University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
Coronavirus and Teleworking Employees: Set Guidelines, Priorities
Article

Coronavirus and Teleworking Employees: Set Guidelines, Priorities

Kathy Gurchiek
SHRM, 2020
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Well Structured
  • Concrete Examples

Recommendation

Team managers face a substantial challenge now that COVID-19 has sent many workers from their office buildings to temporary work stations in their own homes. Managing a teleworking team from afar can be a daunting task, particularly if you and your team members have never worked remotely. In this article from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), editor Kathy Gurchiek provides clear advice that sounds deceptively simple, but will help you create a checklist so you won’t forget important steps. She includes some tips to keep people safe when they aren’t able to work remotely.

Summary

Managers can help teleworkers by defining clear priorities and setting expectations about work schedules.

“Employers should always put their team members’ safety first,” say Ronni Zehavi, CEO of the Tel Aviv-based cloud management company Hibob. “If remote work is an option in the face of a public health scare, it is certainly advised that employees take this opportunity to avoid the spread of coronavirus.”

However, for those who have never worked remotely, teleworking will be an adjustment. If you manage a team that’s now working from home due to COVID-19, help your team members by setting clear priorities. Keep specific work hours and let your employees know you still expect them to carry out their work and attend meetings, even if the sessions aren’t held in person. 

Virtual teams benefit from having deadlines and to-do lists to keep them on ...

About the Author

Kathy Gurchiek serves as the associate editor covering global issues, OED and Diversity at the Society for Human Resource Management and SHRM Online. Her writing has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Associated Press and the Salt Lake Tribune, where she was a staff business writer.

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