By Stuart R. Levine

Published in Forbes

The Covid-19 forced experiment in off-site work is opening the eyes of both management and employees to its benefits. The pandemic caused a dramatic increase in the number of off-site workers from 31% of U.S. employees in mid-March to more than twice that number in mid-May 2020 (65%), according to Gallup. Many organizations moved 90% or more of their staff to a work-from-home environment. Over 100 million people are now working outside of the office. 

A majority of employees reported to Gallup that they would prefer to continue working remotely once restrictions ease, appreciating both the flexibility and balance that remote work can bring to one’s life. A McKinsey survey found that 70% of off-site employees felt at least as productive, or even more so, than in the office. In large part this has occurred because bonds of trust were already formed among work teams, so videoconferencing and other technologies became effective tools in replacing proximity, allowing their work to continue effectively. 

A changed workplace is clearly in the cards going forward. Beyond management and employee expectations of increased off-site work, social distancing and health requirements will force companies to decrease density and implement changes that will make off-site work a necessity. Even after the pandemic ends, many structural workplace changes will remain. 

Yet, as time goes on and distance work continues, leadership must tackle the challenge of developing effective strategic communication to ensure maintaining a healthy culture within this new workplace paradigm. Leaders must maintain or exceed pre-pandemic levels of trust that were driving engagement. And they must do so when many traditional approaches to engagement that relied on proximity and contact are not available. 

Human connectivity is a catalyst for trust. Innovation and creativity happen spontaneously when people interact serendipitously. Eye contact and body language transmit information essential for collaboration, understanding and empathy. These important proximity related conditions don’t always happen when people are in a home silo. Videoconference does not always fill this void. New off-site hires and newly formed teams are at a disadvantage when they can’t access these insight-producing opportunities that proximity brings. 

Nonetheless, to arrive at a place that creates a healthy culture requires myriad decisions, more communication, and much greater individualized attention. An engaged culture is key to maintaining organizational capacities, innovation, creativity, employee satisfaction, and the customer experience going forward.

The decisions about who will work from home, and to what extent, must be tailored to the employee. The roles, tasks, and processes of distance personnel should be well-defined, have clear timelines, and measurable results. The individual must be properly prepared with required technological and knowledge support. Job design for new employees or newly formed teams may have both on and off-site work to optimize integration into the organization and foster collaboration. 

The quality and frequency of senior leadership’s communication becomes exponentially more important as the tone for the culture is established at the top through words and actions. Communication with employees, whether on or off-site must be ramped up. With a large proportion of distanced staff, leaders must address what it means to be a manager and an employee in a very different workplace environment. Their messages must inspire trust and strive to create a unified culture.

Every message from senior leadership must resonate with clarity, honesty, authenticity, and humanity. Leadership must embody the values and the purpose that the organization stands for. Leadership’s reasoning, intentions, and expectations must come through in a way that makes it easy for everyone to understand. 

Senior leaders must assure that a heightened level of communication flows throughout the management chain. The work of the manager at all organizational levels is fundamental to creating a unified healthy culture, as 70% of employee engagement is related to the person’s supervisor. Managers must interact with distanced staff more frequently.  

Good managers listen well, seeking to understand the conditions under which the employee performs best, and how they are responding to this challenging situation They need to individualize communication and customize work plans for each employee and assist teams in organization for collaboration. Managers need to increase the coaching and guidance with a focus on professional development. Phone calls or videoconferences are often significantly better than emails which take less time, but may not be as clear, meaningful or impactful. 

The Covid-19 forced experiment in off-site labor is creating a new work paradigm that will continue, even after the pandemic is resolved. The types and frequency of communication, the operating practices, and the formal and informal routines that are developed during this time will persist. A focus on methods to sustain a healthy culture in these unusual times will allow your company to emerge from the crisis strengthened and recommitted to its mission and values, making a positive difference in your employee’s and customer’s lives.