Risk & Business Magazine General Insurance Services - Fall 2020 | Page 29

REMOTE AND ON-SITE EMPLOYEES
Many employees hope to engage in
remote work post-coronavirus as well,
with the same survey reporting that 72%
of workers would prefer to work at least
two days a week remotely. The expansion
of remote work means that many
organizations are now transitioning from
short-term remote work to a mix of onsite
and remote work for the foreseeable
future in an effort to optimize employee
experience and effectiveness.
MOST ORGANIZATIONS
HAVE NORMS IN
PLACE FOR ON-SITE
EMPLOYEES AND NOW
NEED TO ADAPT TO
A MIRRORING SET OF
STANDARDS FOR THOSE
WORKING REMOTELY.
Organizations should plan for a new
sense of normalcy—it won’t be the same
work environment that was left behind
pre-coronavirus.
MEETING THE NEED OF BOTH REMOTE
AND ON-SITE EMPLOYEES
The current employment market values
stability, flexibility, and safety. While
remote employees often reap the benefits
of having increased flexibility and an
ability to prioritize safety, they face their
own unique challenges such as a lack of
social interaction and a lack of common
knowledge and information. Likewise,
on-site employees seek to be part of a
safe workplace and often crave flexibility.
In the current climate, organizations
have challenges pleasing both on-site
and remote employees. Employers can
consider steps to meet the needs of all
employees while standardizing business
practices to help bridge any gaps.
BRIDGING THE GAP
As employers consider how to engage
both remote and non-remote employees,
there are ways to help bridge the gap.
When doing so, considerations include
the following:
• Create an open chat—Chat tools,
such as channels within Microsoft
Teams and Slack, can facilitate
dialogue open to both remote and
on-site employees. Channels can be
created for efficient work-related
communication—or even as a way to
replace water cooler conversations
and help build comradery within
teams.
• Plan for remote-friendly meetings—
Remote employees attending a
meeting via a conference line or
video platform can be just as active
as those sitting in the chairs in
the conference room. However,
meeting leaders and participants
should be deliberate about including
all members. At the beginning of
a meeting, be sure to introduce
participants joining remotely, and
ensure you give each participant a
chance to share their thoughts or
ideas on topics discussed during the
meeting.
• Consider all employees when
conducting workplace planning—As
your organization considers changes,
always consider how any decisions
will impact all employees, including
both on-site and remote talent.
• Be transparent about remote work
expectations and decisions—There
are a variety of reasons why some
employees may be expected to work
on-site while others are granted
the opportunity to work remotely.
By being transparent about the
purpose and business need of any
decisions, employers can facilitate
a friendly and open environment
for distant teams to effectively
collaborate rather than building gaps
between an organization’s leaders
and their base of employees.
There is an array of reasons
why an employee may
be designated to work
remotely, stay on-site, or
work a mix of both. Still,
employers can build trust
with their base of employees
by displaying a level of transparency
when announcing expectations.
Every organization has a unique base
of employees, and appropriate steps
will vary. As your organization rolls out
changes, consider how you can effectively
communicate with all employees.
COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY
Likely, the coronavirus has impacted
your workplace and each employee. As
initiatives are launched and changes
are announced, strategically planned
communications can help produce buy-in
from employees. Any workplace changes
can make a significant impact on the dayto-day
life of hard-working employees,
and organizations should be thoughtful
about how they create necessary changes.
As your organization addresses the
impacts of COVID-19, ensure that your
ethos for internal communications
acknowledges the challenges
that employees face daily but also
transparently explains the rationale for
how any decisions best serve the interest
of the stakeholders of your business,
including employees. Employees
appreciate transparency, and this
acknowledgment can help establish
rapport during challenging times.
SUPPORTING ALL EMPLOYEES
Efforts will look different for every
organization, but proper measures can
help bridge the gap between employees.
Consider initiatives that work for your
organization, and contact
General Insurance Services for additional
resources regarding the remote
workplace. +
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