By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
An increasing number of nursing jobs are becoming either virtual or completely remote. Leading teams today is challenging, but establishing strong teamwork and a sense of community becomes even more difficult when you have staff who work remotely. Consider a story a nurse leader shared during a session:
My Case Managers are all now working remotely. I am finding it challenging to lead a large team of remote staff. They don’t know each other well, and all seem to function as independent contractors rather than a team. I feel like they are trustworthy, and most are very productive, but when we have our calls, I notice some are never on camera, and it is unclear where they are working from. How can I be a great leader without micromanaging and move the team to be more cohesive and supportive of one another? Our meetings tend to be packed with policy changes and discussion about our performance metrics. I feel like this team needs a reboot, but I’m not sure where to start.”
The following are five suggestions and ideas that nurse leaders who lead virtual teams have shared with me:
- A Weekly Inspirational Message—In an article published in the April 2021 edition of Nurse Leader, Dr. Angela Prestia discussed using thoughtful weekly Monday morning messages to inspire remote staff. These messages can share stories about the accomplishments of the remote team members. They are also powerful reminders to staff that although they work remotely, they are still important members of a team that matters.
- Virtual Office Hours—Some leaders have designated specific weekly hours with open time slots to connect with their staff. One leader told me that she initially scheduled a 1:1 virtual meeting with each staff member to learn more about their situations and any work challenges. She found she needed to be very clear about performance expectations with remote staff. Now, the staff feels very comfortable scheduling time with her. The leader needs to make sure that 1:1 meetings occur regularly.
- Ask Staff to Turn Their Video on During Virtual Staff Meetings – One way to check how the staff is doing is to watch their body language and communication during virtual meetings. A leader shared with me that a troubling trend had developed with her remote staff – they were “on the call,” but their webcams were off, and they rarely participated in the meeting. She openly discussed the problem, and participation has much improved when the webcams are on. She has also worked hard to have staff talk with one another during these calls by asking good questions and taking the first ten minutes of every meeting to do a check-in.
- Quick Connections—The essential factor is communication. You can’t overcommunicate as a leader, especially during significant change. Show your employees you care and are thinking of them by sending them a quick instant message or a text a few times a week to check in. Ask them, “How can we grow as a team during this, and what do you need from me?”
- Build Trust—It is more challenging to lead staff when you can’t meet in the same room, but always assume good intentions about the staff and their accomplishments. Some leaders may think nurses are not working or communicating enough. Some nurse leaders, like the leader above, have shared with me that they have had to restrain themselves from micromanaging staff who work remotely.
We are learning to lead differently in this new world of work. It will take time and practice, but building an effective remote work team where members feel connected to each other will pay off tremendously for the organization in the future.
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