Gauging what your employees are capable of is trickier now during the pandemic, with remote work interfering with our typical ways of interacting in the office. Focusing on asking good questions and being clear on what’s expected can help keep things on track and promote the well-being of your staff.
Consider the following:
- Ask “When could you reasonably get that done?” to allow room for discussion or negotiation.
- Clarify what can wait to help set priorities and minimize work-related stress.
- Set clear deadlines to avoid employees having to guess about where their time should be spent.
- Ask “What do you need from me in order to get this done by Friday?” to offer support and create space to ask for what is needed.
- Have regular check points to stay on top of what work is taking place and how your people are doing.
- Ask “What are the pressure points for you in the coming week?” to surface barriers so they can be problem-solved.
Are there other questions or statements you use to keep employees communicating and effective? Share them in a comment below.
