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Home » Diets that Work » No Easy Move! How’s That Virtual Operation Working For You? – OPEN MINDS

School, music lessons, fitness classes, birthday parties, religious services, and office partiesall the things we never imagined could be done entirely in the online world, now are. #WFH (Work From Home) has become one of the most popular hashtags on social media in recent weeks as everyone who can work remotely is doing so in these interminable days of lockdowns and social distancing. In the health and human services sector, much of the focus has been on moving services to the virtual service delivery paradigm, through telehealth and other remote visits. But behind the scenes, there has been a whole other challengemoving to virtual operationsand ensuring that staff are able to be productive and effective from home.

I know that firsthand. On Thursday, March 19, at 5 pm, the Governor of Pennsylvania ordered all non-essential businesses to totally close their physical operations. We had less than 24 hours to close down our office in Gettysburg town square and transition to a fully remote organization. We at OPEN MINDS were fortunate in one waywe already had a significant number of team members working remotely. But moving absolutely everythingincluding the phone system, payroll processing, timekeeping systems, and moreto a work-at-home model is a whole different ball game.

OPEN MINDS Executive Vice President Casey Miller led the quick transition to a virtual organization for usand it happened with much effort and little service interruption. When I asked her what advice she had for other organizations that have moved to a completely virtual operation, she identified six keyshaving a disaster recovery plan, ensuring system adequacy, sustaining communication channels, updating policies, modifying supervision strategies, and allowing for interaction.

Having a disaster recovery plan. One reason OPEN MINDS was able to pivot so quickly to virtual operations was because we had a disaster recovery plan that had a full backup and plan for remote work. We may not have known a pandemic was coming but we were prepared for a building fire or office closure due to weather-related emergencies. I check this plan every year and was able to operationalize the remote work backup plan quickly when the Governors order came in, said Ms. Miller. So, if your disaster recovery plan does not have a remote work plan, now is a good time to embed it with the lessons learned in real time. Read more about disaster recovery planning in Preparing For Disaster In 2013 A Five-Step Data Recovery Plan.

Ensuring system adequacy. You may be surprised at how many people dont have a laptop. Ms. Miller said many staff who only had a desktop computer agreed to use their home computers for work and had to be equipped with access to the company network and proper software and security measures. One executive at a behavioral health provider organization said that for the short term, they just instructed their staff without laptops to pack up their desktop computers and take them home. Dont forget about printers and copiers, which staff are unlikely to have at homeyou have to think about workarounds like allowing them to create PDFs and print when they are back at the office, scan documents with their smartphone cameras, or just bypass the need to print. And know that staff who are not used to working remotely (or at least not for 8+ hours per day) could have multiple challengesfrom not having the right chair for the long hours at their desk to not having a noise-free spaceand might need accommodations.

Sustaining communication channels. Setting up a virtual phone tree and arranging to have customer phone calls routed to the right remote team members was no easy task, said Ms. Miller. Not all staff are willing or able to use their personal cell phones for work callsso having computer-based software or a mobile app that allows them to make and receive calls through their work numbers is a must. Teams may need other communications channels to connect with each other and with clients, and email is not always the answer. Ive heard anecdotes about every meeting platformZoom, Webex, GoToMeeting, and Skypecrashing or having issues in recent weeks but have come to understand how fundamental a channel like this is to sustaining connectivity. And this also involves training staff to use these platforms effectively.

Updating policies and procedures. From securing documents to affixing e-signatures instead of physical signatures, many policies must be adjusted quickly and communicated frequently. While I conduct a lot of business virtually, I rarely hire and onboard staff based only on remote communication. But now Ive done interviews and orientations via Skype and Zoom because I cant delay recruiting until I can see a person face-to-face, said Ms. Miller. And, dont forget to review operational policies and procedures for items like the frequency of bank deposits, or where mail can be forwarded, in addition to cost saving measures like adjusting the climate control of your now vacant physical operations center. A review of your employee manual is also necessary to outline expectations for remote staffinclude things like being available for phone calls during specific periods of the day; responding to email just as if the physical office was still open; checking in at least once daily with managers, etc. This is also the time to review your employee manual to modify (or create) definitions and expectations for furloughed stafffrom returning company property (laptops/cell phones) to securing building keys to changing passwords and answering questions on how long health care benefits will last and how a furlough effects paid time off (PTO) and 401(k) benefitsthese all need addressed and reviewed with your attorney and made available to furloughed staff.

Modifying supervision strategies. Managing people from afar and keeping them productive is one of the biggest challenges. Supervisors must ask themselves three questions about each of their direct reports, says Ms. Miller. Is there a need for this role when brick and mortar offices everywhere are closed? Can the persons job effectively be done from home? Is this person suited to work from home? Supervisors must be flexible even while they focus on maintaining high levels of productivity and quality among all staff. For example, staff with young children may have to take longer breaks during the day but can catch up in the evening. With children having classes on Zoom, families might have to share a computer and workspace. Be understanding of the situation but talk to your staff if productivity becomes an issue, advises Ms. Miller.

Allowing for interaction. Between 2010 and 2015, Harvard Business Review surveyed more than 20,000 workers and analyzed 50 companies around the world to figure out what motivates people at work. They found that working from home was less motivating and when people had no choice in where they worked, total motivation dropped 17 points. #WFH is not a choice for many people and the lack of interaction with colleagues can take its toll. One clinical professional I talked to today who has transitioned to a fully remote position with telehealth and telephonic visits said she is more stressed and working longer hours than when she was at the office as her consumers adjust to the new normal and her employer is concerned about reimbursement. As an extrovert, she has to work on socializing with family and friends online to stay motivated. Even sitting in a chair is a strain and she exercises more to make up for the inactivity. So, employers would do well to provide opportunities for informal interaction and face time among team members. Zoom happy hours are apparently the rage all over the world and Ms. Miller is organizing one for OPEN MINDS staff next week.

And finally, I would like to offer my own five-point plan for taking care of yourself. Executives cant work the 12-hour days needed to keep everyone else motivated and on track unless you put your own wellness first. Ive done well by not compromising on seven to eight hours of sleep a night, exercise, discipline with diet, stress management, and an immunity strengthening program.

Id like to hear about your challenges and tips for running a successful, remote operation. Feel free to email me at info@openminds.com.

And join me for two OPEN MINDS briefings that dive into the challenges of delivering virtual services and virtual operations behind-the-scenes. April 14 forDeveloping The Consumer & Staff Training & Guidelines Needed To Expand Your Telehealth Services Quickly and April 23 for Going Virtual Service Reaching Consumers Where They Are At With Telehealth And MoreAn Overview.

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No Easy Move! How's That Virtual Operation Working For You? - OPEN MINDS

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Home » Diets that Work » No Easy Move! How’s That Virtual Operation Working For You? – OPEN MINDS