I’ve had so many conversations recently with people around remote working and the future of the workplace itself. I think it’s safe to say that the term ‘workplace’ is now all encompassing and working from home or ‘away from the office’ is a huge part of that.

Staying away from all of the facts and figures of what does or doesn’t work, or the arena around what you physically need, to be able to work productively from home; one of the key areas of working remotely that everyone is trying to master, is the art of engaging, and leading your teams whilst you are constantly sat behind a screen. You can never take away the human touch, the excitement of face to face conversation, or the need to sit in front of people when delivering key messages; but lets face it; even when we are past lockdown and social distancing, remote working is here to stay.

So how do we lead our teams when we haven’t seen them in person for months, or in some cases if you’ve had to recruit during this period, maybe not at all?

The secret to success simply lies in how you communicate.

First and foremost, you need to actively reflect on what type of leader you are; how did you manage previously and decide whether that can work remotely. How you communicate will be the sole element of productivity and your ability to create a high performing team. You may not want to change what type of leader you are, but you can certainly adapt the way in which this comes across to gain maximum benefit.

I think we can all agree that the spike in people working from home has led to many re-evaluating their work-life balance and focusing on themselves, their health and their well-being significantly more than before; so your team need to know that you trust them and that you don’t need to micro-manage them. Communicate regularly, but don’t feel like you need to constantly hit that call button to put your mind at ease to know they are working.  

Set goals and objectives and review on a regular basis. We all need to make sure that the work is getting done, that’s not a bad thing; but let’s set expectations from the outset. Well set goals become everyone’s guidance of remote working. These are your basis on how to communicate, how you can motivate and how you engage your team.

Saying that, also remember that every call doesn’t need an agenda. Previously, we would meet people for a coffee or catch up for 10 minutes whilst passing in the office; this type of interaction is what everyone is missing, although we can’t re-create it, we can ensure that the premise isn’t lost. Sometimes, an un-structured catch up or a quick hello will go down a treat and can be much more effective.

Set and diarise regular full team catch ups. This could be every day, every other day or once a week. Don’t make it mandatory (unless required) but let everyone know there is a forum for them to vent, catch up, or just listen to others so they don’t feel alone. These are a great way to really motivate and engage with your colleagues and improve morale.

Finally, have a conversation using your mobile phone once in a while! This one is a really odd concept, but whilst we are constantly sat on video calls there is nothing more refreshing that putting your phone against your ear and being able to move around the house or go for a short walk at the same time.