Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a well-known framework developed by an American psychologist in the mid-twentieth century. In previous discussions, we highlighted the importance of fostering a communal spirit among remote workers. Today, we take another look at this pyramid within the current global landscape, where the Covid-19 pandemic has challenged our policies, procedures, and management approaches in the past year.
It’s important to understand that the five factors outlined in this pyramid are relevant to any kind of remote group, whether it’s a team, department, organization, or even a whole industry. These factors impact all members of the group, regardless of their location, beliefs, culture or background, and should be factored into our strategy for remote recruitment, management, and development.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Telework using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Establishing the Foundation for Health and Safety
Amidst the pandemic, it’s crucial to prioritize our personal health and wellbeing. The alterations to our daily routines have had a significant impact on our physical and mental states. Remote work has brought about its own set of challenges, especially during lockdown periods, with responsibilities like homeschooling and limited opportunities for physical activities resulting in longer working hours.
Numerous organizations worldwide have acknowledged the importance of introducing regular procedures that address mental wellbeing, such as ‘Wellness Fridays’, regular check-ins with management, improved Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and counseling services, as well as extra days off for relaxation and rejuvenation.
To learn more about managing employees’ return to work following the implementation of new procedures, click here.
Promoting Efficiency and Accountability
Once the groundwork has been established, we can turn our attention to the tools and methods used to keep ourselves and our work on track and responsible.
To boost productivity and efficiency, companies that rely on remote workers are increasingly adopting tools tailor-made for this purpose. Managing large quantities of applications, tracking ongoing tasks without affecting progress, and implementing programs that aid in maintaining focus during high workloads are some commonly encountered obstacles. Solutions like the Marinara Timer can offer valuable assistance in addressing these challenges.
These resources have been instrumental in allowing us to conduct a significant portion of our work while situated in different places. Without them, establishing trust between managers and employees, one of the most significant hurdles of remote work and working from home, would have been considerably more challenging.
Telecom
It’s unreasonable to anticipate similar results without an effective mode of communication.
To facilitate verbal and nonverbal communication, multinational corporations often utilize a variety of software systems. However, these systems may not always be compatible, resulting in an inefficient utilization of resources.
The primary responsibility of a leader is to unite their team around a common vision, strategy, and expectations of input (the What and the How). Regular and straightforward communication of this message, devoid of jargon, can be adequately effective in accomplishing this goal.
Forge a Connection
The notion of cultivating genuine relationships with colleagues is based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Being social creatures, we flourish when we can interact with others and establish connections based on shared interests (linguistic, cultural, familial, ethological or athletic). These interactions also offer valuable learning opportunities.
Demonstrating proper conduct is vital for both managers and employees, and it’s crucial to consider the viewpoints of the employees. Nevertheless, this can pose a challenge for remote teams due to time and cultural differences.
Fostering an environment where people from diverse age groups and backgrounds can establish meaningful relationships with each other is a crucial factor in building a successful workplace. To achieve this objective, some companies have introduced programs like interest-based employee clubs and team celebrations when goals are met. Other companies, such as Salesforce, have implemented artificial intelligence to connect employees from different locations once a week. By exploring these initiatives, employers can strive to create an atmosphere of inclusion and camaraderie.
Leadership: The Critical Component
It’s crucial to evaluate the evolution of our leadership strategies in 2023, which should encompass our capacity to downsize and upscale internal teams, navigating uncertainty, and swiftly implementing new technologies.
It’s paramount for leaders to exhibit to their team that they not only possess competence and expertise but also genuinely care for the people they oversee. When confronted with tough obstacles, leaders must demonstrate resilience and proactivity. An instance of this can be observed in Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky’s public statement, in which he reassured employees that despite the 20% global workforce reduction, the company would work to guarantee competitive packages, references, and support.
The widespread adoption of hybrid work schedules that include remote and onsite days, coupled with flexible working arrangements, has become so ubiquitous that even the most conventional businesses have had to accept this new paradigm.
There was no leadership guide available to navigate us through the year, and no one had all the requisite expertise to make every required decision. Leaders must accept responsibility for their actions, be they beneficial or detrimental.
Are you reassured that you possess the requisite tools and techniques to efficiently recruit, oversee, and promote the growth of your remote team?
