Remote work was almost an alien concept for many nonprofits that provide direct services. This is particularly true in organizations whose entire organizational culture has been built around personal and human interactions with one another and clients. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, many nonprofits have shifted from in-person to remote work. Administrative as well as programmatic components have now been shifted online through the utilization of various apps, project management software, and platforms like Google Hangouts, Zoom, GoToMeeting, and Slack, to name a few. 

Once the pandemic is over, though, many employees are likely to ask for flexible work schedules or request to continue working remotely. In the past, nonprofit employees have in some organizations faced opposition from some senior managers and board members due to confidentiality concerns, lack of technical infrastructure, and myths people hold about the productivity of remote work. Now that organizations will have the infrastructure to carry out their work virtually due to the pandemic, refusing to make accommodations will become more challenging.

In addition, not making remote work adaptations will become, to a certain extent, impractical. Many employees are able to maintain a better work and life balance and many functions are more efficient. Thus, senior management will have to make decisions on which components of remote work will continue in organizations, and which will not. 

In order to be adequately prepared for the return to business as usual, the senior management team should conduct a thorough analysis of which components of remote work have worked effectively, remained the same, or have detracted from the advancement of the organizational mission and vision. This internal assessment should be conducted in the following areas:

• Administrative and fiscal functions, 
• Programs, 
• HIPAA compliance, and 
• Organizational culture. 

Administrative and Fiscal Functions

Senior managers will benefit from exploring the following questions with input from employees at all organizational levels: 

• In what areas are we better or less aligned with our mission? 
• Which administrative and fiscal functions have become more efficient, and which ones have become more difficult?
• Is it better to continue some work virtually and other work in-person? 
• How have operational costs been impacted? 
• Will a primarily remote or hybrid remote- and -in-person work approach require us to invest more money in our technological infrastructure?
• What flexibility did we gain or lose in our decision-making processes through remote working that we should strive to keep?
• How did the organizational culture change for the better? How did it worsen? 
• Are employees more or less connected internally and externally? 
• How has collaboration changed? 
• How has management and accountability changed? 

Programs

Senior managers will benefit from exploring the following questions with input from their program team: 

• How has program delivery changed for the better? How did it worsen?
• How would clients who are receiving remote services, including Telehealth, be impacted if remote services were eliminated in favor of just on-site services? Would clients be harmed? How would the transition back be managed? 
• Have we been able to reach new previously out-of-reach populations? Conversely, are there certain populations who we have lost contact with due to remote work and services? 
• Should we consider a combination of remote and in-person services? How would this impact costs and program outcomes? How would management be impacted if we were to make this change? How would long-term policies and procedures be impacted? 

HIPAA Compliance

If you are an organization that must remain compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the management and compliance team should explore the following questions: 

• Which policies and procedures have resulted in lower, the same, or improved compliance? How has enforcement been impacted? 
• Has the technology allowed for the organization to maintain an acceptable security standard for protecting health information? 
• Has documentation worsened, remained the same, or improved? 
• Which administrative safeguards have worsened, remained the same, or improved? 
• How has workforce training and management been impacted? 
• Which technical safeguards (e.g., access control, audit controls, integrity controls, and transmission security) have worsened, remained the same, or worsened?

Organizational Culture

The senior management team, in conjunction with the Human Resources Department (if the organization has one) and the staff, should explore the following: 

• Have employee expectations changed regarding how work is conducted in the organization? 
• How has the understanding of the organizational mission changed? 
• Which components of remote work do employees feel enhances or worsens their work output? 
• How has the shift to remote work impacted their workload? 
• Will employees now expect to be able to work from home full-time or part of the time? 
• Are employees feeling more connected or disconnected to the organization? 
• How have group dynamics changed? 
• How have employees managed the work and life balance? 

Before Returning to the Office from Remote Work

These discussions should take place, ideally, before employees return to onsite work for a variety of reasons: 1) it may impact child-care decisions for employees, 2) there may be resistance to returning to the old organizational patterns, and 3) to help employees readjust to another significant transition. 

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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.