UK 
United States
One of the key challenges that all managers face in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is the maintenance of communication. Whereas in a physical workplace, it’s easy for managers to ‘check in’ with employees and ensure that they feel supported, remote working necessitates far more structure and organisation than ever before.
And research this week released by Appraised shows that, whilst remote meeting tools are ensuring that businesses have the means to continue with face-to-face conversations and townhalls, many managers are failing to ensure that employees receive individual 1-2-1s – which in the current circumstances, are much needed.
WFH | Virtual meetings are having a worrying effect on workers
Almost half of the employees who responded to the survey stated that they were having fewer 1-2-1s; 38% said the frequency had dropped significantly over the last few weeks. Only 17% of employees said the frequency of their 1-2-1s had increased at all.
The report also indicated that the enormous pressure that line managers are currently under is having a marked effect on employee wellbeing. Many have no previous experience of managing a remote workforce, potentially lacking the skills and tools to be able to do so effectively. 17.9% of managers lack key feedback skills, according to respondents to a study by The Predictive Index, whilst 14.9% admitted that their manager was poor at managing their time effectively.
