ReliefWeb

• Boost efficiency and alleviate fatigue by designating which communication channels are for what purposes and assigning urgency levels to each channel.

• Adopt an asynchronous workstyle that is built on transparency, flexibility, resource accessibility and a culture of documentation.

• Prepare (especially for disaster response teams) how to respond in situations where the Internet or communications channels may be hampered for hours or even days. Define common tasks and decision-making procedures in advance whenever possible.

• Use meetings as a last resort for decision-making or problem-solving. Having a meeting might feel convenient, but it disobeys the rules of asynchronous and flexible work, thus damaging work efficiency. Take active steps in advance to make meetings harder to happen: require agendas, demand meeting flow and purpose, and require an explanation as to why each invitee is expected to attend.

• Build a secure and supportive environment with clear expectations. Remote teams may find it hard to “shut down”, and evidence points to a decrease in work-life balance in such teams. Help people prioritize their well-being by clarifying expectations and discouraging unwanted behaviours.

• Do not expect virtual activities/happy hours to release stress or strengthen team bonds if other fundamentals related to work productivity and work-life balance are not in place.

• Gathering remote teams for in-person team-building events or retreats is critical. If possible, take innovative steps to encourage self-initiated meet-ups or offline events.

Introduction

COVID-19 forced, if not accelerated, companies’ and organizations’ plans to adjust their current ways of operation and to adapt to a new normal: remote work. Many people experienced the positive aspects of remote work, such as saving commuting time and money, spending more quality time with family or taking care of home duties. However, many others were woefully unprepared regarding the principles and policies needed to run a digitally distributed workforce. As a result, challenges emerged in the new remote workspace: meeting fatigue, prolonged working hours and deteriorating team bonds. Managers accustomed to working in the traditional office setting struggled with remote teams; without seeing team members at their desks or in a meeting, some managers struggled to believe that personnel were working productively. It became a trust issue, especially when personnel and teams had not been traditionally managed based on performance rather than their physical presence.

However, it seems apparent that there is no going back to the same level of in-office work.
In the coming decade, more employees will demand remote jobs with high flexibility.1 In the United States, most workers show a preference for working permanently from home.2 More people than ever are quitting their jobs and looking for remote options, leading to a surge in job applications for remote positions.3 Organizations need to be proactive in their response to the drastic change in preferences in the job market. If they fail to adapt, high-value talent will be lost, workplace diversity will be reduced and operational costs will outpace others. Attracting and retaining talent has shifted.

With this document, we aim to guide managers of digitally distributed teams to success.
We have summarized recent news, scoured journal articles and collected perspectives from leading organizations in the world of remote work management. We hope that the result guides managers who wish to foster a more productive, healthy and collaborative working environment for their digitally distributed team(s).

In humanitarian operations, remote support is not a new concept to many organizations, as crisis-mapping and information management are common remote roles in disaster response.
Nevertheless, there is still much room to improve remote responses, including the creation of dedicated remote support teams. Using ideas and feedback from interviewees who have served in crisis operations, we compiled special considerations for humanitarian organizations and disaster response.