Choose one or two or all of these strategies to keep you and your team engaged.

1. Daily Check-ins and Check-outs

Check-in at the beginning of the day for 5-10 minutes with your direct team to share:

• • Focus of the day
  • How are you doing? Use a code, such as: green/yellow/red or high/medium/low

Check-out at the end of the day for 5-10 minutes to share:

• • Updates relevant to full team
  • One Word Exercise: Using one word or short phrase, describe your day. Each person responds, leaders go last.

2. Working Hang-out
   Leverage your video platform to set up 2-3 hours per day when team members are working “together” virtually. The platform is simply open while team members work. The idea is to recreate the office environment:

• • Allows for more casual and dynamic interaction
  • Conversations and sharing of ideas in real-time
  • Opportunity to problem-solve and make progress more quickly

3. Office Hours

We all remember going to our professors during office hours to get our questions answered and a little extra tutoring!  Again, using your virtual platform, preferably with video, identify a couple of hours, once or twice a week when you are available for anyone to “drop-in” and talk about a specific topic or just chat.

4. One-on-Ones

Have your one-on-one meetings gotten pushed because of the urgency of dealing with the pandemic?  Team members are ready to reconnect with their leaders on broader topics, including their own challenges and progress. Establish a 30-minute weekly one-on-one cadence with direct reports to:

• • Align on priorities
  • Provide constructive and actionable feedback
  • Use open-ended questions to understand how each team member is doing
  • Share your support and encouragement