Hello. This is Fujiwara.

It’s been a month since I started working remotely. With the number of infected people and deaths still increasing in Japan and around the world, this situation is like fighting an invisible enemy as World War III.

At the time of writing this article, the timing of the COVID-19 convergence cannot be read at all, but I think that after the convergence, it will be a completely different way of working.

Many companies are now entering the telecommuting and remote working system.
It would be premature to think of this as a “temporary response for now only”.
Rather, dramatic changes may be coming as more and more companies embrace telecommuting and drastically improve the environment, such as creating satellite offices.
In the future, we will see more companies where employees feel happy and comfortable working.

When this happens, it is only natural that leaders will be required to change what they do and what they are aware of.

So, in this article, I’m going to share with you the “5 Tips for Leaders in the Remote Work Era”!

We took a photo at mirmir for a cool photoshoot at the Fujiwara team’s event expo!

1. Trust your team members

It is the premise of the whole thing and the most important part.
That’s not a given! You may be thinking, “I’m going to do this. The biggest difference between working from home and working for a company is that you are not in the same place.
The biggest difference between working remotely and working in the office is that you’re not “in the same place.
This can be more of a test for a leader/boss than you might think.

I’ve been working face-to-face at the company for so long that I feel uneasy just because I can’t see their faces. It can be tempting to contact them again and again because you’re worried about whether they’re doing a good job and whether your progress is okay.

However, that anxiety was caused by the “not together” environment. It has nothing to do with a subordinate’s ability or situation.

Let’s start with the big premise of “trusting your team members, wherever they are.”

2. Create a mechanism for close reporting, communication, and consultation.

Although it’s important to trust your members, it’s not good to just leave things to them. There are ways to work remotely that are unique to remote working. In particular, the creation of a reporting, liaison, and consultation system is essential to maintain trusting relationships with team members.

When they were in the same company, they would say, “Mr. Wu, can I talk to you? It’s hard to do what you used to do when you work remotely. There is certainly such an aspect.
And a lack of contact is directly related to a decrease in reporting and communication.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the key to success in remote working is to have a smooth communication system.

Set a reporting time, prepare a place where you can easily write on social networking sites, or introduce a video conferencing system such as zoom, and create a “system that makes it easy to report, communicate, and consult”.

3. Allow plenty of time for time management

When working remotely, a variety of family circumstances may come into play, even during working hours.
Because they work in tandem with housework, childcare, and caregiving, it’s difficult to have clear scheduling and time management, like when they come to work.

If you schedule things the same way you do when you go to work, no matter how motivated you are, things can go wrong. This is a hallmark of remote working and an element that should be factored in beforehand.

When you are working remotely, it is better to manage your time with a margin of time than to manage your time at the last minute so that you can proceed with your work without fail.

Organize and estimate your tasks!

4. Organize and share tasks to clarify “what to do”.

Also related to No. 3, since working remotely means living and working at the same time, sometimes life can put pressure on work.

Let’s take the opportunity to clarify “what needs to be done” to counteract that.

If the task is clear, you can “get back to work” even if you are busy with household chores, etc.
The best time to organize and share your tasks is at the beginning of the week.

5. Encourage members to be aware of “skill improvement” and “motivation management”.

Even though I’ve switched to working remotely, my workload is not the same as before now that I’m under a declared state of emergency. It doesn’t take long to get to work, and you’ll have more “spare time” than ever before.

Leaders are encouraged to encourage their members to make the most of their time.

You can use it to improve your skills, get in shape, and take actions that will motivate you.

Working remotely can be lonely and it can be a battle with you. It is the leader’s role to help members think about how to turn this period into an opportunity, and how to bounce back when the going gets tough.

Here is example of Fujiwara’s team members’ input during our time at home!

These are the tips for bosses who have subordinates who work from home.
It’s easy, so please put it into practice right away.

As I wrote at the beginning, the most important question is “Do you have a relationship of trust between your subordinates and your boss? Working remotely is also a time when trust is put to the test.