Touted as part of “the new normal” only a few years ago, hybrid scheduling has become a point of contention between many workers and their managers. Many companies are reining in on the remote work born out of COVID, as employees – particularly new Gen Z hires – seek more freedom.
As October’s Radio Ink issue crowns the best managers of 2024, we asked our honorees about how they traverse the divide.
Radio Ink asked, For employees who work remotely, what are your top strategies for effective communication and fostering cohesion within your team?
“Setting clear, outcome-driven expectations combined with open communication, fast response times, and a consistent cadence of bringing the different teams together in person – in and outside of the office.”
“Our staff, remote or otherwise, is always on Teams. I manage two markets in two states, but I want it to seem like I am just down the hall. My staff knows I am a Teams chat away and our remote folks are treated the same way. We also have GREAT “themed” staff meetings that are ‘in-person’ and bring us together as a group. We are very much like family, even if you are WFH.”
“You must communicate with remote workers the same way you do with people in the office. I know that probably sounds odd because you aren’t seeing those people. But you can see them. Zoom calls, phone calls, emails, nobody should feel like they don’t know what is happening or that they are disconnected. Also, meeting that person for lunch occasionally goes a long way. Station functions, where you see them face-to-face, go a long way toward fostering inclusion.”
Get inspiration from the very best! Radio Ink‘s Best Managers in Radio issue comes out on Monday, October 14. Subscribe to our revamped print edition, digital edition, or both – click here. For a limited time, subscription prices are cut in half to celebrate our new look!
