The challenges of moving work online remote workers and their productivity face vary among teams depending on managers’ involvement in mitigating negative effects. The purpose of this project is to determine strategies managers can implement in their companies to increase remote teams’ productivity, specifically through clear communication and the elimination of excess work.
Nawaz, S. (2020). How Managers Can Support Remote Employees. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–5.
The above article describes how managers can implement changes to benefit their remote employees. The article explains how managers have become less responsive to their employees because of the shift to working online. Managers struggle with contacting their employees in an efficient way while trying to receive information from upper level management. Managers are also challenged with mitigating stress, maintaining motivation, running meetings, following progress, and eliminating excess work. The author suggests six strategies for managers to create more availability for remote employees. These strategies include proactively checking in daily with upper management, allocating time for quick questions, providing structure through a routine, being transparent with capacity to meet, inviting employees to bring forth problems, and allocating time for feedback and appreciation. This article is applicable to our topic as it addresses ways to boost productivity and improve employee-supervisor communication. The article provides insight into how managers can help reduce excess work, which is a large aspect of our topic. This article furthers research in management strategies and team dynamics as it explores the ways in which working remotely affects not only employees, but also managers. It continues the discussion on how an organization can work effectively amongst communication conflict and new work environments.
NORTH, KATE, et al. “SPACE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES: From Reimagining to Managing a New Way of Working.” Facility Management Journal / FMJ, vol. 30, no. 5, Sept. 2020, pp. 040–44. EBSCOhost,
This article discusses the new ideas and ways to collaborate with colleagues to create a better flow in the workplace to replace the absence of the aspects of working in-person with other people. The reading argues that there are benefits to working from home such as individual focused work and creative thinking. Being at home encourages a wider spread of innovation. Working from home has become easier and will continue to become easier through the development of apps and other mobile technology.
“There’s always an opportunity with crisis”
“Companies are no longer limited by the physical walls enabling innovation and can now increase innovation across all employees”
“Mobile apps are available to support a fluid experience by providing access from anywhere at any time, and remote technology (e.g., Google Docs, Zoom) will support collaboration and access to information. This level of ease and transparency keeps work visible and allows teams to stay connected to their work. Many work and management processes will also become more automated and agile. Data analytics on individual and team performance are already here.”
Ramserran, S. M., & Haddud, A. (2018). Managing online teams: challenges and best practices. International Journal of Business Performance Management, 19(2), 131-157.
The source above is based on leadership and team dynamics and the effects on work performance online. This research was conducted by Shonelle M. Ramserran and Adubaker Habbud from an array of references regarding research alike. The journal dissects the methods in which teams may implement to succeed in efficiency working in a virtual environment through multiple models of research while directly comparing virtual and face-to-face environments. Ramserran discusses how the primary initiative stems from the managerial position and how they can adjust their leadership and communication ability to further enable these teams to an increase in work performance moving forward. “Creating a team culture where all participants are able to benefit from dynamic leadership skills” (Ramerserran & Habbud p.132) This journal serves as a foundational resource for our investigation, providing supporting statistical research in the five stages of team dynamics.
Zheng, Y., Epitropaki, O., Graham, L., & Caveney, N. (2022). Ethical Leadership and Ethical Voice: The Mediating Mechanisms of Value Internalization and Integrity Identity. Journal of Management, 48(4), 973–1002.
This article discusses the relationship between ethical leadership and employee voice. The article argues that ethical leaders reflect on the organizations’ ethical values, which helps supporters gain insight into whether or not their values align with them. Leaders have a strong influence on their followers, so it’s important for these leaders to be ethical in their work so they can also influence followers’ self-concepts and beliefs about one’s self. This article mentions the Social Processing Theory, where individuals learn cues from social context and adapt their beliefs and attitudes towards context. It is clear that ethical leaders will influence ethical followers which is crucial in the workplace. This is a good source because it informs us about the importance of the relationship between leaders and their employees, and how that relationship can affect the team as a whole.
Gallo, A. (2022). How to Keep Your Team Focused and Productive During Uncertain Times. Harvard Business School Cases, 1–1810
This article outlines how managers can keep their team focused and productive despite many recent changes to the work environment. The pandemic has undoubtedly impacted workers mental health, including increased levels of anxiety and stress. Author, Amy Gallo, directs several steps managers can take to push back against the negative aspects of shifting the workspace online. First the article suggests managers take their mental health more seriously and to label your emotions so you can act according to your values rather than feelings. Next, Gallo suggests a series of steps managers should take to help regulate their team’s mental health. This includes, acknowledging the current situation even if it’s difficult, encouraging self-compassion amongst team members, asking members what can be done to improve their situation, focusing on what you as a manager can control, and lastly, being a model of self-care. The more comfortable a team can be discussing anxiety and stress, the more likely those problems can be improved upon, thus leading to a more productive work environment. This relates to our presentation because it strongly ties in with our problem of how managers can strengthen team dynamics and eliminate excess work. This article addresses both points by explaining how a team can work closer and more effectively with one another and in turn be more productive overall.
Makenna, Jane, Zach, Madie, Amanda