12 Working from Home Leadership Tips

Ensure remote workers have all necessary resources to be productive.
Communicate, communicate, communicate
- Remote workers need more than one channel to reach leadership.
- Leadership needs to make themselves available. (Even if a question can’t be answered right away, the worker should know the communication was received.)
- Tone is difficult to decipher in emails and texts — don’t assume tone. Make a voice/video call if there is concern.
Empathy is needed. Leadership should understand the capabilities and disposition of their workers. Some workers may not be comfortable working remotely.
If work from home is necessary because of a health crisis, remember that fear is real and each worker may react differently.
Leaders provide structure. Without cues from the work environment, performers can have difficulties with priorities. Create milemarkers, gates, and hard stops.
Remain available. This is worth repeating. Working separately doesn’t mean working alone.
Presume good will, and let your team know that that is expected of them too. All of us are challenged by a new working “normal.” Be generous and share grace.
Be the model for desired behaviors and attitude. Now is probably not the time to show dominance of keyboard sarcasm.
The current situation is not within leadership’s control, but how the day is approached is within control. Guide the team to approach the day the same way.
Express appreciation. The worker cannot see the smile when their work is received. Be sure to express verbally/in the written word that their work is appreciated.
Respect. Respect is a desired goal. Respect for the team. Respect for their work. Respect for the customers. Respect for everyone’s best efforts.
Strive for perfect, but appreciate that the best effort is being made. Working from home can create a different type of stress. The very best, respectfully executed effort should be appreciated.