• Create an environment of connectivity and cohesion: Communicate more by using video conferencing and use remote workforce management and coordination software. These tools and solutions that exist in the marketplace foster an environment of connectivity, so people still feel they are part of a corporate culture even in a remote model.

• Maintain positive morale: By holding virtual office parties, recognition ceremonies, birthday celebrations and other events around recognition of Women’s heritage month, mental health awareness month, etc.

• Establish new training:  Incorporating new training modules that are specifically geared toward those working from home is key. Experts should conduct training modules that specialise in the challenges AND the myriad of benefits of a remote workforce model. These training modules should be mitigative and preventative

• Be specific and succinct: Management must be specific and concise with their workforce about expectations, performance measurements and responsibilities of each member of the team. Due to the virtual aspect of our “new normal,” management must be consistent, clear and concise in all their communications and consistent.

• Manage expectations: Be clear about the future of working from home by reminding your workforce that you trust them, respect them and appreciate them. Implement policies and demonstrate through your actions that send a clear message to the workforce that you value them.  For example, pick remote workforce management software and other technology that respects their privacy while creating a necessary environment of accountability and transparency.  It’s a win-win.

• Be open and transparent: Management should highlight and emphasise that remaining in a working from home model post-pandemic is not all about the financial gain to the company. It is just as much about the incredible enrichment of an employee’s work-life balance. Management should highlight all that is positive about remote work and promote it as the added benefit it is to the workforce. Lay down the groundwork with the overwhelming positive attributes of working from home. For example, an employer saves an average of $11,000 per year/per employee, and some of that money can be invested in workforce enhancement programmes. 

An employee’s work-life balance is dramatically improved when they no longer have a commute and get two to three hours of their day back.  The environment wins by 15-20% fewer carbon emissions entering the environment. The economy wins, and single moms, people with disabilities and those from a socio-economically challenged situation will all have unprecedented access to the workforce.