The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown our lives off balance in all the small ways that we never thought could be meaningful. Can you imagine getting groceries without seeing people wear masks? Elevators and public transport without the new social distancing measures? And can you imagine going back to work where you see everyone else physically? That last one is especially difficult.

It’s hard to believe that working online is the new norm, because if you ask me, personally, I absolutely need to be working in a physical environment. It’s just refreshing to see people face to face, and reassuring to know that you can check in with your team. I’m sure a lot of you can relate to how it really helps make the office and the home two distinct locations with their own moods and expectations.

And for employees who feel similarly, I can’t blame you. Working from home does present challenges offices never prepared us for. There could be crying children, or random internet shortages, or unnecessarily loud neighbors that can hinder us from being able to perform at our best. But this doesn’t mean working from home can’t be a fulfilling experience! And as a leader, it’s your job to make sure that happens.

How do you do this? Here are three easy hacks!

1) Times Are Tough, So Have Fun!

I know what you’re thinking, this might sound unprofessional! But honestly, being online is inherently informal anyway. And more importantly, the pandemic has affected different people’s mental health in different ways, and a break or two every now and then could help boost morale and strengthen solidarity between your staff.

Encourage small, fun activities. It’s simple things like letting your team change their background on Zoom, or scheduling a day where you all just get to wear your pajamas, or a day where you play an online game together immediately after work. These are the types of things that are fun, easy, and can really help boost productivity by giving your staff something to look forward to!

2) Do Regular Disposition Checks

As mentioned, the pandemic has had a devastating impact on many people’s mental health. And while having fun is one way to help your team distract themselves, it’s also important for them to feel their emotions, be able to express them, and know that they’re getting the support they need.

The best way you can help them with that as a leader is by doing disposition checks. Check in on their feelings, and really find out how they’re doing. Those tiny, personal gestures can go a long way in making sure your employees are healthy in mind, body and spirit.

Similarly, make sure to reassure your team about their job security. Maybe a lot of them are secretly worried about being laid off, and this is where disposition checks come in handy, so that you can help your staff quell unnecessary fears.

3) Adjust Indicators

Listen, I know Key Performance Indicators have to be strict. But that was a lot truer in the real world, than for the online world. Nowadays, everybody is facing some limitation or other, whether mentally or physically, and it’s up to you to adjust to that.

Consider switching from a KPI that measures things like hours to measuring quality and quantity of work. You can adjust your KPIs to reflect the quality at which your employees complete their tasks. This doesn’t mean settling for mediocrity, though. It simply means treating your employees like the human beings they are, while making sure that your company runs effectively.

The only catch is that before you do this, you need to make sure that all your employees know how they’re being assessed, and for what. When you better manage and set expectations during this challenging period, you’ll be helping each and every one in the team recalibrate and make the necessary adjustments to allow them to perform to the best of their ability.

To your success,

Mario

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