Tippie Magazine (Summer 2021) - Tippie College of Business

Q
EEAN CRAWFORD
Associate Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship
and Henry B. Tippie Research Fellow
It was challenging to hold my team together during remote work,
yet my organization may continue to allow it after the pandemic.
What are the best ways to keep my team connected and engaged
if they aren’t in the office together?
Remember that although the
pandemic has presented many
people with their first opportunity
working in or managing a team
remotely, working in virtual teams
has been standard practice for
decades. The key is understanding
the same processes that lead to
good teamwork in person become
even more important when
personnel are dispersed remotely.
So how to do this?
First, think about whether your
team has anyone who is paying
attention to the social dynamics of
the team. Often labeled as those with
emotional intelligence, they can help
alleviate conflict, manage stress, and
build confidence and excitement in
the team.
Second, recognize the importance
of building trust to facilitate good
teamwork. Drop your suspicion
that people are slacking off. It’s a
safe bet that many are drowning in
some personal way and need a hand
up rather than a put-down. Check
in with individuals to see how they
are doing and if they need help.
Celebrate even small progress so
everyone knows how each person is
contributing to the team’s success.
Third, don’t discount the importance
of simple social niceties—like office
chit chat—that are easy to lose with
remote team members. Small talk
and trivial conversations about
the weather, culture, or weekend
plans might be viewed as wastes of
time. But these interactions should
be viewed more as small, up-front
investments in relationship-building
that pay big, long-run dividends
in terms of team camaraderie and
productivity.
One final idea I find intriguing for
remote teams, especially those
dispersed across multiple time
zones: share the scheduling pain.
That means rotating through meeting
times so that everyone has a few
convenient meetings, and a few late
nights or early mornings. It sends a
message that members in different
time zones are equally valued instead
of only those located closer to the
home office. It shows everyone is part
of a larger, unified team.
The pandemic has led a number of people to completely rethink
Qtheir personal career goals, and we’re concerned about retention
in the long term. Are there proven methods for reducing turnover
and keeping top talent?
CHAD H. VAN IDDEKINGE
Henry B. Tippie Research Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship
Tight labor markets and skill
shortages are a key concern for all
employers. Below are evidencebased
solutions:
Assess and increase employee job
satisfaction. Low job satisfaction is
one of the strongest predictors of
voluntary turnover. Organizations
should regularly assess employee
satisfaction and take steps to increase
it. Examples include giving employees
say in how they perform their work
and providing competitive pay and
benefits. Effective and supportive
supervision also is a key factor, so
selecting and developing high-quality
leaders is critical.
Increase commitment to the
organization. Employees who
are more committed are more
likely to stay. Organizations can
increase commitment by providing
opportunities for training and
development, promoting from within,
and fostering connections among
employees.
Help employees maintain worklife
balance. Work-life conflict is
one of the main drivers of turnover.
Employers can help by ensuring
employee workloads are reasonable,
offering flexible work schedules, and
implementing rules that minimize
correspondence outside of normal
work hours.
Monitor “pre-quitting” behaviors.
When employees start to think about
leaving, these thoughts often turn
into action. Research has identified
“pre-quitting” behaviors employees
who are thinking about leaving display,
such as being hesitant to commit to
long-term timelines. Managers can be
on the lookout for these behaviors and
intervene when an employee may be
thinking about leaving.
Because employees stay with or leave
organizations for myriad reasons,
there is not a silver bullet or onesize-fits-all
solution. Although some
turnover is avoidable (e.g., due to
inadequate supervision), some forms
are unavoidable (e.g., relocating due
to a spouse’s new job), and some level
of turnover is healthy for employees
and organizations. •
9