We now know that the “reentry phase” following the COVID-19 work from home requirements will now look more like a “staggered start” – partial teams rotating in and out of the workplace for an extended period of time.

Some things to keep in mind to ensure your team doesn’t become fragmented in this next phase.

Mixing Schedules

As you begin to look at schedules of in and out of the office, ask team members for any preferences they may have.

Maybe they want to work in/out of the office opposite of a spouse, or there’s another team member they want to be in the office with to make work easier.  Find out any specific needs and accommodate when you can.

Your Schedule

Create your schedule so you overlap with all of your team members with some regular cadence.

Make sure you have in-office time with each of your staff members periodically. Ensure schedules are available to all.

Remember You Are Still All One Team

Keep going with consistent communication and regular team meetings with all staff; those in the office and those virtual.

Look at your team meeting schedule – what adjustments should you make so all have the opportunity to attend in-person with some frequency.

Ensure out of office does not mean less important.

Mark the Occasion

As you move to this next phase of building your new work environment, spend a few moments celebrating what your team accomplished in this phase of working 100% remote.

What “wins” did the team have?  What did people learn?  What did they enjoy?  What will they miss?  What are they looking forward to in this next phase?

Leading change is best done by intentional leaders.  Do the best you can with the information you have as you go forward.

In our effort to support you during this unusual time of COVID-19, we have offered these #Leadwell Virtually tips over the past couple of months.  We will be phasing these tips out at the end of June.  You can look back on all of the tips on our #Leadwell Knowledgebase – Leading Well Virtually.

Look forward to our next series of tips on shaping your evolving culture starting this summer.

 

Related Leadership Learning Moments:

  1. #Leadwell Virtually Tip of the Week – Time for a “Team Time-Out”
  2. #Leadwell Virtually Tip of the Week – Balanced Communications
  3. #Leadwell Virtually Tip of the Week – Routines
  4. #Leadwell Virtually Tip of the Week – Meetings
  5. #Leadwell Virtually Tip of the Week – Leading Well During Change
  6. #Leadwell Virtually Tip of the Week – Coaching & Feedback in the Virtual Work World