With so many businesses moving to permanent virtual work models, obstacles and adjustments are to be expected. It’s essential to recognize how big changes affect everyone in the workplace. Leaders must rework schedules, redesign meetings, and maintain daily operations. Meanwhile, employees are negotiating the challenges and shifting priorities that come with working from home.

What does time management skills mean in the new world of work?

Leading from a distance

As the shift toward virtual work continues, an increasing number of employees report to work from external locations. In the next few years, over a quarter of positions are expected to be either partially or fully virtual. Many employees and jobseekers feel they can be successful without the traditional oversight common to on-site work, and employer priorities and strategies are evolving to accommodate the changing nature of management.

Recognizing the need to provide employees with more flexibility and autonomy in their work lives, today’s leadership understands how leading from a distance empowers employees to do their best work and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Transformational leaders focus on improving communication to support a virtual work culture. Employee engagement initiatives, always essential to organizational success, are even more vital for keeping the virtual workforce connected to workplace community and support systems. Learning and development (L&D) remains an integral part of company strategy, but the focus has shifted from managing employees closely to developing their adaptivity, autonomy, and creative problem-solving skills.

Flexible work options

Of course, not all virtual work looks the same. Virtual work schedules exist on a spectrum and the time managment skills required depends on an employee’s function within your organization. Consider the following options for personalizing schedules to fit company and employee needs:

• Groups/cohorts. This dynamic divides workers into groups that work on-site on a rotating schedule. With this model, every employee can enjoy the opportunity to work in the office as well as virtually.

• Two-three split. Some companies have opted for a split workweek, with a certain number of required days in-office and the rest set aside for virtual work each week. To allow for collaboration between team members, assigned days may be flexible or dictated in part by position and workplace function. This dynamic may also allow for fully virtual work for some employees.

• Half and half. If the workload allows, and the necessary skills are present, this model lets employees work virtually for half of their scheduled work time.

• Virtual first. Virtual first is a model in which employees may choose to work on-site sometimes, but the standard dynamic is virtual. A distributed, virtual workplace is the company’s primary orientation.

• Pick and choose. Many organizations encourage high levels of employee autonomy by letting them construct their own schedules. They may be offered options such as flex time — in which they work on-site for meetings and other collaboration purposes — full-time virtual work, or a permanent office presence.

Adapting to new models

After the disruption of the last two years, companies anticipate the “new normal” schedule as a mix of virtual and in-person work. Employers and employees are still learning what works best for individuals, teams, and the larger organization. Managing the new workplace can be tricky, but efficient leadership sets the standards for success. Consider these tools for virtual work leadership:

• Leaders must be more empathetic than ever in today’s workplace. Watch for signs of employees struggling. Virtual work can contribute to feelings of isolation and disconnection for those who rarely see their colleagues in person. Recognizing the symptoms, and reaching out to team members who need support, will help everyone be successful.

• Leading with action. Use your own time management skills to set the example for your teams. If communication is an issue, support implementing new measures to keep everyone in touch. If employees are having trouble adjusting to the new situation, address them as a group and individually. A leader’s primary goal is to help every team member find their best way to work under the new model.

• Planning for success. Communication is key for teams to map out the days they will work on- or off-site. Make the most of everyone’s time by planning tasks suitable to each day’s environment. For example, number crunching and analytics might be best suited for off-site work, while collaborative tasks may require several employees to be in the office on certain days.

• Setting clear expectations. Be upfront and clear about requirements for in-office and virtual days, meetings, and activities. Spend time with individual employees to figure out logistics and address concerns. Empathy, flexibility, and transparency are vital during this stage.

• Time-blocking. A shared calendar keeps everyone on the same page regarding tasks, meetings, and deadlines. Ensure virtual employees can time-block their own calendars, and encourage them to set boundaries and log off regularly to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

• Aligning commitments with goals. Effective time management means prioritization, and everyone prioritizes differently. Help workers articulate their goals for work: How much colleague interaction do they need in their day? What timelines will help them efficiently accomplish their goals?

In virtual and distributed workplaces, time management is a function of guided autonomy. Clear communication, well-defined expectations, and shared goals keep employees working in alignment with company needs while allowing them to decide when, where, and how they work best.

To learn more about time and change management for flexible work models, visit fitch-consulting.com.