Three Remote Management Skills That We Shouldn’t Forget About When We Return to the Office

Remote Management Skills guest post by Jackie Glynn.

Over the last year, the way we worked has transformed. Teams that would never have considered remote working, almost overnight, found themselves managing projects from home, adapting to new communication tools, and collaborating virtually with colleagues and clients.

While it has not been without its challenges and drawback, overall, many have been pleasantly surprised by how quickly they adapted and by the somewhat unexpected benefits.

Now that we are on the road to reopening, it’s an opportune time to reflect upon the lessons learned when it comes to people and project management, analyse what has worked will and identify which skills and tools to take with us as we return to blended or fulltime presence in the physical workplace.

Here are some of the key learnings that Irish project professionals should retain and build upon as we move forward.

Fast decision making

The fast-moving nature of lockdown, evolving restrictions and the global impact of the pandemic on business meant decisions had to be made fast. We had to trust ourselves and our colleagues and be prepared to act quickly, to set clear goals and expectations, mitigate against risks and retain a competitive advantage.

To be an effective project manager, strong decision-making skills are crucial. However, be prepared to own any fall-out from decisions and learn fast from your mistakes.

Flexibility is king

One of the lasting impacts of the pandemic when it comes to work is what employees will look for from their employer. Many workers will have found that remote working has had a positive impact on their work-life balance, with those extra hours not spent on the commute proving more attractive than increased pay or other benefits.

A recent FlexJobs survey found that 27% of workers say that the ability to work from home is so important to them that they are willing to take a 10% to 20% pay cut to work remotely. 81% say they would be more loyal to their employer if they had flexible work options.

As you can see, employees will be reluctant to give remote options up completely so to stay competitive in the Talent War, employers will need to ensure they are offering flexibility in working hours and location.

Making the extra effort to recognise colleagues

As we weren’t sharing a physical office, extra lengths had to be taken to check in with our coworkers, whether that was virtual happy hours or Zoom townhalls. There was also a strong sense of “we’re all in this together”, with teams being mindful of colleagues juggling minding children at home, tolerating Zoom interruptions from pets or supporting those navigating health and personal issues.

This increased empathy at work is something we should seek to retain. A Business Solver study found that 76% of employees said greater empathy drives greater productivity while  2020 Mercer research found that 93% of employers say that productivity at their organisation has been equal to or higher than it was before the pandemic.

From shoutouts on the group chat to nominating colleagues for awards, recognising each other’s success is also key, increasing retention and job satisfaction.

We are currently inviting submissions from the project management community in Ireland for the National Project Awards 2021 and I have been struck by the great lengths organisations across Ireland have gone to over the last 12 months, supporting their colleagues, delivering for their clients and making a positive impact on the wider community.

Jackie Glynn is President of the Ireland Chapter of Project Management Institute, whose National Project Awards will be held virtually on 24 June 2021. Recognising the achievements of those working in the project management sector in Ireland, the Awards are open for nomination at www.pmi-ireland.org until 17 May 2021. Take a moment to recognise your people and teams by submitting a nomination.

Passionate about delivering business value to organisations through Project, Program and Portfolio Management, Jackie Glynn is also Director Group Strategic Initiatives at UDG Healthcare.