Helping Employees Adapt to Remote Work

There is no doubt that the recent worldwide pandemic changed things. Life as we know it has permanently shifted. How we live, how we play and – and particularly how we work – are markedly altered for most Canadians. According to Statistics Canada, over three million Canadians were working temporarily from home due to the coronavirus by February 2021.

“At the beginning of 2021, 32% of Canadian employees aged 15 to 69 worked most of their hours from home, compared with 4% in 2016,” per the Statistics Canada data.

How does this shift impact employee productivity?

Data suggests that over 90% of Canadian employees are at least as productive working from home as they are in the office, with some reporting that they are actually more productive and are willing to work longer hours.

Personally, I have never doubted the power of human adaptability. Something this pandemic has demonstrated is that we can come together even from a distance and we can face and overcome incredible challenges within organizations, in our nation and in the world. As senior director of P3 Engie, I have led large teams of employees for decades – and those 10% of employees who are struggling should not be forgotten.

There is no doubt that this recent seismic shift of the working landscape will lead to new research about the benefits and costs to remote work – and the personality factors at play in employee productivity.

Nearly overnight, the ability to stop by someone’s office in order to understand something disappeared, as did the camaraderie of coffee pot and water cooler discussions or working lunches when everyone was under deadline. It should not be surprising that a percentage of employees would find it troublesome when those elements became a distant memory.

“Otherwise high-performing employees may experience declines in job performance and engagement when they begin working remotely, especially in the absence of preparation and training,” according to the Harvard Business Review (HBR).

What are the specific challenges and how do managers properly help them and facilitate the adaptation required of the “new normal” remote work environment?

Remote employees face everything from isolation to battling distractions to communication challenges and finding the required information to do their work.

HBR outlines some of the quickest and easiest ways for managers to support remote workers:

Regular, structured check-ins
These usually take the form of a once per day phone call or video conference. Chats can be used to increase a sense of teamwork, appreciation, understanding and outline the tasks at hand.

Multiple communication options
As HBR points out, email alone does not work. Many managers are utilizing video conference calls and phone calls to create a sense of community within the organization.

Create opportunities for social interactions
In places that remain locked down, many companies are jumping on the Zoom happy hour bandwagon. It is a social experience in which people can see their colleagues’ faces and have some shared laughter. Managers should have the opportunity to become more and more creative as vaccinations become more commonplace and communities start to open up.

Maintain hope
What has happened with the pandemic has been tragic. So many people have lost those they love, nations like India and Nepal are still struggling. This is not over by a long shot, but what we can see is that we will continue to learn about the virus and about ourselves. How do we adapt and overcome? And how, as leaders within organizations, can we help cultivate that mentality with our employees? I believe we are just beginning to understand.