The home office as a great place to work

A Great Place To Work® is a place where employees of all generations can develop personally and professionally, where people trust and support each other, where they are proud of their work and where working with colleagues is fun. This is also possible in the home office - under the right conditions.

Cooperation and cohesion

Give your employees even more opportunities to collaborate with other employees. Make sure that social contact does not break off, especially in these times. Continue to hold regular team meetings and intensify your communication measures so that no one feels isolated and a sense of virtual cohesion is created. Wherever possible, use video instead of just audio. This makes conversations more personal and the mood of employees (both positive and negative) is easier to capture.

Trust instead of control mode

Switching to remote working is a big change - and it is usually bigger for managers than for employees. Because when everyone is in the same room, it is easier to lead your team. However, this must not lead to managers falling into a control mode and trying to control employees by regularly checking on their status via email and telephone. It is much better if managers demonstrate trust in their employees and replace control - which is only subjective anyway - with collaboration mechanisms, for example by setting short-term goals or implementing projects.

Overwork as a risk

The cliché assumption is that employees working from home are lazy and do the laundry and mow the lawn instead of working. However, the danger is that employees will no longer be able to switch off if the structure of commuting, coffee and lunch breaks and small talk is removed.

They skip lunch, never put their laptop down and work around the clock - there's plenty to do, especially when organizations are in crisis mode. Check in regularly and pay attention to working hours. Create structures, for example by ending the day with a short check-in meeting.

The right equipment for the home office

Actively ask whether employees have the necessary tools and equipment to do their work well from home. Distribute online vouchers from electronics retailers or relax your expenses policy so that employees can easily order missing equipment (e.g. headset, webcam).

Support and good practices

Don't assume that all employees will simply be able to cope with the tools required for a successful home office. Especially if, due to the situation, you have only recently set up the appropriate tools and platforms in a hurry, many will be overwhelmed. Actively ask your employees whether they need support. Offer training and documentation. Make it easy for employees to contact support directly in the event of difficulties. Also try to share "good practices" from other employees with similar challenges - often many face the same problems. 

Understanding and virtual pats on the back

Also communicate that you are aware that a number of employees are now challenged by childcare, sick relatives and other difficulties. Show understanding for the fact that employees may not perform at exactly the same level. Find ways to give a virtual pat on the back at all levels when employees show special commitment.

The abrupt switch to working from home can also be seen as an experiment and an opportunity for your organization to become more agile. But don't forget that a trust-based workplace culture must also be cultivated virtually.