Written by: Holly Jackson, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
How to Support Remote and In Person Employees While Driving Business Growth
We are in a new era…full of uncertainty. Our employees are facing loads of fear. Fears around finances, health and mental health. They feel alone and overwhelmed.
This is why leaders must step up to the plate. It’s our responsibility to take on the challenge. We must come up with creative, cutting edge solutions to build a balanced workplace.
And it is a balancing game…
We want to respect employees' wishes around safety and health. But at the end of the day you are also responsible for accelerated business growth.
How do leaders navigate this new era of uncertainty?
Get a Pulse for What Your Employees Need
Start with real data. Ask the individuals in your organization to tell you what’s working. What’s broken? And what they need to be successful.
It starts by understanding your team. What is top of mind for them today? What is one thing you can do that would make their life a little better?
Launch a company or team survey. Hold a town hall online and in person. Have 1:1 interviews with your leaders and middle management.
Really listen.
Ask follow-up questions. Make sure you are asking from a stance of curiosity. Focus on digging into where the real problems are.
Let go of any defensiveness you may feel. Being defensive will make employees feel unsafe to share openly and honestly.
Have break-out sessions with the most passionate and outspoken employees. Allow them to come up with solutions. Brainstorm and share ideas for what could work.
Set key performance indicators (measurable KPIs). Use them to track your success. What we can measure, we can improve. Don’t make the mistake of not setting metrics. Numbers never lie.
Warning: Do NOT do this unless you intend to follow through with a real plan and actions to fix the problem. There’s nothing worse than asking for feedback and then doing nothing with it. It will only lead to more frustration. Your employees will feel unseen and unheard.
Create Intentional Experiences that Build Connection in the Office
While we want to support remote employees, we also need to build connections and community in person.
In Shawn Achor book, Full Potential, he shares that we only reach our full potential when we are surrounded by other successful, driven people… in person. Something unique happens when we are physically present with others.
We gel together as a team. We are invested in each other's success. We pick up on small nonverbal cues. And most importantly, we feel seen and heard.
Culture and community are created in person. When we meet in person we exchange energy. We see nonverbal cues more clearly. We have those critical watercooler conversations. We build friendships outside of the workplace.
This is very difficult to replicate online. This is why we don’t want to throw out in-person experiences altogether. The future of work requires that we think creatively. We dig deep and uncover how to build elevated, connected experiences in person that no one wants to miss.
And we build amazing communities online. We want to support all workers, everywhere. We want to celebrate everyone’s success on and offline.
Install a Balanced and Fair Plan
Certain skills and experiences cannot be replicated online. Some events, trainings and experiences need to be held in person.
In particular, soft skills are much easier to teach in person. That includes communication, sales training, and management/leadership trainings.
Professional development outside of soft skills can easily be offered online. However, there is added value to connecting with other professionals.
We all understand that networking is a more powerful face-to-face. And your network is your net worth.
To get started, take some of the feedback from your employees. Prioritize which ideas you want to test. Build out a plan for which ideas you will test in person. Decide which ones you will offer online. And which solutions will you offer on and offline.
The overarching goal here is to make sure you are supporting both types of employees. Both remote and in person employees must feel like they are fully supported.
They are part of the team and have the same opportunities. There’s no discrimination.
To evaluate this, use quarterly polls across any key performance indicators (KPIs) you set for your overall programming. And ask for post event feedback. This will help your leadership team guage what’s working.
Commit to Ongoing Learning and Open Communication
Anything new and uncertain requires us to embrace ambiguity. It requires us to approach situations with a blank slate. We have to become students once again.
This sometimes means we have to unlearn things. We have to stop assuming we have all the answers. We have to be open to feedback, new ideas and getting out of our comfort zone.
Create a culture where you welcome ideas. Walk the talk of ongoing learning.
Ensure that your leaders are open to feedback and critical thinking. Train them in active listening. Develop standards for building community and connection in the workplace. Add them to their annual evaluation as metrics.
Have in person and online feedback loops. For remote workers, have a suggestion form or email.
Create safe spaces where employees and leaders can try and fail. You heard me… allow them to safely fail.
In order to find the best solutions, requires risk. This means experimenting with things that may not land. If we let fear get in the way, we will never access creativity.
We want to turn failure upside down. The goal here is to reward innovation.
Invest in Critical Thinking
In the book, Raising Critical Thinkers, Julie Bogart shares how easy it is to lose our critical thinking edge in a digital era.
While her book is geared towards children, I believe that most adults have lost their critical thinking muscle.
Many will read the news and assume it’s true without considering the bias of the writer. Most of us find ourselves comparing our lives to what others post on social media…believing that their life is so much better.
What if we took back our critical thinking skills?
The world would be a much better place. We could come back to having open disagreements without polarization. We could find middle ground. We could stop buying into assumptions.
When we think critically, it automatically puts us into a more creative space. We are able to tap into new ideas. Fresh perspectives. Possibilities that previously weren’t even plausible.
Build out a professional development curriculum to support critical thinking. Start with your leaders. Make sure they are walking the talk of this desperately needed skill. Then invest in training to support your staff.
The companies that build their critical thinking skills are the ones who will thrive. The ones who will create the roadmap for success. They will pave the way for the rest of us.
If you don’t want to be left behind, I urge you to take action.
Follow the steps in this article. Take action today.
And if you need help, I highly recommend bringing in an expert or a consultant. That leads us to our last step.
Bring in an Expert
Sometimes we aren’t able to tackle big projects alone. This is why leaders at companies will bring in an expert. They need someone external to help them see their blind spots.
They need a professional to help them build out a step-by-step roadmap for their organization. An expert who can hold them accountable to taking bold action with measurable results.
This is why I offer VIP sessions. I work with leadership teams at startups and companies to build out their strategy and roadmap.
Stop trying to go it alone. The most successful leaders, athletes, visionaries and entrepreneurs all work with a coach. They know they need someone to help them get out of their own way.
Success stems from investing in your people first. If you’re ready to pace the way, let’s hop on a call.
About the Expert, Holly Jean Jackson
I am Holly Jean Jackson, Holistic Business Coach, Speaker, Podcast Host, Author, and founder of Business Builder Throw Down. My career spans from technology to communications as well as organizational change, public relations and content strategy.
I have dedicated over 12 years helping business leaders get their groove back physically, mentally and emotionally. I led a Local to Global Policy Initiative to influence future leaders' impact on communities.
Fun Fact: Played in Carnegie Hall first chair clarinet and am a Black belt in karate. In my Transformational Coaching Method, I take a holistic and logistical approach to success. After all, one can’t have massive success in business without a life of equal or greater success.
Today, Business owners hire me to master the art and science of real success because most lack direction, action, and results. So, I help define and design a business roadmap for impactful visibility, intentional profitability, and endless sustainability.
Follow Holly on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram. You can also visit her website to learn more. Read more from Holly!
Holly Jackson, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Holly Jackson is a certified Holistic Business Coach. Through Holistic Business Coaching, Holly helps holistic entrepreneurs and business owners start, build or scale their business without burning out. Holly’s clients learn how to cope with stress, define their life priorities, and rediscover their passion for business. She helps them see blind spots that often cost them exposure, clients, and income. Having undertaken a thriving career as an executive in Silicon Valley, Holly chose the road less traveled. She decided to leave the corporate world. She has dedicated her life to helping individuals design the life and business of their dreams. For over 12 years, Holly has provided insights, strategies, and fresh perspectives across multiple industries. Holly states, “My clients can expect accountability, growth, and an individualized step-by-step game plan for success. I believe every professional must develop their internal compass and decide what their legacy will be. Holistic coaching goes beyond helping your business and helps the whole person.”
