Supporting remote workers requires a combination of consistency, empathy, and understanding. As many teams are now entering their second month of remote working, many managers will probably have noticed both positive trends as well as some employees becoming overwhelmed. For example, non-essential employees have probably increased productivity, will have called in less requesting sick days, and the overall operational expenses of the organization are lower. They will have also noticed a rise in employees feeling overextended and overwhelmed.

5 Support Strategies

The following five strategies are key in supporting employees in virtual settings.

1.  Conduct regular check-ins to assess how the workload has changed. 

As many will have noticed by now, remote work results in much more actual work for a variety of reasons. First, everything has to be documented. Communication with peers also has to be more intentional and frequent. There is also much more clerical work that must be undertaken to keep everyone in the loop and to ensure compliance. In addition, since a lot of systems become streamlined for greater efficiency, the amount of work a person undertakes can increase dramatically. This combination of factors can lead employees to feel overwhelmed. Thus, in order to prevent burnout, managers must:

For more Tips to Avoid Employee Burnout 

2. Eliminate inefficient peer collaborations.

Supporting remote workers requires information gathering, discussion, negotiation, and employee engagement in order to eliminate collaboration obstacles. It is often helpful to begin by asking everyone on the team to track their time to assess where their time is going and how long projects and work functions take in the virtual workspace versus in person. It is also useful to identify what information, decisions, or meetings each employee should be part of or informed about in order to ensure everyone has access to the information they need to do their jobs. This brings about more consistent and strategic employee engagement that keeps everyone in the loop. 

3. Provide clarity regarding decision-making. 

Ambiguity inevitably leads to stagnation when it comes to decision-making. The inability to make decisions or progress on a project due to the inaction of others is very stressful for employees. In this situation, managers should clearly delineate the chain of command and the organizational decision-making processes. Whenever possible, employees should be as autonomous as possible with as much decision-making as appropriate in order to ensure that they can meet their deadlines. Teams must be informed about which issues employees have the authority to solve on their own and who is responsible for other decisions. If employees are being held up by the inaction of a supervisor, it may be time for the manager to follow up and make sure the decision is made or to get an answer as to when the answer will be received. 

For More Information on Clarifying the Chain of Command

4. Do not overwhelm employees with virtual meetings, information, and emails.

Establishing the balance between over-communication and under-communication in a virtual setting is not easy, but necessary when supporting remote workers. Many employees are finding themselves in endless virtual/ Zoom meetings and reviewing hundreds of emails on the same topic while trying to follow convoluted discussion chains. This is completely inefficient and often results in employees missing critical information. Furthermore, employees do not have enough time to complete their actual work, which in a nonprofit has a different impact than in for-profit organizations.

Tedious and repetitive communications in nonprofits are particularly pernicious because employees who are unable to complete their work advancing the mission of the organization begin to feel disengaged from the organization. They begin to feel as if the organizational leaders care more about paperwork than the clients they serve. Thus, in order to ensure employees continue to feel connected to the mission, the communication strategies that are being employed must be constantly evaluated. It is often helpful to collect feedback on the obstacles, and then have a small team or workgroup propose a solution for group discussion to streamline communications and eliminate duplicative efforts. It is also important to establish some criteria for when a meeting is necessary versus an email. 

5. Be empathetic to the obstacles that employees are facing at home. 

One of the most unprecedented challenges many employers and employees are facing due to Covid-19 is sharing workspaces with kids, spouses/ partners, and extended family members while trying to create boundaries between one’s personal and professional life. Creating this separation has become almost an impossibility as families are struggling to simultaneously balance homeschooling, childcare, and more housework than ever. According to a Sloan Review article, this is a phenomenon that impacts workers across the chain of command, including, but not limited to executives, managers, and direct workers. 

This new reality is pushing some employees, women in particular, to overextend themselves to the point of exhaustion and despair. Thus, particularly now that many schools will not be reopening till the next academic year, organizations must be flexible in order to avoid burnout.

Supporting remote workers in this new environment where employees at all levels of the organization are facing increased at-home responsibilities requires new approaches to management and greater flexibility. If necessary, managers should reshuffle priorities for employees, make accommodations for family routines, and demonstrate empathy when children storm in during a Zoom meeting. As Sheryl Sandberg notes in her recent op-ed, “homeschooling kids and caring for sick or elderly relatives during the pandemic is creating a ‘double shift’. ” For many women, it is pushing them to a breaking point.

At the same time, though, it is important to also understand that it is not just women who are reaching a snapping point. More men than ever are also experiencing the same work and family life balance issues, so it is important to make adjustments for all employees without assumptions or judgment. 

Managers will also for the first time have a sneak peek into family dynamics that they may have never been privy to in a traditional office setting. They may see small children acting out in order to get their parent’s attention. They may also witness abusive behavior, including, but not limited to, spousal and child abuse.

If managers or peers do encounter this difficult situation, this is something the organization must pay attention to while respecting the dignity of the victims and providing flexibility for the affected employee. The organization at this point must engage the HR team (if one exists) and the appropriate managers while maintaining the confidentiality of the employee. If a formal workplace domestic violence prevention policy exists, it should be followed. If the organization does not have one, one should be developed and adopted. Employees should be trained on it, so they know how to recognize the signs of abuse and know what to do.

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If you would like to schedule a pro-bono nonprofit session with me to facilitate the transition for remote workers, please email [email protected] with the heading “COVID-19 #Pro-bono.” I will be happy to help you during this very difficult time.