The August sun is still warming up nicely, even though most people have already returned to work from their summer holidays. I thought the world would return to what we thought was normal over the summer. It didn't. Teleworking continues. What impact will this have? How to get back into work mode after the holiday? How to get team spirit and a sense of doing things going in this environment?
Spring was a strange time. Here and around the world, there was a bang as we moved from the office to the home office. Schools and kindergartens were closed. Even movement restrictions were imposed in Uusimaa. Spring was overcome, and many people took their summer holidays with a sigh of relief. Now we can see that the era of teleworking is not yet over. This year, bare toes have not necessarily been replaced by office sandals at the end of the holidays.
The environment as a stimulus to working patterns
When I started working remotely last week, the first day felt very challenging. How could I get back into working mode in front of the same desk I've been holidaying at? Despite a strong telecommuting policy at my other workplace at the University of Tampere, I defied the directive: I scurried through the side door and straight to my third-floor office. I didn't see anyone all day. I didn't leave the room for lunch. I sat alone, immersed in work, in a dusty WORK room, in the middle of my WORK stuff, and got into WORK mode. After that, I continued to work remotely.
The many challenges of teleworking
I think many people share the same feelings with me. The effects of teleworking ripple from individuals to teams and whole communities. SmoothTeam responded to this high demand by creating a new simulation that leads teams in discussions about the challenges and opportunities of teleworking. By facilitating and monitoring client team conversations, I've heard a wide range of telecommuting impacts. Some of the discussions have been very concrete. What is the ergonomics of each? Who would need a new extra screen, who would benefit from a wrist rest? Beyond the practical, the discussions have also been in deep waters. The teams have shared experiences of loneliness, the difficulty of getting to grips with work, and the fact that work and leisure time have become a flat grey sludge. There are some things that cannot be influenced within the team, but clearly just having the space to put your own experiences into words and share them with others can make you feel better. When you can talk about difficult things and see that many others share the same challenges, it's a great relief. At best, you hear other people's solutions.
Three key needs: autonomy, capability, community
Working remotely does not remove the importance of discussion and sharing in a team, but rather increases it. If a team starts working remotely after a holiday, it is particularly important to pause for a moment to reflect on what the team is doing and being. What does everyone want and need from the team and its members in order to be able to give their best to the work and do it well? You can mirror your own and the team's work against, for example, Dec and Ryan's theory of self-determination, according to which people have three basic needs:
- Autonomy - the experience of being free to decide what to do
- Competence - the experience of knowing your job, overcoming challenges and getting things done
- Community - the basic need to be connected to other people, the experience of caring for others and being cared for
How to get into meaningful discussions?
The best way to have a discussion is to share ideas freely. However, this is often not the case in work communities and teams. That's why we've created SmoothTeam simulations that use stories to lead low-threshold, meaningful conversations.
The sun is shining. When it gets close to four o'clock, I close the computer lid. Instead of sitting in a crowded room, I take a few steps out of the living room, and I'm outside with my bare toes on the soft grass. Let's remember to enjoy the best of teleworking!
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