Communications of the ACM
Managers Should Focus on Engagement in Work-from-Home World
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As working from home becomes more prevalent, business leaders need to focus on connecting with their employees both one-on-one and as a team, says Surinder Kahai, associate professor at the School of Management at Binghamton University, State University of New York.
"Regular face-to-face contact is very critical for strengthening engagement and connection, but in today's situation, due to social distancing, this is not possible," says Kahai. "Regular meetings in which all are present, both for work purposes as well as social purposes, are critical."
Kahai says that leaders also need to work one-on-one with others in the team. When working one-on-one, a leader can encourage some team members to follow up with others who may need some help.
"The bottom line is to spend time on others. When you do that, an emotional connection begins to form," says Kahai. "People begin to feel that others care about them. They are more engaged that way. Because of the benefits they see for themselves, some of them will even pay forward by helping others."
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