While the “work from anywhere” (WFA) movement was growing before COVID-19, it exploded during the pandemic. For many employees, virtual work transitioned from a perk to a necessity, requiring a significant adjustment period. Leaders also faced steep learning curves, as many had never managed a team member exclusively through a screen or used digital communication tools like Zoom. During this transition, I received numerous inquiries from executives asking how to effectively manage remote employees who are no longer physically present in the office.
Adapting to this shift requires a new set of leadership skills focused on trust and digital engagement. Understanding the nuances of leading remote team members has become crucial for organizational success in the modern era. By mastering these virtual dynamics, managers can maintain productivity and morale regardless of their team’s geographic location.
I began leading virtual workers several years ago and have remained a dedicated student of this evolving landscape. My journey included a partnership with Belay (formerly known as EA Help), a company specializing in virtual assistants, bookkeepers, and webmasters. Contracting their services was one of the best professional decisions I have made, even while navigating the inevitable remote office collaboration challenges that arise in a digital-first environment.
So, what have I learned? My brief list is not exhaustive, but it does represent some of the major points I have learned over the past several years. I see these seven repeated consistently.
1. Focus on productivity more than hours. So much of the office life of the past 50 years has been patterned after the industrial era. Punching a clock and putting in hours has become the metric by which we measure work. That reality is changing rapidly. We can’t monitor the presence of virtual workers like we do workers in a physical office. Ask the question, “What did you get done this week?” instead of “How many hours did you work this week?”
2. Not all workers can adapt to a virtual workplace. They need the structure and accountability of being in a setting with other workers. They need the routine and rhythm of going to work in a place other than home or the coffee shop. Accept the reality that some will simply not adapt to a virtual workplace. Don’t try to put a square peg into a round hole.
3. Meet by videoconferencing regularly. Our team of about 15 persons has developed a weekly rhythm of meeting via Zoom. We typically keep the meeting to an hour. We usually spend most of our time getting brief updates from each team member. We can’t have watercooler conversations, so we need to hear from each other. Of course, smaller teams are meeting for specific reasons throughout the week via Zoom. But it has been important for us to have our entire team together by videoconference every week.
4. Set reasonable boundaries for virtual workers. I have been amazed to watch how our team members adjust to the virtual workplace. Amy may have kids at home homeschooling for a season, but she lets them know their own boundaries while she works from home. Jana likes the flexibility that comes with her virtual work, but she lets us know anytime she won’t be immediately available. Some workers, however, may not have the innate skills of Amy and Jana who know how to work virtually as well as anyone I know. You may need to provide some guidelines and boundaries for those workers.
5. Be aware of slippage. You may notice some virtual workers slipping in their productivity. They may not be focused on their work as much as they once were. You may notice they mute their video in meetings more than they use to do, suggesting other activities are going on around them. Address potential issues of slippage early.
6. Ask your virtual workers how you can help them most. Do they need more frequent meetings? Are they getting sufficient information? What can you do to be a more effective communicator? Listen to your virtual workers. I learn from my virtual team every week.
7. If possible, have an in-person gathering at least once a year. Video communication is an incredible technology. It allows us to do things we never dreamed possible as a team and as a worker. But you can’t replace the team chemistry that takes place when we are physically present together. It may not always be feasible, but allow for in-person gatherings as much as possible.
When I was a pastor, there was a church member who would often park his car in the church parking lot in the early morning hours to see what time I got to the office. He would likewise show up at times in the late afternoon to make sure I was putting in my hours. He made me miserable. So much of my work took place outside the walls of the building, but he believed work was sitting in a chair at a desk for eight to nine hours a day.
Work is not measured by the hours we sit at a desk in a chair. The world has changed. And since the pandemic, it has changed more rapidly than we ever thought possible.
Good leaders will adjust and lead well in the virtual world.
We simply cannot do things the way we’ve always done them.
This article originally appeared on ChurchAnswers.com and is reposted here by permission.