The longer people who are able to work from home do so, the more it becomes likely they will continue to work from home at least some of the time post-COVID. A Gallup report on creating successful work-from-home plans for team members recommends managers evaluate the following criteria for each person on their team:
1. Readiness and comfort – Is this person comfortable with the protocols and precautions that the organization is implementing? What are the individual’s health and safety concerns — for themselves and their family members?
2. Life circumstances – What personal demands is this person experiencing regarding childcare, elder care or responsibilities for tending to sick family members? What type of transportation is required for the person to return to the work site, and is that type available? Does the person have a well-defined space at home that is suitable for productive, engaging long-term remote work?
3. Performance – How has this individual performed before and after shifting to at-home work? Tracking and supporting low performers may be more difficult from a distance.
4. Strengths – Even if a role aligns well with remote work, it is important to consider that people have different talents and, therefore, different ways of achieving the same outcome. Some people work remotely with a high degree of success despite minimal interventions. Others may be in the same role, but they perform better with the interactions and structure of on-site work.
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