Working from home we are remote but not disconnected. What management communications do we bring to help our team feel connected?
We have settled into new patterns but too many of us are feeling less connected with our organisation. And there is a role for managers – we need to use our communication skills in this disruptive time.
Whether we have been enjoying the new flexibility of working from home or find it an imposition we are less connected. It’s all too easy for us to lose the attention of staff when we don’t see each other as much at the coffee machine or in the kitchenette. The unplanned, the informal chat time has gone. So we need to re-create the connection. We don’t want staff to become divorced from the organisation, our strategies our mission.
All staff should take responsibility but it’s not just up to management to drive this. How can we encourage staff? How can we help the team to feel more connected? Leave aside systems and procedures – let’s talk about behaviours. Managers and staff use a range of communication behaviours for various work situations – managing projects, teams, crises and celebrating success.
We have the communication behaviours we need to manage team remotely but we just need to identify and bring them to the surface. And what we talking about is the empathy gene. Managers need to hold people to account and drive for better results, motivate. But they also need to listen and show that they care – especially at a distance.
The good news is that remote working is not entirely new. We have brought together some ideas and tips for both management and staff to think about. Things we can all do to make being fun again.
We offer a range of training on management communications https://communicatingeu.com/management-skills/
For more information?
If you would like to organise a training programme we can first have a briefing call to discuss. I am available for a chat on 0032 473 391890. Or email me at info@communicatingeu.com
Image “Another Month, Another Year”
This image is titled “Another Month, Another Year” and is the work of my friend Izhar Cohen.
Follow his blog at https://izharcohen.wordpress.com/2020/07 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/izhar_cohen/