As coronavirus increases the take-up of remote and flexible working, we explore the opportunities and risks, and explain how to build the more positive aspects into long-term strategies.
One of the most visible examples of the impact of coronavirus on the workplace is the growth of remote working. And as we’re flexible working specialists, you’d imagine we’d be delighted. But while it’s great to see companies adapting to the need to work together while apart, it’s time to take stock of where we are – and where we might end up. Are all the changes we’re seeing for the better – and will they last?
It’s certainly true that there are a number of positives coming out of the crisis. On a societal level, as an organisation who has been working to support work-life balance for nursing staff, we feel the outpouring of appreciation for NHS employees is long overdue. And we sincerely hope that their value, and that of other frontline workers such as teachers, retail staff, government employees and carers, who are putting themselves at risk for all our sakes, continues to be respected and rewarded once the crisis is over.
Additionally, on a practical level, this enforced experiment in remote working has overturned some long-held objections to remote working, creating real opportunities to change the narrative:
It’s our hope that, as a result, the reasons traditionally given for not allowing remote working just won’t wash. And so the debate can move on from whether it should be used to how to make it work – and the focus onto practical solutions such as job design and culture change.
However, there are also some ways in which the impact of coronavirus is more negative. For example:
And of course, we also need to beware the assumption that this is a temporary response to Covid-19, and that everything will go back to normal once the restrictions are lifted. Despite the pitfalls outlined above, I very much hope that isn’t the case.
Indeed, I’d argue that there is no normal to go back to. I believe that some of the more positive experiences caused by the impact of the coronavirus – avoiding the commute, spending more time with family and being able to work at times that suit us – will encourage employees to push for greater flexible working. And forward-looking employers will need to incorporate it as part of their offer.
If that’s the case, what should employers do to set the right tone, right now? Here are three good ways to start:
Here at Timewise, we’re already exploring the best way to turn the impact of coronavirus into a positive force for change. We’re creating a programme of webinars, training sessions, toolkits and advice for employers, with two core aims:
It’s a challenging time right now; no question. But it’s also an opportunity to change workplaces for the better, for good. If you’d like to know more about the programme we’re building, or need support with any of the issues I’ve noted here, do please get in touch.
Published April 2020
By Muriel Tersago, Principal Consultant, Timewise
Following government restrictions to limit the spread of the coronavirus, employers in all sectors are working through the implications for their business and their employees. There’s a lot of useful advice out there on topics such as supporting employees to work from home or how to run virtual meetings. But one group which is easy to overlook is older workers, typically defined as those over 50.
There are a number of reasons why this demographic need bespoke support, and a number of steps you can take as an employer to provide it, both in the current crisis and beyond. Here we set out the key points for you to think about.
In the short term, employers need to make sure that their older workers are being considered in any strategic or operational decisions that are made:
(1) Recognise the particular circumstances of this group
While many older workers are in good health, some do develop health conditions as they age, which might make them more vulnerable to coronavirus. They may also have caring responsibilities for high-risk elderly relatives. Critically, they may be unwilling to ask for help.
Suggested actions:
Line managers should proactively seek one-to-ones with older reports to discuss their needs and concerns, and explore adapting their work to fit.
HR could set up company-wide social networks for older workers, and sign-post to websites offering advice and information on relevant issues.
(2) Consider how employee contract decisions affect this group
Many employers are facing difficult decisions around reducing staff hours and redundancies. They are also having to understand and share information about the government’s financial support packages.
Some older workers, who are approaching retirement, may need to think carefully about how any changes to their working hours and employee status could impact their pensions, and other employee benefits such as healthcare cover.
Suggested actions:
It may take HR teams time to work through the implications of these issues and for leaders to decide on their preferred course of action. So, in addition to issuing a general holding statement, it is worth reassuring older workers that you understand their specific concerns.
(3) Be proactive about providing tech support
Although older workers are likely to be comfortable with the technology they use at work, some may be less familiar with the platforms and apps that support remote working.
Suggested actions:
Don’t assume that everyone is up to speed with existing or new technology. Provide clear and friendly one-page guidance documents before using a new platform, encourage people to practise, and invite questions.
How-to tips are often best provided by peers within a team, rather than a more formal conversation with the IT helpdesk. Consider setting up IT buddies, or appointing a ‘tech guru’ in the team who can help others.
(4) Seek their input on remote and flexible working
Flexible working can be used very successfully to help older workers ease into retirement. The changes brought about by the coronavirus mean we are all working differently and there is an opportunity to understand and share learnings from different groups, including older workers.
Suggested actions:
As a minimum, line managers should be checking in with all colleagues about how they are adjusting to any new patterns on a day-to-day level.
The next step is to take a more strategic look at its impact on individual roles, to evaluate what is working well and what could be done better. Exploring this specifically with older workers could help HR create a flexible pathway into retirement.
(5) Encourage staff to use downtime for personal or career planning
On a similar note, it could be worth encouraging older workers to use any downtime to reflect on their next steps, both inside and outside of work. The change of pace and environment offers an unusual opportunity for people to consider their options as they start looking towards retirement.
Suggested actions:
HR could provide guidelines and tools for individuals. The Centre for Ageing Better has developed a midlife MOT framework which provides a structure and ideas on what to consider.
HR or training departments may also want to alert employees to any training opportunities which are available.
It will be important to handle this issue sensitively, however, so older workers don’t fear they will be first in line for redundancy consultations.
It’s widely accepted that society will be different after coronavirus has passed. This will be reflected both in the workplace as a whole, and for specific groups of employees.
Here are five issues, which will impact older workers, to consider when you begin your post-pandemic planning.
It is also important to remember that, as Patrick Thomson from the Centre for Ageing Better recently noted, there are many over-50s working on the frontline right now, for whom remote working is not a possibility. These include care workers and NHS and retail employees, as well as people working in local government and education, who are keeping things running for the rest of us.
And when we exit this crisis, we need to ensure that we value these roles properly, and enable the older workers who are delivering them to have some say over how flexibly they work. It will be our duty to protect their well-being and living standards in future, as they are protecting us now.
If you would like support or information on any of the topics covered above, please contact Timewise or the Centre for Ageing Better.
Timewise and the Centre for Ageing Better ran an 18-month programme with employers including Guys’ and St Thomas’ Trust, and Legal & General, exploring how to support over-50s to access the benefits of flexible working. The full report was published in 2020
Published April 2020
Conference and video calls have long been used to bring people from different offices, companies and even countries together. But with many full teams now working remotely, they are the only option for managers who want to have a meeting with their people. And that means it’s more important than ever to get them right. Here are eight principles to help you improve virtual meetings.
If you’re planning a meeting for team members who are used to being together, you need to give them the chance to catch up before you start the more formal meeting. Include it on the agenda, and make sure whoever is chairing the meeting draws a line under the chat when it’s time to get down to business.
We would also recommend setting up some specific social sessions for your team; here at Timewise, we have a daily Zoom coffee morning for anyone who is free to log in.
There are a number of reasons why video works better than audio for virtual meetings. It’s more like the real thing, and is definitely better in terms of natural conversation and team bonding. It also makes it easier to pick up on non-verbal clues that you would be able to spot in person, and to avoid people talking over each other.
And on a practical level, it helps put people in work mode, both mentally and physically (though some people may still choose to only be smart from the waist up).
There are so many platforms you can use for virtual meetings (unsurprisingly, they are experiencing a boom right now.) At Timewise, we tend to use Zoom; other options include Skype, WebEx, Google Hangouts and GoTo Meeting.
Whichever you choose, make sure everyone in the team is trained in how to use it before you meet, to avoid wasting half your available time faffing around with the tech.
It’s important that people take virtual meetings as seriously as they would face-to-face ones – and the best way to achieve this is to be clear about what you expect. For example, you might want to agree some practical points, such as that using laptops or phones for unrelated messaging is a no-no, or that headphones should be used for call clarity. You might also want to consider some wider principles, such as that everyone has to contribute, or that staying silent means you agree with what has been concluded.
It’s all too easy for virtual meetings to drift if someone isn’t keeping them on track. So have a clear structure in place, and give someone responsibility for chairing and keeping discussion focused.
As a rough guide, we’d recommend around 45 minutes for a productive session, including time at the end for wrapping up and agreeing next steps. This doesn’t have to include any social time you have decided to include to kick things off.
It can be difficult enough getting people to take their turn in a face-to-face meeting and it’s definitely hard to manage on a video call. You’ll need to identify a way to facilitate this, otherwise the meeting will become a cacophony of opinions.
Most platforms will have a function to support you; on Zoom, for example, there is a hand-raising option which allows the meeting chair to organise who responds and in what order.
Another thing to be mindful of is that introverted members of your team may more easily slip under the radar than they would face-to-face. If it’s your meeting, it’s up to you to make sure everyone is contributing.
So if your quieter team members don’t offer their opinions, make sure you actively seek them out, or ask if they have anything to add.
Finally, however clearly you may all have agreed any next steps, it’s worth putting them in writing. It’s easier for points to get missed when you’re meeting virtually and the tech can sometimes let you down.
By circulating a brief summary of what has been agreed and allocated next steps, you can be sure your virtual meeting has been time well spent.
For more advice on how to manage a virtual team, take a look at our practical guidelines for successful remote working.
Published March 2020
The word unprecedented is being overused right now, but it’s fair to say that things are changing at an unrecognisable pace.
In the two weeks since we posted our advice on setting up remote working, the workplace landscape has totally transformed. With schools and offices closed, and anyone who can do so working from home, organisations of all shapes and sizes are having to get used to remote working as a long-term reality.
For employers, many of whom may have had to hastily put some kind of remote working in place, the next step is to think strategically about how to make it work well in practice. From understanding what your employees’ current issues might be, to thinking through how to communicate with a remote team, here are our guidelines for making remote working a success during Covid-19.
Aside from making sure your IT systems are working seamlessly, the most critical success factor for remote working is communication. As you can’t physically read people’s moods, grab someone for an informal catch-up, or pull everyone together for a briefing, you need to create remote opportunities to do so.
How to address this:
It’s not business as usual right now, so it can’t be delivery as usual either. And while working from home can be highly productive in normal circumstances, that’s may not be the case for some of your employees right now.
The practical impact of school closures is that many remote employees have their children at home. They may not have a dedicated work desk, and may be juggling space and broadband capacity with their partner. So it’s important that leaders and managers understand the constraints their people are working under – and review priorities and objectives accordingly.
How to address this:
It goes without saying that stress is a real issue at the moment; it also takes more effort to keep an eye on staff wellbeing when everyone is working remotely. So it’s vital to put structures in place to make sure everyone is OK, and create guidelines to help them take care of themselves.
How to address this:
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be offering further advice and tools to help you manage the new workplace order. In the meantime, if you need any support from us, do get in touch.
Published March 2020
As the impact of the coronavirus continues to spread, companies are having to adapt to frequently changing guidelines. But one initial strategy is now pretty much standard practice among office-based businesses: moving to remote working.
As companies like Twitter realised early on, this allows you to protect your staff from potential infection, and minimise the spread of the virus, without affecting their ability to work. (It also offers a number of other business advantages, which we’ll explain at the end of this article.)
However, if you want to do it well, you need to have some core principles in place right from the start. Here are five things to think about when setting up remote working.
Remote working works best when managers value outputs more than inputs, and trust their employees to do their jobs when out of sight. So give your team the tools and priorities they need to do their job from home, then trust them to get on with it. If you don’t, that’s an HR issue, not a flexible working one.
A significant barrier to remote working is not having access to the right files and systems. You need to develop a solution that replicates their office desktop at home, whether on a company laptop or their home computer – and have the right IT support at the end of a phone.
Clearly, some tasks are more suited to remote working than others. So if you’re using it as a short-term solution to the coronavirus, it’s worth working out which of your priorities can be tackled most successfully at this time – and making sure your team are aware of what they are.
From Skype calls and Google hangouts to Slack and social media, there are a large number of tech solutions to enable you and your team to communicate with each other. In one company in Hong Kong which has moved to remote working due to coronavirus, teams have set up What’s App groups to mirror the informal office chat they’re missing out on.
When people are working from their kitchen tables, it’s all too easy for them to get caught up in a piece of work and let it spread into the evening. Support your employees’ work-life balance by encouraging them to formally switch off at the end of their working day.
