If you’re reading this then you have made it through the first half of the year 2020, and to say it has been challenging is certainly an understatement. I imagine this is how Dorothy felt after she got hit on the head, spun around, and crash landed in the strange and mysterious land of Oz. Nevertheless here we are, and for many employers and employees, adjusting to a work-from-home business model has had its ups and downs. It wasn’t so daunting at first, we thought it would just be for a few weeks, maybe a couple of months (cue the flying monkeys). All the initial transitions and adjustments were focused on simply getting the work done, but given the fact that millions of employees are likely to continue working from home indefinitely, we’ve got to dig deeper. All the temporary fixes and makeshift routines need to be reevaluated and adjusted to be more sustainable, both for business purposes and our own collective sanity. Here are some things to consider that may alleviate stress and fatigue as businesses navigate this new world:

Call Me Maybe

Conference calls often take up hours and hours of an employee’s day. While some “meetings” are necessary, much of the time spent on these calls is wasted. The problem is they’re often inefficient, people get off topic, comments are redundant, or someone rambles on for five minutes to make a point that could have been concisely conveyed in 30 seconds. The solution? Establish a leader on the call to help keep on topic and manage the time; ask very specific questions (not too open ended); limit the number of participants then send the notes to anyone who needs to be kept in the loop; ask yourself if another form of communication, such as an email, would be more efficient. Doing this will free up some time and alleviate a little stress for all involved.

The Thrill is Gone

We tried to make the best of it at first, we really did. We had “fun” video conference meetings such as themed calls or cocktail hours, we showed each other our dogs – it was nice at first, as a novelty. The problem is, most people are over it. The solution? Just pare it down. It’s a case-by-case basis of course, some teams may relish their Friday night team hangouts, but a lot of people just want to unplug. It’s not that people don’t appreciate the effort, but many people are dealing with burnout, and it just might be hard to sustain the enthusiasm of remote team building and bonding. Perhaps it’s time for a break. Focus on the tasks that need to get done to keep business rolling, and eliminate the fluff. Also, even though everyone has a cell phone and you can reach them any time, set business hours and respect the line between whether your employees are “at work” or not.

Ease On Down the Road

Now is the time to support and reassure your employees, and acknowledge all they’ve accomplished. The problem is that in trying to juggle their day-to-day tasks while simultaneously managing their home lives, some employees have blended work and family life to the degree that they’ve lost sight of their career aspirations. The solution? Work with individual employees to set meaningful and measureable goals, clearly communicate expectations, and listen to their suggestions/opinions/challenges/solutions. Be flexible, be patient, and allow them to communicate their goals so you can help them get there. Basically, you need to reboot. Focus on the future and the good things yet to come.

A strong leader sets the tone, so listen well, communicate with honesty and transparency, and be realistic. Things can change overnight, as we well know. You don’t need all the answers, but we’ve come this far and that’s something to be proud of in itself. If you have good people, they will come through for you. And somewhere over the rainbow, we’ll get through this just fine.