What do you do to improve your outlook for managing employees?

. 3 min read

2020 will be remembered as the year that challenged everyone in one way or another. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a large part of the workforce, with jobs either being lost or being shifted to working remotely. If your employees are working remotely, how can you keep a positive outlook when it comes to managing them?

Chron summarizes the challenges facing management thusly: “Getting a better handle on your stress can boost your motivation and rejuvenate your passion for what’s ahead. As a business owner or manager, your motivation and general outlook affect your productivity and the morale of your employees. Exercising your body and mind each day energizes and empowers you to lead yourself and others despite the obstacles you may face.”

You know that as your team’s leader, you have an enormous influence over your team’s attitude and productivity. Taking care of your mental and physical health can have a major effect on your effectiveness as a leader. 

The University of Pittsburgh’s HR department issued a bulletin agreeing with this, giving the tips “Think AHEAD, Think BACK, Think DEEP, Think ACROSS, Think GROWTH, Think WELL-BEING, Think NOW.”  And they end with a reminder we all need to hear: this won’t last forever. “Even if we might not know for sure when this period of remote working will come to an end, it is nevertheless a finite situation. Maintain regular, honest communication with your team. Talk about what you and they want to do during this period, the systems you might employ for doing it, how you will gauge your success, and ultimately how you plan to transition and merge these efforts together with existing priorities and structures once regular working operations resume.”