Employers who are adjusting to managing a remote team for the first time may be struggling to know how much flexibility to offer workers during these difficult times.

There should be clear expectations for workers in place because too much flexibility can hinder productivity. On the other hand, employees need breaks throughout the day as it can be easy to work around the clock when working from home. Finding the clear distinction between flexible working and remote working will be key in managing workers during this time.

One of the basic rules of remote working is establishing a clear workspace at home dedicated to just work. Having a set home office can help employees maintain work ethic and creates a distinct divide between work and home life despite actually working from home. 

To make things more clear, employers can tell their employees that they are welcome to work flexible hours in their office, take a long lunch or even take a half day, but do not mix home and work life.

Virtual guidelines are very important as well since it is incredibly easy to send work emails from your laptop or smartphone. While it is still important to encourage using a dedicated space just for work, setting virtual guidelines can be good for a workers’ mental health. For instance, if you need a break from the home office, shoot the team a message on Slack to let everyone know you are working from your porch.