With the change in the way businesses are run during and even post-pandemic, an extremely different skill set is required for remote managers, as compared to managers that are able to be face to face with employees. In recent months, many managers have been thrown in the deep end, expecting to swim in an environment that is both unfamiliar and without training.

Managers have been finding themselves having trust issues with staff, which has in turn created a micromanagement environment. The micromanagement environment has then created a situation where employees are feeling unmotivated, which in turn leads to a lack of productivity. The vicious cycle continues.

A recent study at Harvard Business Review claims that managers are admitting to battling with remote work, in fact, a massive 40% say that they do not have the confidence to manage staff remotely, while only 23% were feeling confident. 38% said that they had seen a decline in productivity and 41% said that they believe that staff are going to feel unmotivated in time.

It has never been so imperative that we find a way forward, below are four steps that could be taken.

1. In order for Managers to begin behaving differently, it is vital that the top level in an organisation make informed changes. An example of one of the things to change could be looking at a software option that monitors staff. In this way, reports can be drawn to indicate who has been genuinely working. It has been suggested that even the top level install productivity software, to show that team work is in place and that it is in the interest of the business to monitor productivity. Not only will you be able to identify where each individual is spending time, but supervisors can also eliminate the need to consistently checking on staff.
2. Moral support needs to be available for all, alongside practical solutions. In addition to providing someone to talk to, it may be necessary to ensure that helpful solutions are afforded. For some this may include flexible work time, so that household distractions can be worked around.
3. Train and educate everyone within the organisation, especially leaders. Examples of management training could include topics around trust, motivation, new software and working around the absence of body language. It may also be necessary to look at the benefits for all with working from home, including additional productivity if correctly implemented. Employees need to be trained with time management and understanding how to work around possible distractions, together with reporting mechanisms so that Managers can reduce the need to keep checking up, yet increase communication channels.
4. Create a reporting structure that shows results. Research ways that can make results measurable. These reports will be beneficial both to management and to employees, since an outline of what is expected is generated

If you feel you are having a management problem within your organisation, don’t ignore it. Talk About it, then plan alternatives and implement a strategy.