This past year has come with a lot of challenges for companies around the world, including the new-normal of working from the comfort of your home. The challenge for employers stems from the ability to manage employees from a distance and ensure that their work effectiveness doesn’t drop amidst the new work conditions.

There are different styles of management when it comes to leadership roles in the workplace. How do they apply to the new environment of working remotely? Different things like holding employees accountable for work done while still making sure their psychological and physical well-being is sound.

Here are three tips for employers to create an effective work-from-home environment:

• TEAMWORK

As opposed to working independently, which was most effective before the pandemic, working in teams has become one of the most effective tools in management since the pandemic brought about ‘working from home’. It has shown that teamwork keeps the employees accountable to each other as well as to the employer.

Secondly, teams provide a chance to form relationships within the workplace that act as a support group when it comes to handling the pressure of the new conditions of work. There are more psychological benefits to employees when working in teams that help them feel more motivated to work.

• CLEAR COMMUNICATION

Employers must ensure that there are clear modes of communication for the workers to communicate amongst each other and to their supervisors. The most used form even whilst in the office would be the use of official emails directed to each other.

To keep a constant circle of information while working remotely, sharing is essential. The employer needs to establish a clear rhythm of scheduled daily and weekly meetings. This approach usually requires a culture shift, and managers must adapt to dealing with more uncertainty.

• RESOURCES

There needs to be a shift in managing the resources that employees would need for out-of-office work. One of the key resources to ensure is the availability of technology. Employers must ensure that employees are provided with the basics. For instance, the provision of good bandwidth for internet access and access to tools for communication and management.

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Lastly, remember to be more patient. This is a new territory for all parties concerned. The pandemic has come with a need for adjustment in company structures, cultures, and goals. An employer’s ability to adapt to environmental changes is crucial to maintaining the adaptability of their employees.