One year after the generalization of teleworking, what are the best practices to maintain your balance and that of your teams in the long term? Isabelle Morin, trainer and coach specializing in teleworking, interviewed managers and HR for ORSYS. What lessons do they learn from this experience? Crossed perspectives on long-term teleworking…
Teleworking is above all a method of organizing work regulated by law and whose implementation methods are defined within the company. But was leaving the office in a hurry on March 17, 2020 a mode of organization? Rather than thoughtful and organized teleworking, it is a “co-working” which was put in place urgently and under duress, in “half childcare, half work” mode. This experience may have created confusion for many employees who today need a clearer framework. A year of teleworking is also an opportunity to take stock of the good practices that have emerged within the teams. Or to measure the training needs of managers and employees to enable them to fully master all the functionalities of the new tools.
Teleworking is not a form of childcare
To put an end to the confusion and clarify the framework for teleworking, it must be remembered that, legally:
- teleworking is a form of work organization in which work which could also have been carried out on the employer's premises is carried out by an employee outside these premises;
- this work method is carried out voluntarily. It involves the use of information and communication technologies;
- when the employee carries out his missions outside the company's premises, this modifies neither his rights nor his obligations.
Teleworking is therefore not a form of childcare. It is important that the manager specifies to his team the time slots during which they must be reachable.
Establish a relationship of trust
The first confinement was a revelation and an accelerator of the development of this approach in companies. Employees have proven to their managers that they can trust them.
“This is one of the positive points of this period”, rejoices Elodie Reis, head of the works department in a general building company. For her, the teleworking which was imposed in March 2020 made it possible “to lift the brakes a little » by reassuring his management.
Maintain the link at a distance
In practice, teleworking rhythms vary. In the long term, the right balance could be around two days of teleworking per week, or almost half of the working time.
In the event of teleworking with 100 %, the link with the company and the team spirit risk fraying over the months. Lack of interaction with colleagues can create a feeling of isolation. However, solutions exist to maintain the link between teams working remotely.
Recreate informal exchanges
“As the manager of a Franco-Finnish team, I am used to working remotely, whether from the office or home”, explains Marc Revalor, software development leader for Metso Outotec. “I don’t think teleworking, I think “remote”. For example, we have informal discussion groups to recreate office conviviality. I established an informal sharing time in the form of a half-hour video every Friday evening, before leaving for the weekend. It’s an opportunity to discover the members of the team in a different way: we talk about music, animals, sport, hobbies… but especially not work”.
Saying hello in the morning, staying connected throughout the day… it’s possible! Some teams have set up a WhatsApp or Teams group to keep in touch with colleagues. Employees can also take advantage of their break times to call a colleague with whom they have not been in contact for a long time. These simple solutions, which enhance everyday life, also help maintain the feeling of belonging in the long term.
Take a step back
Paradoxically, distancing responds to one of the recurring problems faced by managers: taking a step back. Working remotely offers a privileged space to take stock of your team, your organization, your structuring projects... without being interrupted by a colleague passing through the office. This is an observation that Elodie Reis shares: “Working from home has the disadvantage of being away from the field. But it also allows me to take a step back from production. For me, working without being disturbed is an undeniable advantage! ».
Use video wisely
Remote meetings are effective when used wisely. “The participants are on time, we don't have the distractions of face-to-face meetings, we don't chat in whispers with our neighbors, we are more focused on the topics on the agenda... For recurring and short meetings, It’s very effective”, judge Marc Revalor. On the other hand, “for large audiences or long working sessions (two hours or more), it remains more complicated remotely”.
How to proceed when there are many participants? How to manage long remote working sessions? It is better to schedule, for example, three one-hour sequences rather than half a day on video. It is also wise to integrate fun and participatory activities. This then requires increasing skills, as emphasized by Anne Maréchal, “Access to Care” manager at the CPAM de l’Ain. “We use Zoom regularly. By participating in ORSYS training on management [editor’s note: organized intra] which took place remotely via this tool, I became aware of our room for progress in exploiting all of its features and energizing our meetings.”
Get off to a good start thanks to training
In 2020, employees have adopted the tools and methods of teleworking on the job. In 2021, it is time to equip them more professionally. Companies are gradually getting started, as demonstrated by Delphine Pourtier, human relations manager at Eramet, a French mining and metallurgical group. “We have launched an internal service to support teleworkers in their use of tools such as Teams. We also set up regular workshops to anchor good practices and create a community despite the distance”.
Teleworking training is now taking a new turn. For the participants, it is no longer a question of training in the basics but of going further in their practices. They are often surprised: even though they have been teleworking for a year, they have not thought of everything! Training Successfully transitioning to teleworking allows them to readjust certain ways of working: organization, planning, distribution of tasks, management of priorities, breaks, connection/disconnection, etc.
“When I was advised during training to make my work equipment disappear during personal time, I was doubtful, relates Marc Revalor. I tested it anyway and I am delighted with this change. This allows me to separate my work time and my personal time much more easily”. Like others, Marc has gained peace of mind in his work and in his personal life.
Read or reread: Teleworking: an asset for productivity
