The first steps are:
• Understanding your employees work goals,
• Creating mentoring programs,
• Provide remote working options and tools,
• Fostering a culture of learning,
• Rewarding personal growth with promotions,
This way, you can empower your team to excel even outside the traditional office setting.
Learn your Employees Work Goals
Understanding your employees' work goals is crucial in helping them grow while working from home. Take the time to have one-on-one conversations with each team member and truly listen to their aspirations, interests, and career objectives. Showing that you value their personal growth, and this also enables you to align their goals with the overall objectives of the organization.As Jobillico states, an effective way to set goals for your remote worker is to use the S.M.A.R.T. approach. This stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
Specific: Set specific goals based on what results you want to achieve. So, decide what you want to achieve and set them accordingly. Your employees can plan accordingly if, for example, your priority is to retain your old clients over acquiring new ones, communicate the goal clearly so the employee can plan accordingly.
Measurable: To track the performance of your remote team, set measurable goals. However, you should not set unrealistic goals because that couldlead to demotivating your employees.
Achievable: Your remote employees are still your regular employees working from their homes, that doesn't mean they should work around the clock. So set responsibilities and obligations within the normal parameters of those who work in an office environment.
Relevant: Set goals that are relevant to your company and can help you to grow your business. Setting irrelevant goals is just as ineffective and unhelpful as having no goals. Provide your employees with practical opportunities to improve their skills instead of simply studying prepared sales information and reports, so that they become proficient in their role.
Time-bound: Goals should be set to a specific timeline. Your employees will be motivated to reach goals with a timeline with checkpoints and deadlines. Deadlines encourage your team to stretch themselves and prove a way to measure their own success. Make sure you set timelines that are realistic and do not create unnecessary pressure or that will overwork employees.
During these discussions, encourage open dialogue and ask thought-provoking questions to gain insight into what drives them professionally. Perhaps they are seeking opportunities for skill development or looking to take on more challenging projects. By understanding their individual ambitions, you can tailor their support and resources accordingly.
Schedule regular check-ins or performance reviews to assess progress towards these goals. Use this opportunity not only to provide constructive feedback but also offer guidance on how they can continue growing within their roles.
A supportive HR approach goes beyond just recognizing achievements; it involves actively facilitating growth opportunities based on individual needs.
By this time, your investment and commitment in their professional developmentwill have fostered a sense of trust within the remote working environment.
This understanding will allow you to better support them as they navigate challenges and seek new avenues for growth.
Create a Mentoring Program
One of the most effective ways for HR to help employees grow while working from home is by creating a mentoring program. A great read is from Harvard Business Review, stating there is a great “need for managers and leaders to master virtual mentorship. Four decades of research leaves no doubt that employees with access to positive mentoring relationships accrue numerous personal and professional benefits.”Provide professional growth and valuable guidance when paired with experienced employees with those who are looking to develop their skills.
A mentor can serve as a trusted advisor, offering insights, advice, and support to their mentee. They can share their knowledge and expertise, helping the mentee navigate challenges and make informed decisions. This one-on-one interaction allows for personalized learning opportunities that can greatly enhance an employee's development.
When implementing a mentoring program, it's important to consider each employee's specific goals and interests. Match mentors and mentees based on complementary skill sets or areas of expertise. This ensures that the relationship is mutually beneficial and encourages meaningful learning experiences.
Keep in mind, that this is the idea for a large HR Department, though this should not discourage any smaller company from finding a mentor, either within the HR department or even the Director or Managing Director.
When you are establishing a formal mentoring program within your organization, you demonstrate your commitment to supporting employee growth even in remote settings. It shows that you value continuous learning and development as essential components of professional success.
Provide Options and Tools for Working Remotely
In the current era of remote work, providing employees with options and tools to effectively carry out their job responsibilities from home is essential. By enabling a flexible working environment, HR can help employees adapt to this new normal and ensure their continued growth and productivity.Providing employees with the necessary tools and technology is crucial for seamless remote collaboration. This includes access to reliable internet connections, video conferencing platforms, project management software, and other essential communication tools. By investing in these resources, HR can empower employees to effectively communicate, collaborate, and meet deadlines.
Zapier.com, a leading automation platform, suggestsome of these as a requirement for your remote workers:
• Remote desktop software
• Team chat apps
• Screen sharing software
• Screen recording tools
• Video conferencing apps
• Online Office suites
• To-do list apps
• Project management software
• Note- taking apps
• Whiteboard and mind mapping tools
• Focus apps
• Security tools
• Automation tools
Another way to provide options for remote work is by offering different schedules that suit individual needs. Some employees may prefer early mornings while others are more productive in the evenings. Allowing flexibility in working hours can help optimize productivity and promote work-life balance.
Promoting a healthy work-life integration is vital when working remotely. Encouraging regular breaks throughout the day helps prevent burnout and boosts overall well-being. Offering suggestions on creating dedicated workspace at home or providing ergonomic equipment such as adjustable chairs or standing desks can also contribute to employee comfort and productivity.
Implementing virtual training programs or webinars enables continuous learning opportunities for individuals working from home. These initiatives also keep them engaged by fostering personal growth even outside traditional office environments. Be aware not to overdo the training and overburden the already full workload.
Create a Culture of Learning
“seek new insights and fresh knowledge to keep the well-being and productivity of your staff contingent high”, says Executive Placements, with their knowledge onhow to head an HR department. Though this is not a novel concept, the practice is easily understood.One way to create a culture of learning is by providing access to online training resources. This could include offering subscriptions to e-learning platforms or organizing virtual workshops and webinars on various topics relevant to employees' roles.
Another important aspect of building a culture of learning is encouraging knowledge sharing among team members. This can be achieved through regular virtual meetings where individuals can share insights, best practices, and lessons learned from recent projects.
As mentioned above, HR can facilitate mentorship programs that pair experienced employees with those who are seeking guidance and career advice. Mentors can provide valuable insights, offer support during challenging times, and help mentees identify areas for improvement or new opportunities for growth.
Reward Personal Growth with Promotions
One of the most effective ways HR can support employees' growth while working from home is by rewarding their personal development with promotions. Hard work is recognized, and achievements noted, and thereby motivating growth.What is the lure of a promotion? Indeed.com states it clearly:
• Upward mobility
• Compensation
• Performance
• Development
Promotions provide employees with a sense of progress and accomplishment, giving them something to strive for. It shows that their efforts are valued and that there are opportunities for advancement within the company, even in remote work settings.
It’s important for HR to evaluate individuals based on their performance, skills, and potential rather than solely focusing on tenure or seniority. By doing so, HR can identify those who have demonstrated exceptional growth while working remotely and deserve recognition through promotion.
Offering career development resources such as training programs or professional certifications can greatly enhance personal growth opportunities. These initiatives not only empower employees but also equip them with the necessary skills to excel in their current roles or prepare them for future promotions.
By rewarding personal growth with promotions, HR fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the organization. Employees feel supported in developing new skills, expanding their knowledge base, and taking on more challenging responsibilities – all contributing towards job satisfaction during remote work arrangements.
So….
As HR professionals, it is our responsibility to ensure that your remote employees are not only productive but also have opportunities for growth and development.
Together, you can navigate these challenging times and be the people who embrace the growth of your staff and ultimately the growth of your company.
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