The Bottom Line: Working from Home: Manager Tips

06/03/2020

The COVID-19 pandemic made us start working from home overnight.  This sudden change in the work environment didn’t help the majority of business managers know how to oversee a large group of remote workers. Michelle Robertson and Kathleen Mosier from the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) in conjunction with the International Labour Organization (ILO) provide tips to help managers support their workers. Certified ergonomist Blake McGowan explains.

Working from Home Tips

• Provide psychosocial support to team members.
• Offer flexibility for workers who have the additional family demands of caring for children or other family members.
• Encourage workers to establish a routine of work and personal activities to help them balance family and work time.
• Communicate regularly with workers about current happenings and business information.
• Provide extra guidance for completing tasks that are interdependent.
• Recognize individual and group performance when appropriate.
• Teach workers how to use virtual meeting tools to enhance the experience and effectiveness of working from home.
• Provide online “netiquette” training, or network politeness , to encourage positive connections with coworkers.
• Communicate the process of for reporting accidents and job-related illnesses and injuries.

Resources: References: Michelle M. Robertson & Kathleen Mosier. Work from home: Human factors/ergonomics considerations for teleworking. 20 April 2020. International Labour Organization (ILO).

For more ergonomics tips, check out our work-from-home toolbox.