Many thanks to everyone who attended our first virtual roundtable on Monday, April 6.
In a round-robin discussion facilitated by Abby Annala (Loyola University), we shared successes and challenges that we have experienced as our organizations have moved online abruptly - or as long-time remote workers. Challenge: Understanding workplace needs Several institutions have surveyed their staff in order to understand challenges in the current work environment. Findings are informing communication strategies, including minimizing the numbers of emails that are going out since volume of email and also number/range of distractions both emerged as issues. Qualtrics has made some of its experience management tools available for use, including a Remote Work Pulse tool developed specifically for this crisis Challenge: Shifting from time or team-based work into mostly independent work, especially unstructured tasks like research Many of us are used to working with other people, or with meetings and deadlines to structure our work. Flexibility can be both positive and negative. Managers should be empathetic to the struggles folks are experiencing; everyone should work with their managers to set realistic expectations. Consider accountability partners or other structures for checking in as it can be difficult to stay on task if you're only accountable to yourself. Challenge: Lack of boundaries or balance between home and work In this environment, it's easy to feel pulled to work too much - or to be pulled away by family or other responsibilities. Just because we're working online doesn't mean we're working all the time. If possible, do something to transition between "home" and "work", even if it's just a symbolic gesture: Get dressed for the day, including with shoes or real pants, or physically clear your workspace at the end of the day or the work week. Challenge: Time management, staying focused Set realistic expectations for yourself as your ability to get things done is necessarily different right now. Making this "mental compromise" can be helpful. Keep a project or priority list, but don't aim for your "normal" levels of productivity - take at least one thing away per day. Or make a list of three things you have to accomplish and start with the hardest. Put projects on your calendar as appointments so that the time is reserved and you'll get reminders. The Pomodoro method can be useful for focus and structure. Break down your tasks into 25 minute work cycles. Toggl and Asana are great tools for time tracking and project management. Challenge: Too many meetings Meetings are serving different functions right now: in addition to checking in and doing work, meetings are providing opportunities to stay connected. It's hard to strike a balance when people's needs for information and connection are different. Hopefully the longer we are distributed, the better we'll be able to gauge when meetings are actually needed, as well as to find other ways to fill in the gaps of informal workplace socializing. Use your meeting hours to determine your actual availability to get work done - you can spend 20 hours in meetings OR you can spend those hours doing work. This is an opportunity to change communication patterns, to think about which meetings could be emails, and to develop more effective meeting practices. The Basecamp Guide to Internal Communication has many great ideas for productive and transparent communication practices. Comments are closed.
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