Working from home

11 posts

Unlocking Connection: Proven Strategies For Tackling Remote Work Loneliness

As we navigate the evolving landscape of remote work, shifting from traditional office settings to decentralized home-based work has brought advantages and challenges. In the wake of the global pandemic, employees across industries adapted to a new normal, juggling professional responsibilities amid the chaos of family life and virtual schooling.

Four years into this transformative journey, the flexibility of remote work has become a lasting aspect of our professional lives. While the benefits include increased productivity, reduced commutes, and enhanced work-life balance, there's a lingering challenge that demands attentionâremote work loneliness.

As employees continue to strike a balance between solitude for focused productivity and the need for social connection, this article explores proven strategies to address remote work loneliness and foster meaningful connections in a decentralized work environment. Whether you're a seasoned remote worker or navigating the new normal, the insights shared here aim to enhance the quality of both professional and personal well-being.

Sharon Grace

It's 2024, four years past the "two-week shutdown and quarantine" at the onset of the pandemic. Many employees were quickly forced to transition to working from home with the rest of their family members, including kids trying to do virtual school. It was a crazy time!

I think companies have accepted the employees' desire to have flexibility and not have to work in the office every day if they do not want to. Like most things, there are pluses and minuses, and working remotely has both. We have learned more during these past few years about the effects of working remotely. For some, quiet thinking time is beneficial to productivity. Most remote workers feel they are less distracted at home and are accomplishing more. Not having a long commute or being stuck in traffic is a plus and adds time to their day to work out or cook dinner more often.

I mentioned that quiet time is thinking time and helps some of us focus. However, for others, it can bring a sense of isolation and loneliness. Some struggled coming out of the pandemic being accustomed to staying at home with little or no reason to leave. Last year, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy warned of an 'epidemic of loneliness and isolation' (2023 advisory).

Today, most employees work in the office an average of three days a week. Most people I speak with want to get out of the house and connect with their colleagues in person again if they live close to the office. Many people have moved away from their employer's offices and can only work remotely.

How do we identify the need for quiet, thinking time for productivity versus feeling removed from social interactions? People who are extroverts and introverts can experience both.

Get to know yourself better and analyze your thoughts, actions, and how they relate to your social interactions and productivity.
Measure your workflow, productivity, and quality of work in your quiet, thinking time. Did it take longer to complete, and was the quality below your regular standards? Were you completing work to complete it, or were you fully engaged and lost track of time in it?
How is your mood during the day? Have you taken a break and stepped outside?

Try to tailor your workday around interacting with colleagues. Send instant messages or schedule a phone chat or a short video call to connect. Consider a morning meeting to discuss the day's projects, a lunchtime chat for a quick break to disconnect from work, or even an end-of-day happy hour to discuss the plan for the next day. If possible, planning offsites to meet in person is a great idea to bond and get together to collaborate or to socialize without discussing work.

If you are interviewing for remote positions, consider asking questions about how the teams communicate, bond, and frequency. Try to meet as many people as you can. Remote and hybrid work is here to stay and remember the value of human connection. We need it for professional and personal well-being.

Sharon Grace is a veteran search executive at Duffy Group who helps hiring leaders hire great people because of her proven track record as a strategic partner and advisor to recruit, identify, and assess talent.

Kristin Pozen

Man on laptop deals with remote work loneliness

As organizations adapt to flexible work arrangements, employers must now prioritize addressing their remote workforce's social and mental well-being. By understanding the unique challenges associated with remote work, employers can play a pivotal role in creating a supportive and connected virtual work environment.

Understanding and prioritizing combatting remote work loneliness is essential for maintaining mental well-being and productivity in the workplace. Employers must ensure that everyone has the opportunity to connect, regardless of where they are located. Be intentional about connecting employees outside of their teams. Make it a once-a-week event for casual connection and a once-a-quarter or annual event for more formal L&D or strategy planning.

Here are some employer strategies to tackle remote work loneliness:

Establish Regular Virtual Meetings: Encourage teams to schedule regular video calls with each other. This helps maintain social connections and provides a sense of belonging.

Provide Automated Collaboration: Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or others allow for employees to stay connected throughout the day. Instant messaging can simulate the casual conversations that happen in an office setting.

Schedule Virtual Coffee Breaks: Informal meetings where you can discuss non-work topics that mimic the casual interactions that occur in an office environment.

Set Up Virtual Social Events: Organize virtual social events, such as virtual happy hours, game nights, or team-building activities. This helps maintain a sense of camaraderie.

Work From Co-Working Spaces: If possible, consider offering to work from co-working spaces occasionally. This allows for face-to-face interactions with others and a change of environment.

Offer Online Communities: Provide access to online forums or communities related to your company's industry. This can provide a sense of community and facilitate networking.

Evaluate Your Employee Mental Health Benefits: Are they being utilized? If not, ensure your employees know they are available and confidential. Do they need to be enhanced to provide more coverage or more access?

Make Onboarding More Experiential: Onboarding is a critical first opportunity to facilitate friendships at work. Since the pandemic, millions of employees have started new jobs and have never met one of their colleagues in person. Especially for early career employees, this can be incredibly challenging.

Make Recharging a Reality: We must take employee health seriously for human connection and friendship to thrive. We can start by supporting more generous family leave policies, child care, and elder care. Also, ensure that when taking time off, employees recharge by not answering emails and phone calls. They can truly check out for a week at a time.

Kristin Pozen is a research recruitment recruiter at Duffy Group and a former HR recruiter.

Colleen Neese

Woman working from home on laptop deals with remote work loneliness

In a world increasingly adapting to remote work, Duffy Group, a global recruitment firm based in Phoenix, Arizona, stands out with its 33-year history of successfully operating as a remote workforce. As pioneers in the field, company leaders have valuable insights on fostering employee success in the virtual realm, beyond the conventional steps of establishing a dedicated workspace and managing distractions. Duffy Group emphasizes the importance of meaningful connections and combating loneliness in the evolving landscape of remote work. The company showcases a holistic approach to maintaining a strong sense of community among its widely dispersed team, providing inspiration for other organizations seeking innovative ways to keep their remote employees connected.

Duffy Group is a national recruitment firm headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona; however, our recruiters live all over the country and work from home. We have been a remote workforce for 33 years, way before the pandemic and the recent trend that has led to many workers working from home either full time or part of the time.

Since we've been doing this so long, we feel like we've learned a thing or two that may assist other companies set their employees up for success when it comes to working remotely.

We all know the obvious first steps to creating a positive experience working from home such as:

Have a dedicated workspace
Clear distractions
Take breaks
Make plans after work
Take advantage of not being in the office
Consider getting a pet

But how do you ensure that your employees are connecting on a meaningful level and combating loneliness? We are in the people business, after all! Here are some of the things Duffy Group does to ensure our employees are staying connected:

Utilize technology! We meet regularly via video with each other, with our clients, and with our candidates. We have many company meetings via video that allow us to connect and share information. We also utilize technology to stay connected on various messenger apps. We have one that's 'Just for Fun' where we share silly memes or other fun things going on in our lives, we have one 'Just for Pets' where we love to share photos and stories about our furry family members, we have one for our healthy habits and fitness competition, and we have the ability to message as groups or one to one.
Recruiter Huddles â These are small groups of employees who have scheduled informal meetings on the calendars that allow for connecting on all topics.
We've created small groups to connect for those who want to connect on things that are not work-relatedâfor example, a Book Club and one where we share recipes and food prep tips.
Celebrate often! We have virtual meet-ups to celebrate all sorts of occasions, from winning awards to weddings and baby showers. My favorite was when we all celebrated our 30th anniversary and received a surprise box at our homes with food and drinks to enjoy as we celebrated virtually.
Provide a leadership coach who will work with all employees virtually and with those who want one-on-one coaching.
Strive to have in-person connections if possible. Once a year, we fly all of our employees to our headquarters in Phoenix, where we all stay at the same resort for three days of training, bonding, and community service. It's one of my favorite events, and the karaoke night has been a hit year after year!

There are many ways to stay connected as a remote workforce. Hopefully, some of the things Duffy Group has been doing for years will inspire you to implement new and creative ways for your employees to stay connected!

Colleen Neese is a practice leader at Duffy Group. She specializes in recruiting executives in non-profit and healthcare.

Need help recruiting talent for your organization? Check out Duffy Group today.

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Unlocking Connection: Proven Strategies For Tackling Remote …

If you do it right, working from home can be a positive and rewarding experience for you, your family, and your employer. Follow these tips to get the most out of working from home:

1. Understand Your Employer's Expectations

Will your job requirements and duties be the same at home as in an office environment? How much support will you receive as a home office worker?

Some companies have very stringent guidelines about what equipment and support will be provided by the company and what will not. Companies will often provide a laptop and telephone and will support each, but not a printer or monitor, for example. It is important to clarify where your company stands and what they are willing to negotiate on.

2. Meet And Exceed Your Employer's Expectations

Professional woman on laptop telecommutes for work

You should also make sure your boss knows you are, in fact, consistently meeting and/or exceeding his or her expectations. You may work 10 hours a day, but it won't matter if your boss doesn't know it or you don't get the anticipated results!

How will you communicate your efforts and results to your employer? Don't rely on them to evaluate this. Your performance, or lack thereof, may not come up until there is a need for a scapegoat or something goes wrong.

3. Set Up A Comfortable, Separate Space For Your Work Area

Professional woman on laptop working in her home office

This is critical to your success as a remote worker. Your space should be relatively free from distractions such as family, pets, the television, and even an attractive view if you are new to telecommuting. You should have a good quality chair and a large monitor if you are primarily working at the computer (who isn't?).

4. Make Sure You Have Everything You Need

Man on laptop and phone prepares to work from home

A computer, phone, printer, good WiFi, and an organized workspace are a given. But you will also need paper, ink cartridges (you would be surprised how quickly these seem to need to be replaced, even in a "paperless" environment), possibly letterhead, pens, sticky notes, etc.

Think about many of the things you use in your office and the well-stocked supply cabinet there. Will you visit the office periodically to replenish these common items or purchase them and be reimbursed? Iron this out in advance.

5. Set Boundaries With Your Family And Friends

Woman on laptop talks to her son while working from home

This is pivotal not only to your success at working from home but to your personal relationships as well!

When you first begin telecommuting, friends and family may not understand the demands this requires of you. A friend whose sitter cancels may call you for a favor: "Can you watch the kids, since you are working at home?" You may get invitations to lunch or drinks, which down the road you may realize you can work into your schedule periodically.

In the beginning, though, you need to be careful to set a tone for your family and friends as well as good work habits for yourself.

6. Set Specific Work Times Or Goals

Professional man on laptop smiles while working from home

Goals are important to keep you on track, as well as to validate your progress. Working from home can be very positive in terms of autonomy and independence, but it can also be lonely and unfulfilling without the regular feedback that comes from working in an office.

The telecommuter needs to feel confident he or she is doing what is necessary to be viewed as successful and to feel secure in his or her job. Paranoia can set in pretty quickly without the regular input of fellow co-workers.

7. Stay Connected

Woman on laptop sits on the couch while working from home

It may be a good idea to start out working from home just a day or two a week and increase gradually from there. This will provide you the opportunity to slowly transition how you will communicate in a more natural way.

You will find you and your co-workers may email or call more often to stay in touch. You will determine which issues and/or co-workers to attend to and which to not. Increased productivity due to decreased co-worker distraction may be a major benefit of working from home.

8. Schedule Daily And Weekly Breaks

Many employees who work from home find they spend too much time at the computer which can decrease overall productivity. Schedule breaks into your day. Take a regular lunch (at any time you wantâno one is watching!) and stand up and walk around periodically.

You might find it helpful to set an alarm in your calendar to remind you to move away from the computer. Telecommuters may not realize they are squinting at the screen, are hungry, or, even, have to use the restroom when they get too engrossed in their work.

9. Understand Your Work Style

It is crucial for you to understand how you work best. Do you work best according to your moods? If so, keep track of your tasks according to task type: computer work, telephone work, meetings, etc. This way you can perform these tasks when you are at your best.

Your communication style plays a big role in your overall work style. Don't know your communication style? Take our FREE quiz today!

10. Track Your Work And Progress

Woman on laptop is productive while working from home

Your employer may have a specific way for you to track your time. It may be as simple as emailing your supervisor when you start and stop your work. It may be a more elaborate time-tracking system where you record your specific activities in time increments or journal style.

It's probably a good idea to keep track of what you are doing in more detail. It may come in handy if you are asked to justify your time or when you would like to ask for a raise.

11. Assess Your Progress Weekly

It is important to organize your work in such a way as you are able to quickly and clearly see what you have accomplished. Make use of your favorite calendar app to keep track of this. In some industries, the billable hour or journal system (even a combination) is standard.

However you approach it, you need to be able to clearly determine that you are on target to reach your goals.

12. Make Adjustments To How You Accomplish Your Job

Man holds his child while working from home

If something is not working, don't be afraid to change it. As a telecommuter, you may be a pioneer in your office, company, or industry. Invest time in researching ways to improve your productivity. Don't be afraid to ask, "Is there a quicker, better, more effective way out there?" Seek it out, albeit carefully.

Don't jump on the first solution that comes along. Try it out tentatively. Not all solutions meet all users' needs.

13. Ask For Help Or Input

Woman on laptop focuses on a project while working from home

Have regular meetings with your boss or co-workers. These meetings could be weekly, monthly, or quarterly. The meetings may be more frequent when you first begin to work from home.

Talk to others in a similar field who also telecommute. Use social media to stay in touch with your professional network and obtain advice about working from home. Be selective about which groups or lists you sign up for or follow. You don't want social media to become a distraction rather than a way to stay in touch and get help when you need it!

14. Take Care Of Yourself

Woman on laptop stays healthy while working from home

It is hard to do your best when you don't feel your best, and it's especially hard when you don't have regular feedback and input from others!

Get up at a regular time and get dressed. Have your breakfast and coffee before work if that is your habit. If you usually brown-bag it, pack a lunch to eat when you are ready. Meet co-workers or friends for lunch periodically if you are in the habit of this. Set regular breaks and quitting time.

Most of all, avoid the temptation to work when it should be family time, and remember to exercise and get enough sleep.

Working from home can be a great change of pace for many professionals. But it can also be a struggle to adjust to not going into the office every day. Follow the tips above to successfully work from home, no matter what stage you are at in your career.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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14 Tips For Working From Home

Having a flexible work schedule is becoming one of the most sought-after job perks. According to a survey conducted by FlexJobs, 97% of respondents said a job with flexibility would have a positive impact on their overall quality of life.

Here are a few reasons why a flexible work schedule might change your life:

1. It Can Allow You To Do What You Love Outside Of Work

Woman on laptop works a flexible work schedule

Erik Freeman, a benefits advisor representing Aflac, strongly believes today's employees work far more hours than those of past generations. However, he lives by a different credo. "I work to live, not live to work," he explains. "With Aflac, I create my own schedule around my life goals, like raising a family and producing rock albums with my band."

Luis Correa, who is also a benefits advisor representing Aflac, says that working as an independent agent allows him to thrive both at work and outside of work. "It has provided me with the flexibility and financial resources to create my own schedule in a way that allows me to pursue my passions and still be fully committed to servicing my clients," he states.

2. It Can Give You The Opportunity To Focus On Your Health

Happy man on laptop working from home with a flexible work schedule

Freeman believes having time to focus on mental health, wellness, and hobbies is huge, and his opinion is shared by many others. According to the FlexJobs survey, 79% of respondents said a flexible work schedule would make them healthier, and 87% said it would lower their stress levels.

Freeman, who once worked long hours in retail for another company, says he often went home completely exhausted from helping so many people and meeting high expectations. As a result of stress, he ended up gaining weight, losing energy, and developing harmful personal habits to cope with the stress. "If companies really want healthy employees that create efficient results, they need to take a big look at how they're helping their employees stay up with their life goals," he says.

3. It Helps Free Up Time For Family And Friends

Working mom holds her baby while on a flexible work schedule

For Heather Siems, a district sales coordinator representing Aflac, having the flexibility to spend ample amounts of time with her family while still working full time was a huge selling point when she accepted the opportunity with Aflac. "I knew that I wanted the flexibility as I started a family, so I could go to dance practices and soccer games but still work full time," she says.

Having a flexible schedule as well as the ability to work from home has allowed Siems to spend more time with her family and watch her children grow.

4. It Can Give You Time To Travel

Man on laptop with a flexible work schedule works from home

Do you wish you had more time to travel? You're not alone. More than half (58%) of FlexJobs' survey participants said they want a flexible work schedule for that reason.

For Shyla Syverson, an Aflac benefits advisor from Montana, being able to take vacations and trips on her own time is a huge bonus. "I started working as a benefits advisor with Aflac for a variety of reasons, and one of those was for the flexibility that being an entrepreneur can offer," she says. "As a result of really hard work and taking care of my policyholders and clients, I have been able to travel more than I ever imagined possible. I can enjoy the great outdoors of Montana and also travel the world."

5. It Can Make You A More Productive Employee

Woman takes a break while on a flexible work schedule

Working in an office atmosphere 40 hours a week may affect your productivity. Between interruptions from co-workers, a loud atmosphere, and other distractions, it can be hard to focus on your projects. Studies show that having a flexible work schedule can actually make you a more productive employee. Having the ability to work whenever and wherever you want can help you to complete your tasks more efficiently.

Syverson says she believes workplace productivity is enhanced by a healthy time-off policy. "When an employee knows they can take time off without there being backlash or feelings of guilt, they will want to work hard for the company," she explains.

6. It Can Make You Appreciate Your Job More

Man works from home while on a flexible work schedule

A recent study conducted by Leadership IQ revealed that people who work from home are 87% more likely to "love" their job than people who do not.

Being able to spend time with your family, having the ability to travel, and being able to pursue your passions outside of work all contribute to a solid work-life balance. This makes sense because when you are happy outside of work and productive when you are working, you are generally more satisfied.

Do you want a flexible work schedule?

These are just a few of the benefits stemming from a flexible work scheduleâthere are many more. Aflac offers flexible, independent contractor (or agent) roles that can give you the power to do the things YOU want to do. If you are interested in pursuing a career that allows flexibility, check out opportunities with Aflac.

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This post is sponsored by Aflac. Aflac agents are independent agents and are not employees of Aflac. Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York. This post was originally published at an earlier date.

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6 Reasons A Flexible Work Schedule Will …

As we move beyond the pandemic, many businesses ask employees to return to the office. Despite two years of hybrid and flexible work arrangements, many employers emphasize the value of in-person collaboration and client connectivity for maintaining high-quality products and services.

While employers have made their plea, the challenge is that the talent pool applying for critical positions has shrunk. According to Inbusiness.com, 63% of the workforce now works flexibly, meaning businesses must find creative ways to lure top talent back to the office despite the competition.

This week, a client talked to me about her struggles attracting talent due to her company's in-office work policy and inability to offer flexibility like other businesses. She anticipated these questions would arise in a candidate interview and wanted a well-thought-out response. How does an employer address the issue of work-life balance when candidates raise the question in an interview? I was empathetic and hoped to deliver some recommendations to her and others struggling.

Here are the five top ways YOUR company can attract talent if working from home is not an option:

5 Strategies Employers Should Use To Attract Talent To Positions That Do Not Offer Working From Home

Woman shakes hands with the hiring manager before her job interview

As someone who has worked remotely for the last half of my career, I understand the appeal. However, after collaborating with numerous clients and my colleagues in person post-pandemic, I missed the personalized connection and appreciated the benefits of in-office work. And let's remember the value of face-to-face conversations and the opportunity to build strong relationships with colleagues and superiors.

The energy of a shared workspace is challenging to replicate in a virtual environment and can be stimulating. Some candidates feel the same way; you must know how to find them. Here is how you can identify those in your pool who are interested.

Businesses have levers to pull when attracting talent:

1. Personalize your hiring approach.

Internal recruiters and department managers must be aligned on all aspects of the job, including incentives and the positioning of the position in the market. Treating candidates with respect and regular check-ins while waiting for a decision will speak volumes.

Research shows that personalization is vital to keeping candidates engaged in the recruitment process. One effective way to personalize the experience is by exploring the candidate's motivations. If you cannot personalize your interactions with candidates, hire an external recruiter who spends time understanding the company's value proposition and the candidate's motivation.

2. Emphasize the benefit of in-person collaboration when speaking to the candidates.

While remote work has become more prevalent in recent years, you can emphasize the benefits of working together in the same space for improved communication, faster decision-making, and better team bonding. Research has shown that in-person collaboration can lead to higher productivity, increased creativity, and stronger working relationships.

3. Brand your work culture to increase a candidate's desire to work for you.

Illustrate your company's critical differentiators on social outlets, websites, and other media to showcase your competitive advantage. A strong company culture can be a significant draw for job seekers, especially those who value community and belonging in the workplace. You can highlight your company's values, mission, and vision to show candidates what they can expect when they join your team.

Testimonials or employee success stories demonstrating how your company supports and invests in its employees are the perfect way to draw people in. To my surprise, I hired someone recently, and she selected Duffy Group because we are a women-owned business. She had multiple offers to work with other well-known consulting practices for more money. She chose our company because she was respected during the process and loved our culture.

4. Strategize with HR on additional incentives.

Employers can offer more competitive salaries, improved health and wellness benefits, work-life balance programs, and resume-building opportunities. One effective way to personalize the experience is by exploring the candidate's motivations. As an employer, asking critical questions about what motivates a candidate is essential.

Discuss with your HR team the incentives that make the most sense for the job. Understanding the candidates during your recruitment stage is critical to know what motivates them, and you should encourage the hiring manager to flex when possible.

5. Consider a phased approach.

If you are not ready to offer a fully flexible or hybrid work schedule, consider a phased system. For example, you could start with a limited number of remote work days per month or a relaxed start and end time. This can help ease employees into a new way of working and demonstrate that the company is open to change.

One remote example that comes to mind is a CPA firm in Boston. The perfect candidate was already working remotely but was unsatisfied with the opportunity. If the candidate were to pursue this job, there would be a commute, and his work environment would change. Getting the candidate to say yes meant the employer had intimate discussions with the candidate about what attracted him to the position and decided to offer (some) flexibility by suggesting he work in the office for the first month to get to know the staff and his team since this was a leadership role. More employers are becoming more flexible when employees have established themselves.

Lastly, be proud and confident in the role you're offering the public. The client I spoke of earlier should understand that every job provides someone an opportunity to serve. Likewise, ensure your recruiting teams understand what motivates each candidate. Some processes can last months. Employers should develop the most personalized recruiting approach possible if they are eager to hire, establish a good rapport with candidates, and get them to say yes, too!

How do you compete?

Sources:

1. "2023 Hiring Trends: What Recruiters Need to Know" by Lizzi Hart, LinkedIn Talent Blog, January 12, 2023: https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/talent-on-tap/2023/2023-hiring-trends-what-recruiters-need-to-know

2. "2023 HR Predictions: The Year Ahead for Hiring, Recruitment, and Talent Management" by Sharon Florentine, CIO, January 3, 2023: https://www.cio.com/article/3652121/2023-hr-predictions-the-year-ahead-for-hiring-recruitment-and-talent-management.html

3. "5 Hiring Trends That Will Impact Your Talent Acquisition Strategy in 2023" by Brandon Metcalf, Forbes, December 19, 2022: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonmetcalf/2022/12/19/5-hiring-trends-that-will-impact-your-talent-acquisition-strategy-in-2023/?sh=7718463c1b3d

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Top 5 Ways To Attract Talent To …

Why You Should Keep Your Remote Job Right Now

Since the particular COVID-19 pandemic, remote careers have been in higher demand. To draw the finest candidates, companies began to article more remote and cross positions. But with increasingly more companies making employees go back to the office, remote staff may be feeling the stress.

In case you're a remote employee, hold on tight towards your job right today. Here's why...

Competition For Remote control Jobs Is Getting Fiercer

@j. to. odonnell Keep your remote job limited!! #remotework # #remotejobs #careers #jobs #jobtok #careertok â¬ original sound - M. T. O'Donnell

A new study with LinkedIn shows that whenever it comes to work opportunities that need people to become in person, you will find basically two jobs like this at LinkedIn for every one individual who's applying. On typically the flip side, though, regarding remote positions, you can find a couple of people applying for each one remote job. That will means remote jobs are super sought after, and competition is intense.

In line with the study, this is going that will give companies an chance to flex their muscle tissue and start to state, "Hey, we're going so that you can make people come back again into the workplace, inch because employers know right now there are not as numerous remote jobs as generally there were in the past. They know a person can't just jump deliver for a remote job anymore.

Occasions have changed. If you are searching intended for remote work , if you're going to have to help you really stay ahead of the masses. You're going to must create an incredible quantity of value. And in case you have a distant job right now, make sure you make sure that an individual always provide that benefit because your current employer now knows the fact that you are replaceable. In either case, staying on top regarding your game will help you to acquire and keep a universal remote job now and within the future.

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Why You Should Keep Your Remote Job …

Executive Spotlight: How Leaders Should Measure The Effectiveness Of Their Remote Workers

As a leader in today's modern workplace, you have to be prepared to manage hybrid, remote, and in-office employees. The success of a company depends on good management, which includes the ability to accurately measure the effectiveness of employees and make changes as needed. But the traditional ways of measuring an employee's effectiveness don't take into consideration how the workforce has changed since 2020 with the rise of remote work.

We recently asked our executives how they think leaders should measure the effectiveness of their remote employees.

Here are their responses...

Ana Smith, Talent Architect & Global Learning Strategist

Measuring effectiveness from remote employees can be very tricky, especially considering that 40% of leaders acknowledged in a study conducted by Harvard in 2020 that they were not prepared to manage remote employees and 41% struggled to keep their teams engaged.

Defining what's a priority and what effectiveness looks like becomes fundamental. It has left managers and leaders unsure about how the best work gets done. Therefore, it is not a huge surprise that a lot of managers would prefer their teams to come back to work in the office.

Besides clearly defining what effectiveness looks like, its transparency to all involved, and how it is measured and improved consistently, it becomes key for managers to quickly figure out the best way to work with their employees, making them feel understood and supported and not micromanaged.

Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the "red thread."

John Schembari, Senior Education Executive

âAna is correct. Evaluating the effectiveness of remote workers comes down to whether or not priorities have been met. It's less about doing time, say 9 to 5 Monday through Friday, and should be much more about impact whether that impact occurs over a long or short period of time, and whether at 9 am or 9 pm. When evaluating remote workers, organizations would be wise to, yes, define priorities but also determine what success metrics for those priorities will be. In defining success, for instance, I'm a big fan of goal setting and using SMART criteriaâi.e., is the goal specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and/or timely?

Client/project management software can also be used when there are multiple remote workers working on the same initiative so that there is clarity around each person's role and communication as to how each person's part fits into the project as a whole. This is where benchmark/milestone data can also be recorded along the way to indicate how well remote workers are making progress toward organizational goals.

John Schembari is a current K-12 teacher/school leader academic improvement coach and former school building and district administrator. He loves to draw, travel, swing dance, and read nonfiction.

Miroslav Jasso, IT & Innovation Management

âThere are areas and positions where remote working was preferred for years if not decades. Information technology as an example serves well here. Measuring the effectiveness of IT service desk employees is easy. KPIs like number of tickets handled orfFirst instance resolution rate come immediately to mind. Your agile software developers can be measured based on the length of their sprints or the size of the backlog. In many cases IT teams are to a large degree remote and distributed among locations, countries, and even continents.

In general, any position with clearly defined KPIs can easily be measured for effectiveness, no matter the location. In-site, remote, distributedâ¦ numbers do the trick. Where remote working is leaving much room for effectiveness decrease is the soft side of workârelations, knowledge sharing, team spirit, willingness to help and support. Even if not immediately visible, those qualities have a decisive impact on overall effectiveness in the long run.

Miroslav Jasso is an information technology & innovation executive with 22+ years of experience in the development, continuous improvement, and delivery of state-of-the-art IT services across automotive, finance systems, and retail businesses. He has managed teams of 5-100+ with budgets of $1M-$15M+.

Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive

Professional woman interviews a remote job candidate

Measuring remote workers' effectiveness is no different from having workers present on-site. Having timely expected deliverables will be the most critical test of commitment. If you know the quality of the people on your team, you won't have to worry about the work not getting done.

Sure there are monitoring tools out there to see log-in times and activity.

But as a business professional trying to run a business, I'd rather spend the time making the company better to raise revenues or creating new ways to compete with my competitors.

Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M - $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.

Andrea Markowski, Marketing Executive

âIf youâre asking how to measure the effectiveness of remote workers, youâre asking the wrong question.

Go back and subtract the word âremote.â There. Thatâs the right question.

There should be no fundamental differences between how you measure the success of a remote worker vs. a hybrid worker vs. an in-person worker. Too many managers get caught up in the thought of a remote worker being somehow incredibly different.

If anything, remote workers most likely require more thoughtful management. That includes you as a manager keeping an eye on equity when handing out resources, social opportunities, and high-profile projects to remote vs. in-person workers.

Is the person meeting their goals? Are they growing in their role? Are they helping to move the organization forward? Remote or not, questions similar to these are what you should focus on.

Andrea Markowski is a marketing director with specializations in strategy development, digital tactics, design thinking, and creative direction. She has superpowers in presentations and public speaking.

Don Schulz, Senior Operations & Commercial Real Estate Executive

Manager talks to remote employees over Zoom

I appreciate and agree with people's comments so far. The concepts of defining success, using measurable KPIs & SMART goals, and measuring workers in the same positions in a consistent manner whether they are remote or not all make sense. There is however a range of difficulty in assessing effectiveness depending on the specific function of each FTE and how quantifiable vs. qualitative one can make the measurement of their role. That said I would like to add to the discussion the concept of engagement which is often a leading indicator of one's effectiveness and I've found much harder to measure.

A couple of years ago I took on a new role as COO of a national real estate project management company one month before COVID-19 restrictions were put into place. I had to quickly adjust to managing fully remote in a company I had just joined and with people I barely knew. While we were able to successfully implement many of the effectiveness measurement tools mentioned above and felt we had a good feel for individuals' overall effectiveness, we soon learned that it was people's engagement we had to get our arms around. That took some time. We retained an outside consultant/survey company to measure the engagement of all employees and made it an annual occurrence.

My summary point is that while measuring employee effectiveness (remote or in person) is an ongoing, more daily requirement, complementing that with an annual or semi-annual measurement of employee engagement is often a good thing that can bring many insights when laid next to effectiveness data.

Don Schulz is a 25+ year commercial real estate executive & COO. On the personal side, he likes to ski, hike, golf, and run, and is an occasional homebrewer.

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Executive Spotlight: How Leaders Should Measure The …

Executive Spotlight: How These Leaders Have Changed As A Result Of The Pandemic

The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic spurred change across every industry. Businesses had to change, and so did workersâespecially leaders, who also had to facilitate change within their organization. We recently asked our leading executives how they have changed as professionals as a result of the pandemic.

Here are their responses...

Jim Black, Engineering & Technical Executive

At the beginning of quarantine, I hated working from home. I put in extra hours, I disliked people instant messaging me all day long, and I loathed the isolation. Even me as an introvert. After about 12-16 weeks, my entire demeanor changed. I found my stride. I enjoyed virtual team meetings with my engineering staff. I found ways to keep myself engaged and involved despite my physical location. I worked to be productive despite being alone. I found an interesting fact: I was more productive in this environment.

Since returning to work, I spend the majority of my time in the office. We have a policy where employees can work from home up to two days a week. I cannot every week; however, the weeks where I can work from home now are so enjoyable. I get many tasks accomplished, I remain connected, and I avoid my commute. I actually miss the quarantine occasionally.

Jim Black is an engineering professional focused on the development of technical professionals. He is also a professional bass player.

Kathryn Marshburn, Music Program Manager

Executive looks out the window while working from home

From my recent work at a major music streaming corporation, I have observed changes within the Gen Z and millennial co-working spaces, where there is an openness to talk about mental health and work-life balance issues. These groups approach work differently than generations before them. These two groups work extremely hard and are overachievers; however, they are acutely aware of wellness after the pandemic.

For example, as a program manager, I had the pleasure of managing eight cross-functional teams, and part of my responsibilities included gathering teams to share results. As I looked at each team member's availability on their calendars, I often saw time blocked off for âTherapyâ or âCounselingâ and even âWorkout Time.â These did not exist pre-pandemic, and I love this shift. Almost a more vulnerable type of communicating is now encouraged by executives, complemented by shifting company priorities, and it has created a more open form of comms exchange. Successful teams are paying attention to their own wellness and taking control of their mental health as a community.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

The most significant change Iâve experienced as a marketing executive due to the pandemic is that I feel like I get to have it all. Prior to the pandemic, I spent on average three hours a day in LA traffic driving to and from work. I left for work at 6:30 am and got home at 8:30 pm barely getting any time with my girls and husband. The cost of gas, the wear and tear on my car, the frustration. It takes a toll. A typical day included greeting my team, back-to-back meetings, and lunch with co-workers.

Life post-pandemic is very different. I am home! I see my girls, husband, two labs, and my cat every day. If my girls have questions or need me, Iâm there for them. If I need to take my girls or my pets to the doctor, I can do it now. I can manage my work and my family life, no problem. My days are full of Zoom meetings, blurred background with kids and dogs scurrying behind me as I work. I still go into the office two days a month and interact with my co-workers.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

Percy Leon, Digital Media Content Executive

I've always been a professional content creator/filmmaker, but the pandemic has really changed the way I work. I used to be very reliant on in-person interactions with friends and family to help me come up with ideas and film new videos. However, since the pandemic started, I've had to get creative with my content. I've started using my family and friends as resources for new ideas, and I've also started filming new videos by myself. I also started doing a lot of micro-learning on subjects that would help me in my career (video editing for YouTube, TikTok, professional development [Executive Online Presence]). I have also been learning as much about Web3.

This has been a big change for me, but it's one that I've really enjoyed. I'm much happier with my work now, and I feel like I'm more fulfilled as a content creator. The pandemic has definitely changed the way I work, but it's also made me a better professional.

Percy Leon is a digital media content producer specializing in educational technology and entertainment. He is interested in web3, metaverse, and the use of virtual reality for storytelling.

What's the number one way you have changed as a professional as a result of the pandemic? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily's Executive Program.

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Executive Spotlight: How These Leaders Have Changed …

3 Things You Need To Know About Remote Work

As a 20-year career coaching veteran who used to be in staffing and recruiting industry, I know exactly what companies are thinking about right now. And you need to pay attention because a lot of the remote jobs you see aren't going to stay remote.

If you want to stay remote or if you want to get a remote job now, you need to know these three things...

1. Startups & Lifestyle Companies Will Likely Stay Remote

@j.t.odonnell 3 Things You Need To Know To Get Remote Work. #remotework #remote #work #remotejobs #remotejobs2022 #careermode #careertok #edutok #careerchange #jobsearch #jobsearchtips #careeradvice #careertips #jobs #careers â¬ original sound - J.T. O'Donnell

The first thing you need to understand is that startups and lifestyle companies are the ones that will most likely keep jobs remote. Startup companies are trying to save money, so if they don't have to rent space and have all that overhead, it gives them more opportunity to spend money to build the business. So they're going to be more inclined to allow you to work remotely.

Lifestyle companies are ones where the executive team wants to work remotely, so if they want to work remotely, then they have to let their employees work remotely too. This is one of the reasons why remote work is here to stay.

2. You Can Usually Work Remotely As An Independent Contractor

The second thing you should consider is being an IC (independent contractor) versus an FTE (full-time employee). It's much easier to be remote when you're in IC. That's because as an independent contractor, a company can't legally dictate where you work and the hours you work. So if a company hires you as an IC, you often can do the work wherever and whenever you want.

As a full-time employee, though, the company you work for can dictate where you work. Therefore, they could let you work remotely now, but then change their mind and bring you back in. So being an IC has advantages. However, if the company ever has to cut costs, ICs are the first ones to go because there aren't any ramifications. There's no impact on their unemployment insurance and other things like that. So you have to be careful because you're easier to fire.

3. If You Work On A Laptop, There's A Higher Chance You'll Get To Work From Home

The last thing I want you to think about is that the work that can mostly be done remotely is tech work or computer workâsomething where you can take a laptop or a cell phone and do the majority of your work. And so staying in that kind of work can increase the chances that you can do it remotely from anywhere in the world.

However, one thing that's happening now is companies are figuring out they can pay people less money because they want to work remotely. So salaries are going down. And on top of that, they're saying, "Well, if I can hire people remotely, I can hire people in other countries. They'll take a third of what people here in the U.S. want." So competition is going to increase for these remote jobs, which means these salaries are going to decrease. So you've got to be prepared for that. You need to be thinking about these three things and the pros and cons of each one.

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3 Things You Need To Know About …

Most of the exact team is working distantly, but are they nevertheless coming together like a new well-oiled machine? May be the company a cohesive and powerful group supporting operations and even completing projects? Otherwise, a person (especially as a leader) should stop and realize why. You should speak with the team and could need to think involving solutions which are more outdoors of the box.

Cultivating A strong Team

Taking the very quote âthereâs no 'I' in teamâ to a next level, remember of which each team member is usually different and brings some thing to the table. A person should leverage the advantages and balance them along with the weaknesses (like yin and yang). Even fundamental differences such as component of the team function schedule preferences can actually be capitalized on. With regard to example, some individuals may like to come throughout early while some prefer to help work late. If particular business units work exterior the typical hours connected with 9-5 p. m., the main team could readily end up being available for an expanded window to better cater to the businessâ varied job schedules.

In case the team hasnât already been collaborating as much since they could have, simply no time like the current to change that. In the beginning, some associates may really feel out of their comfort and ease zone, but theyâll obtain into a groove finally, the more they work collectively.

Essentially, that team needs to value, trust, and care with regard to each other. Associates want to have meaningful interactions and feel safe articulating their opinions to one of the rest of the party. During brainstorming sessions, you will see valuable perspectives that other folks may not have at first considered. The teamâs relationship and camaraderie can help to make working through those challenging time-consuming problems more controllable.

If some sort of new member joins they will, take that extra hard work to assimilate and help make them feel welcome straight into the team. Or in case someone seems a lttle bit diverted or aloof, question them exactly how they are doing, or perhaps when they need anything. Probably theyâre feeling a little bit burned out delete word questioned. When someone has gone out ill or on PTO regarding two weeks, the relax of the team voluntarily pitches in to protect their workload. Because no one wants to work whenever theyâre not feeling nicely and recuperating. If any kind of of these things occurred to you, wouldnât you are feeling fortunate to be portion of a team the fact that is so supportive with you?

Ultimate Thoughts

You (as the leader) need towards produce a positive environment favorable for the team, provide any tools that this team requirements to succeed, and recommend for the team! In my opinion that the team may be stronger together, together with in the end, that they will grow and always be successful together.

To find out more on cultivating a good powerful team, follow me personally on LinkedIn !

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How To Improve Team Dynamics

Looking for a remote job this year? You’ve probably noticed that certain career categories have more remote job opportunities than others. Obviously, depending on your career and industry, the number of remote job opportunities available to you will differ. So, what are the career categories with the most work-from-home jobs? According to a recent Flexjobs article, these are the five […]

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5 Fastest-Growing Career Categories For Remote Jobs …

3 Amazing Things To Know About Remote Work In 2022

The concept of remote work has come quite a long way since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of employees to work from home. Now almost two years after this disruption, many professionals are still working remotely—and plan to do so indefinitely. As the demand for remote jobs remains high, what should employers and professionals know about remote work? […]

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