on the same page. Be sure that you are in regular contact, so there is no room for misunderstandings. At the same time, please respect their privacy. Being at home also means they have to look after a lot of other things. Keep a fixed time for video call meetings where you ask your team members to update on their work status. Help them by not getting distracted. Use humor to lighten up the environment and ask them about their health in these stressful times. These little things keep the team glued up.
Use This Time to Learn New Skills
You could always share some useful links or resources with your team to learn a new skill, tool, or a new valuable short course during the quarantine period. Keep it short, simple, and relevant to their domain. It is a good idea to keep a friendly discussion every week to discuss what your team learned in the ongoing week and what they plan to learn next. Give some space to let them learn something they always wanted to but never found time due to their busy schedules. Being a manager, you could also give them limited-time free access to books or apps, which helps them in one way or another.
Implement a Buddy System
Usually, this method is used to orient a new employee when he/she joins the organization. Implementing a buddy system makes it easier for newcomers to share and grab new ideas and adds more value to your organization. In the period of lockdown, taking care of every team member can be overwhelming for managers. A buddy system would relieve not only the extra burden from a manager's shoulders but also creates mutual emotional support among team members.
Study the Body Language
When at work, it is easier to understand the body language of people around you and provide support accordingly. During this social distancing scenario, you may need to observe your team members through their tone, voice, and facial expressions during the meetings or interactions happening in video calls. Hence, this will help you to figure out if anyone in your team requires your consideration or guidance. Also, continuously keep asking if they need your support. Excellent and prompt communication is the key to managing your remote team successfully.
Remove Fear and Stress
Stress often shuts down brains and doesn't let one generate new ideas and creativity. Managers who spread optimism and happiness are always successful in helping their team find pleasure and purpose in their work. If an employee doesn't have the right resources like a stable internet connection or a laptop, offer help and try resolving their issues. That's where a buddy again could come to rescue. A friendlier approach helps team members communicate more efficiently. For instance, expect interruptions, like a pet wandering around during video calls. Take things casually because the environment you work in is now totally different.
Be Transparent
It is vital to keep transparency with your team amid crisis. In the time of confusion, the team often feels demotivated, lost, and fear to lose their jobs. Update them frequently, even if there are no significant updates. You could ask them about their health and their family to create incredible chemistry. It is considered as the best gesture you could show in good faith and understanding. This way, you also tend to develop a genuine relationship with your team, which will bring better outcomes in the longer run.
To conclude, COVID-19 has created havoc in everyone's life. This is a unique and grave testing time for the entire human race. It is not only your organization, but this pandemic impacts every single person. The aim should be to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at your workplace by offering remote working wherever it is possible. With that, you must offer psychological security to your team and colleagues by rendering them an environment where they can learn and not fear humiliation or embarrassment, a situation where they can strive and achieve a lot than anticipated.
Social distancing may be a new reality, but if managed well, you still can work efficiently and successfully from your home without losing your calm. This entire practice will help you even after this pandemic is over.