Drinking at work, dressing inappropriately, attendance problems and poor performance – we all know these are common causes for disciplinary action.  

Clients have been telling us recently that they’ve now had to discipline remote workers for exactly these reasons. But how can you make sure that your approach is fair? Were you clear about your expectations? How can you support staff to work productively under these conditions, and experience job satisfaction too? 

Communication is Key 

We know that juggling family commitments, isolation and uncertainty, and other aspects of remote work are challenging. Without face-to-face meetings, staff sometimes feel disengaged and unsupervised, resulting in dropping productivity and potential poor conduct. 

Where you might previously have taken a struggling team member for an informal coffee to discuss a developing problem with their performance, now other means are necessary to address any looming issues and nip them in the bud.  

Keep in regular, two-way contact with all staff by phone, video call, email or text.  

Managers must be equipped to support remote workers, identify poor behaviour, and spot signs of unhappiness or stress. We strongly advise keeping managers up to date with a working knowledge of employment and HR law, and their responsibilities and possible courses of action should disciplinary, or employee grievance issues arise.  

Think about what your remote workers need to do their work efficiently. Do they have adequate phones, laptops, internet connections, webcams and the skills to participate in virtual meetings and perform their tasks? 

Make sure that they are capable of producing the outputs you expect. Setting expectations without thinking through what’s required to make them happen is pretty much guaranteed to end badly for everyone. However, offering the right equipment and training contributes to well-being and personal and professional development.  

Sharing is Caring 

Provide confidential, risk-free channels for staff to report problems, including unethical or upsetting behaviour from colleagues, and mental and physical health concerns. Ensure managers have guidance on how to broach sensitive issues, like changes to business structure and job security. 

Communication has never been more important. We advise boosting employee engagement by using regular updates to your website, newsletters, personal letters and emails, blogs and social media to highlight visions, goals and successes, and namecheck great performing team members. Regular pulse surveys can also give a snapshot of how employees are feeling.  

Avoid Micromanagement 

When managers are accustomed to seeing employees face-to face all day, remote working is a big adjustment, and the temptation to check-up on staff constantly can be strong. But trusting and supporting your people will give better results than micromanagement. 

We advise focussing on outputs rather than processes, taking a flexible approach to allow staff to fit work around home life. Maybe they can’t do an early morning meeting because they are caring for family or travelling to a childcare provider, so a mid-morning catch-up would be helpful. Maybe they can focus better in the evening, when things are quieter. 

Getting Back to Normal 

Be clear about what will happen as the nation emerges from lockdown. Do you expect increased output now schools have reopened? What about school holidays?  

Maybe you intend to keep some employees at home or returning to the office on a part-time basis. Perhaps your entire business model is changing.  

Employees need to be clear on what you expect from them, and what they can expect from you.  

For advice on this, or any other HR issue you may be struggling with contact Dakota Blue.