Independent Banker - June 2022 - 26

PORTFOLIO LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS
Managing remote
employees
By Lindsay LaNore, ICBA
their offi ce, if they have one, and power
down their computers at the end of
the day.
Establish regular check-ins
These will vary based on employee
preferences and schedules, but best
practice is to meet at least once a week.
Some workers may prefer more frequent
check-ins, and that frequency may change
over time. Use this time to check for any
sense of isolation or other challenges they
may be facing.
Be intentional with face-to-face time
Plan offi ce visits periodically. During
those meetings, take time for the team
to reconnect socially, too. Water cooler
conversations don't happen in a remote
environment the same way they do in an
offi ce. This is also a healthy opportunity
to keep your community bank's culture
front and center to all teams.
s life settles into a new rhythm,
you may fi nd that some team
members continue working remotely
permanently, or that they shift to a
hybrid model in which they can work
remotely at least some of the time. What
are some best practices for managing
this new distributed workforce?
Communicate expectations clearly,
early and often
Making sure lines of communication
are open means you're more likely to
be on the same page, so it reduces the
need to micromanage. Set expectations
like core working hours, appropriate
attire and a professional, distractionfree
work setting.
Get organized
Set up a digital system for accessing
bank policies, procedure manuals,
templates and forms, and establish
protocols for when fi les need to be
shared. Given the sensitivity of bank
information, make sure to set the
A
proper security standards. Look into
project management tools to keep
track of productivity, and don't forget
to have training available in digital
format, too.
Embrace all methods of
communication
Find out what works best for each
remote worker. Some prefer Zoom,
others Microsoft Teams. While texting
may seem like it crosses a work-life
boundary, some employees actually
prefer it. From time to time, you may
even want to pick up the phone and
have a good ol' catch-up.
Be time conscious
It can be challenging for remote
employees to set boundaries. Give
them a hand by scheduling meetings
with their time zone in mind and
tightening up meeting lengths when
possible. Do your best to send emails
only during core working hours.
Encourage them to close the door to
Be inclusive
Keep the remote employee's perspective
in mind so they don't feel left out
when you make decisions, make big
announcements or celebrate major
milestones. The pandemic was a great
equalizer in that Zoom put everyone's
face on the screen at once. Keep giving
everyone equal boxes and encourage
connections with others, perhaps by
using a buddy system.
Keep talking
Remote work isn't for everyone. As
challenging as it may seem, keep track
of how each team member is doing and
allow them space to be honest. And if
they ultimately decide they'd prefer to
return to the bank, be open to that, too. 
Lindsay LaNore (lindsay.lanore@
icba.org) is ICBA's group executive
vice president and chief learning
and experience off icer
26 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q June 2022
Independent Banker - June 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Independent Banker - June 2022
