Remote working 121’s can bring challenges. Not being in the same room means you don’t have so many cues from body language to get a real sense of what people are thinking or feeling. Added to this are the challenges of technology issues and less opportunity for informal conversations over a cuppa which help people to feel connected.
We’ve learned a lot about human relationships since lockdown, so here are some of the frequent questions used for 121’s together with some thoughts on how they may need adapting for a remote member of staff.
- How are you coping with work when you’re not able to have face to face contact with your co-workers?This is a useful opening question because it works both ways, as staff based in the office need to collaborate with colleagues working at home, and vice versa. Maybe the question should simply be, ‘how are you doing?’
Asking people how they are both professionally and personally, whether they are in the office or working remotely, can really help to build individual relationships – https://hbr-org.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/hbr.org/amp/2019/02/the-surprising-power-of-simply-asking-coworkers-how-theyre-doing)
In one of my previous blogs, I explain how to use coaching questions in 121’s effectively, so these meetings do not end up with the line manager ‘telling’ a member of staff the status quo. Using open questions allows 121’s to grow into a discussion and offer an opportunity for them to become a useful problem-solving session. Here is the link to that blog – https://jmcoachingwestmids.com/getting-the-most-out-of-121-meetings-with-staff-using-coaching-techniques/
**Remember – When someone is not in the same room as you, it’s even more essential to listen closely, to focus on what is being said, and to frequently ask questions to clarify that you’ve fully understood.
- Are you clear about your current priorities and objectives?This is a question that can be used irrespective of where the person is working. It is also really important when you consider that being unclear on these is one of the top 5 reasons people suffer from burnout, as discussed in this article – https://hbr-org.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/hbr.org/amp/2019/12/burnout-is-about-your-workplace-not-your-people
We can enhance the answers we receive to this question by asking instead; ‘How are you feeling about your current priorities and objectives and am I providing enough clarity?’ This ensures we receive more than a yes or no answer.
**Remember – It is true that remote working can impact on priorities as home and working life can blend into one, however, encouraging employees to find a work-life balance is part of good management in general.
- Are you happy with our level of communication? How would you change it?
Remote workers need to feel they’re a valuable part of the team and effective communication ensures they do not feel out of the loop. Video meetings and calls are an obvious way of maintaining face to face communication, but using a mix can help prevent Zoom fatigue. During lockdown I dedicated a blog to this topic – How to keep communicating and building relationships when working remotely – JM Professional and Career Coaching Services (jmcoachingwestmids.com) –
**Remember – Asking employees how they want to keep in touch and communicate is a useful exercise in itself, as well as for 121’s.
And finally…
Whether your staff are working in the office or working remotely, 121’s are an essential communication tool for relationship building. While they can feel time consuming, don’t cancel a 121 unless it is business critical. This can signal to staff that they are less important/your time is more valuable, and potentially even more so for workers who don’t see you in person.
Need some help getting the most out of your staff 121’s? I offer individual management coaching sessions so you have the confidence to have more effective conversations with your team members.
