The Emergency Operations Centre has been activated, the Business Continuity Plans have been dusted off and the Crisis Communications Plan has been exercised.

Social distancing means your staff are working from home, students are trying to study at school (remotely – with various effectiveness), and essential services are adapting to the new business model – delivery for everything – and everything being cleaned ten times over. Is this the new normal?

What are the next steps as we transition from EOC activation, remote work and wait for the cure!

We need to improve our survival model and make it into a success model based on the current social distancing requirements. Just because your workers are now remote does not mean you are managing their needs effectively (social isolation, remote work confusion, lack of established protocols, depression, ergonomics, etc) and you are not managing your organizations success. Have you ever managed remote workers in the past? If not, there is a steep learning curve for management and a steeper learning curve for staff who feel isolated from their established routines and will already be struggling to find new routines – hopefully positive ones.

How often does an employee see their managers/supervisor while working on site? Perhaps a “Good Morning” as you walk in the halls, at your desk or in the coffee room, a question about the Kurt’s loyalty to the Edmonton Oilers and their season, wondering when Annelle’s wedding/baby shower is scheduled, and then all the other formal business that takes place. The business is now being run remotely but the culture is being overshawdowed by today’s events. The cultural goodwill started high in February but will now be dimishing as we head into April, May, June and perhaps the summer – for Canadians that means July and August. If we wait until the cultural goodwill runs low we have lost all the positive ground from the many years of effort and success – it is easier to sustain a good culture than to build it up again.

There is a solution. Start checking in frequently with your staff by sending a chat message in the morning (emoji’s allowed), video call to discuss todays events (get out of your pj’s), a weekly get together to summerize all the success (video call), and perhaps do something awesome like send them a cookie and a coffee to their remote work site – won’t they be surprised, impressed and motivated. Delivery is now free in many areas.

Open up office hours for your leadership. For one hour per day open a live chat room and let all comers join you and ask questions. Let them share their problems – not just solutions. Managers, don’t forget to schedule yourself a lunch time and get away from the desk/kitchen table.

Help the staff develop a new routine. In the past they got up, showered, had breakfast, drove or bussed to work, greeted their friends in the office, had a laugh or two about the prior days events, turned on their computer and got ready for the days routine. Start a new routine with your staff – help them adapt to the new reality. When is the last time you heard a staff member laugh or tell a funny story.

Some people like a relaxed schedule (no-schedule) while others like the structure and expectations so that they can achieve todays goals. The relaxed schedule staff are hard at work on the next project and the “I like structure staff” are making up their own structure – with or without you. Staff do not need identical inputs (same for everyone) from management – know your audience and what they need to see and hear from you.

Look for ways to provide feedback to your staff – a virtual pat on the back, a funny GIF about their dog or coffee habit, or some sort of other virtual “Hi, we see and care about you.” I have never heard so few – “Hi, how are you!”

Leadership during a time of crisis will exhaust your managers and supervisors as they struggle to survive and thrive – don’t forget to acknowledge their hard work and remember they need some of senior lederships connections, office hours, routines, and feedback.

Let’s strive to succeed during this time and hopefully we will see the benefits of a stronger organization when summer arrives, in July and August.