{"id":1093,"date":"2020-04-16T02:43:12","date_gmt":"2020-04-16T02:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/?p=1093"},"modified":"2020-04-16T02:43:22","modified_gmt":"2020-04-16T02:43:22","slug":"work-from-home-5-tips-to-ace-leading-a-team-while-working-from-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/2020\/04\/16\/work-from-home-5-tips-to-ace-leading-a-team-while-working-from-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Work From Home : 5 tips to ace leading a team while working from home"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"article__header\">\n<h1 class=\"article__title\">Commentary: 5 tips to ace leading a team while working from home<\/h1>\n<div class=\"article__abstract\">\n<p>Working remotely can be challenging for team leaders but there are five guiding principles that can help light the way, says EngageRocket\u2019s Leong Chee Tung.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-picture--article-header\" data-css=\"c-picture\">\n<figure class=\"picture__wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"picture__image lazyloaded\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Person sticking a yellow note on the laptop\" \/><figcaption class=\"picture__caption\">(Photo: Pixabay)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article__meta-info-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"article__meta-info is-sticky-element article__meta-info-down\">\n<div class=\"article__author-link\">\n<div class=\"c-picture--article-author\" data-css=\"c-picture\">\n<figure class=\"picture__wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"picture__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/blob\/12637604\/b499cbada96589ba11c70469ee5163b6\/leong-chee-tung-thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Leong Chee Tung\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article__author-details\"><a class=\"article__author-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/author\/12637604\"><span class=\"article__author-by\">By<\/span>\u00a0Leong Chee Tung<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"article__details\">15 Apr 2020 06:03AM<span class=\"article__details-item\">(Updated:\u00a015 Apr 2020 12:25PM)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"c-sharing--default is-article-top-position\" data-css=\"c-sharelist\" data-js-module=\"sharing\" data-js-options=\"{\n                &quot;url&quot;: &quot;https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/coronavirus-covid-19-remote-work-from-home-lead-team-tip-company-12637596&quot;\n             }\"><\/p>\n<ul class=\"sharelist\">\n<li class=\"whatsapp\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"facebook\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"twitter\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"email\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"linkedin\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-save-for-later--default is-article-top-position\" data-css=\"c-save-for-later\" data-js-module=\"save-for-later\" data-js-options=\"{&quot;articleID&quot;:&quot;12637596&quot;}\">\n<h2 class=\"save-for-later__title\">Bookmark<\/h2>\n<p><button class=\"save-for-later__toggle i-save-for-later\" title=\"Bookmark article to read later\" data-js-atom=\"save-for-later-toggle\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"c-rte--article\" data-css=\"c-rte\">\n<p>SINGAPORE: The hashtag #WFH (\u201cworking from home\u201d) has dominated social media posts, as Singapore\u2019s \u201ccircuit breaker\u201d measures kick in and non-essential workplaces shutter.<\/p>\n<p>It is difficult enough to lead teams in the middle of market conditions worsening faster than the 2008 global financial crisis. Try doing that while figuring out split teams and physical isolation, not to mention fighting off panic at the growing contagion.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<p>It is precisely in a time like this we need to stay united and learn from one another.<\/p>\n<p>I have been privileged to speak with many business and HR leaders since the outbreak (over video calls no less) and have distilled five useful tips, cross-referenced with global studies, for managing remote teams.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/covid-19-coronavirus-singapore-home-based-learning-parent-school-12613852?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: Singaporeans more adaptable than they give themselves credit for<\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3c0N7zd?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LISTEN: Home-based learning: Good, bad, terrible &#8230; but mostly good?<\/a><\/h3>\n<div><\/div>\n<aside class=\"c-advertisement--rectangle-float is-hidden-tablet is-hidden-smartphone\" data-css=\"c-advertisement\" data-js-module=\"advertisement\" data-js-options=\"{&quot;networkCode&quot;: &quot;4654&quot;, &quot;adChannel&quot;: &quot;channel_newsasia&quot;, &quot;adUnit&quot;: &quot;imu1&quot;, &quot;adSection&quot;: &quot;news-story&quot;, &quot;sizes&quot;: [[300, 600], [300, 250]]}\"><span class=\"advertisement__title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ad-imu1-desktop-news-story\" class=\"advertisement__container\" data-js-atom=\"advertisement-wrapper\" data-google-query-id=\"CIO26IL26-gCFQuhaAodIaAFQQ\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_4654\/channel_newsasia\/commentary\/imu1_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong>1. CREATE COMMON REFERENCE POINTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>First, don\u2019t let your team have to second guess how their lives at work will look like. They are already surrounded by a swirling vortex of uncertainty. Work should not add to that.<\/p>\n<p>A survey conducted by healthcare consultancy Business Group Health revealed 54 per\u00a0cent of employees believe employers are responsible for protecting the public during health crises, and have high levels of trust in their organisations.<\/p>\n<p>Leaders should create common reference points for their teams of information on company policies and internal communications \u2013 where they can find announcements related to work arrangements during this COVID-19 crisis.<\/p>\n<p>Most importantly, organisations must outline the reasons behind these policies and articulate the leadership principles guiding decision-making through this crisis, whether this entails fixing a Zoom meeting at a certain time of the day or coordinating actions with other departments.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/covid-19-coronavirus-remote-work-from-home-telecommute-introvert-12607196?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: The time of introverts has come as firms ramp up work-from-home arrangements<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"c-picture--article\" data-css=\"c-picture\">\n<figure class=\"picture__wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"picture__image lazyloaded\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Small toy figures are seen in front of diplayed Zoom logo\" \/><figcaption class=\"picture__caption\">Small toy figures are seen in front of diplayed Zoom logo in this illustration taken March 19, 2020. REUTERS\/Dado Ruvic\/Illustration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The good news is, the same study also indicated seven in 10 large employers have an established emergency preparedness plan to guide supportive measures for employees during the coronavirus outbreak.<\/p>\n<p>But for teams working through these, creating these reference points can be as simple as having an internal document circulated to everyone and updated periodically, with links to authoritative sources of information to prevent the spread of disinformation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. ENCOURAGE AND COMMUNICATE ROUTINES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Second, accept that we all need some element of predictability in our lives. Having a daily working routine helps reduce stress from uncertainty and improves productivity. Communicate what this is to your team.<\/p>\n<p>The top-performing companies we observed established working routines for their teams even while they were working from home.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/office-leave-roster-tips-coronavirus-covid-19-politics-balance-12634942?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: The battle over office leave has been worsened by the coronavirus<\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/covid-19-coronavirus-job-work-tip-skills-government-support-hire-12509712?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: COVID-19 &#8211; time for businesses and workers to have the guts to embrace the new normal<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>The basics include maintaining connectivity during stipulated office hours. In some cases, team members check in over chat with their managers when they start and end work for the day.<\/p>\n<p>Using status icons helps to indicate availability where teams aren\u2019t used to sharing calendars.<\/p>\n<p>Counterintuitively, the importance of the routine is not the hours when people are at work. Respecting \u201cout of office\u201d hours allows for a psychological separation of work and personal lives.<\/p>\n<p>Good managers focus on team productivity during working hours but they also do their best to protect downtime as far as possible because productivity is negatively impacted when team members are \u201calways-on\u201d.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/covid-19-coronavirus-isolation-lockdown-tips-rest-sleep-immunity-12605166?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: Coronavirus isolation a rare chance to catch up on sleep<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"c-picture--article\" data-css=\"c-picture\">\n<figure class=\"picture__wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"picture__image lazyloaded\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Teenagers need help to deal with online harassment and bullying\" \/><figcaption class=\"picture__caption\">(Photo: Unsplash\/Oleg Magni)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>A study conducted by Airtasker, an online services marketplace, showed on average, remote employees worked 1.4 more days every month, or 16.8 more days every year, than those who worked in an office.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. USE VIDEO CALLS, GIFS, EVEN EMOJIS, TO CONNECT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Third, embrace the fact that humans are social animals and thrive on non-verbal cues exchanged in face-to-face communication, which cannot be allowed to disappear with remote working. Ask how you can move beyond emails and instant messaging when communicating with the team.<\/p>\n<p>Video calls are a great idea. They allow for some non-verbal communication, improve understanding and allow for constructive conversations when there is disagreement between two or more parties.<\/p>\n<p>Research conducted by Gartner revealed 40 per cent of organisations have set up additional virtual check-ins for employees with managers and 32 per cent have introduced new tools for virtual meetings.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/commentary-remote-working-promised-freedom-but-seems-to-be-12585756?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: Remote working promised freedom, but seems to be delivering the exact opposite<\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/wuhan-coronavirus-work-from-home-flexible-best-practices-tips-12421586?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: The biggest work-from-home exercise may have just begun. How ready is Singapore?<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Video calls also prompt individuals to find a dedicated workstation at home, a best practice that improves productivity while also encouraging some physical separation between work and personal life.<\/p>\n<p>Over chat, using appropriate emojis, stickers and GIFs (video snippets) can convey tone more effectively and augment textual communication, avoiding miscommunication during stressful situations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. ENCOURAGE \u2018SANITY CALLS\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Fourth, keep in mind that even for those familiar with remote work, one can easily feel out of sight and out of mind. Check in with your team regularly.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most common complaints about remote work is loneliness. Separating employees from their teams and organisations affects talent functionally, socially and emotionally.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/covid-19-coronavirus-social-distancing-isolation-physical-effect-12591780?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: Lockdown and isolation sound simple \u2013 but keeping people at home is no easy answer<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"c-picture--article\" data-css=\"c-picture\">\n<figure class=\"picture__wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"picture__image lazyloaded\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"bored man\" \/><figcaption class=\"picture__caption\">(Photo: Unsplash\/Siavash Ghanbari)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>During sensitive periods, organisations must fight isolation by strengthening relationships and diffusing a sense of resilience.<\/p>\n<p>A study by remote company Buffer found that one in five remote workers identify loneliness as their biggest struggle, on par with difficulties in collaboration and communication.<\/p>\n<p>Some organisations like Asia&#8217;s leading financial supermarket, GoBear, have shared they allocate time to do \u201csanity calls\u201d \u2013 dedicated video calls to check in individuals or groups.<\/p>\n<p>Having coffee, or a meal, together virtually can help break up periods of being alone, and help team members take time out from work. Ideally, all parties on the call would close windows on their desktops and focus on connecting with one another.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/how-is-covid-19-disrupting-our-relationships-social-life-12606736?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: We cannot allow COVID-19 to disrupt our relationships too<\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/covid-19-coronavirus-senior-social-distancing-lonely-tips-health-12535430?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: Four ways seniors can stay connected during COVID-19<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Likewise, the leading superapp in Southeast Asia, Grab, launched a radio station that shares information and allows for song dedications between employees. They also have a chatbot that pairs employees who do not know each other well for virtual coffee sessions. Employees get to know each other better, strengthening the social bonds across the company during these difficult times.<\/p>\n<p>All these help tackle feelings of isolation. As an added bonus, they also allow bosses to demonstrate care and concern for their team through a very difficult and stressful period.<\/p>\n<p>Combining these initiatives with regular organisational climate surveys to assess overall morale can nip remote work challenges in the bud.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. ACCEPT A PRODUCTIVITY RAMP TIME<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Fifth, understand that teams will need time to get used to working remotely; they must \u201cbuild muscle\u201d before they can become truly effective. Productivity may drop in the first few weeks as adjustments are made so ask how they are adjusting.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-picture--article\" data-css=\"c-picture\">\n<figure class=\"picture__wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"picture__image lazyloaded\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Man sitting on a chair and using a laptop\" \/><figcaption class=\"picture__caption\">When a\u00a0quarantine order hits you out of nowhere, online delivery services will save the day.\u00a0(Photo: Pexels\/Canva Studio)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Each team member will take time to get used to the new way of working and develop a natural rhythm. They may need to ensure their home Wi-Fi bandwidths are enough and set clear boundaries with other family members at home also working remotely.<\/p>\n<p>The best leaders we spoke to planned for this, and in some cases, chose to bite the bullet earlier to get a head start before the circuit breakers were rolled out.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/news\/commentary\/covid-19-coronavirus-graduates-students-job-careers-12571044?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">READ: Commentary: No ordinary disruption \u2013 a rising generation meets the coronavirus<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>OPPORTUNITY IN CALAMITY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The coronavirus story is one with an unclear ending.<\/p>\n<p>But it is likely that the economy will take longer to recover and get COVID-19 under control. Even after the pandemic is over, businesses have a chance to reimagine and reinvent the way they work instead of reverting to old methods.<\/p>\n<p>If leaders invest in these practices, they may be rewarded with more engaged, resilient and high-performing teams.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Commentary: 5 tips to ace leading a team while working from home Working remotely can be challenging for team leaders but there are five guiding principles that can help light the way, says EngageRocket\u2019s Leong Chee Tung. (Photo: Pixabay) By\u00a0Leong Chee Tung 15 Apr 2020 06:03AM(Updated:\u00a015 Apr 2020 12:25PM) Bookmark SINGAPORE: The hashtag #WFH (\u201cworking [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14428,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1093","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14428"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1093"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1094,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1093\/revisions\/1094"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/azhari\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}