Diné College Guidelines for Telecommunication

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Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Supervisor-Employee Guidelines for Telecommunication
Release 03/18/2020 @ 08:30AM

Supervisor-Employee Guidelines for Telecommunication PDF

Supervisor checklist for supporting telecommunication/telework Telework works best when employees and supervisors communicate clearly about expectations. The following checklist will help supervisors establish a foundation for effective teamwork, continued productivity, and service to the College community.

Understand relevant policies. Although there are no specific policies and procedures in place for teleworking with the College, supervisors should verify with their employees if this is situational telework. Meaning situational telework can be approved on a case-by-case basis and for a specific amount of time due to the COVID-19.

Review technology needs and resources. Identify technology tools staff use in their daily work and determine whether the resources will be accessible when working from home and ensure employees know how to access the College’s IT Department.

• Employees must contact IT to set-up call forwarding upon approval from their Supervisor. They should know how to access and check their voicemail from home.
• An alternative to call forwarding is for the employee to provide their personal home and/or cell phone number if agreed upon.
• Determine which platform(s) you will use to communicate as a team, clarify expectations for online availability and confirm everyone has access to the technology tool(s) and support resources.

Review work schedules. Telework sometimes get confused with flex work. Be clear about your expectations with employees for maintaining their current work schedule or if you are open to flexible scheduling based on employee needs e.g. daycare availability.

Draft a work plan. Review the questions below with staff and work through answers together.

• What routine responsibilities/tasks cannot be fulfilled while working remotely and how will it impact operations or other people? What are ways to reduce the impacts?
• What routine responsibilities/tasks require regular communication and collaboration with others? Proactively contact each partner to confirm how you will communicate while everyone is working remotely.
• Often times employees experience fewer interruptions while teleworking. Are there any special projects or tasks that you can advance while working remotely?
• What events or meetings are scheduled during the time in which the temporary telework arrangement is in place? Will they be postponed or canceled, or will they take place using technology? What follow-up needs to occur due to postponements or cancellations?

Make a communication and accountability plan. Supervisors should to instruct employees on how often they should send updates on work plan progress and what those updates should include. Supervisors should also communicate how quickly they expect the employee to respond while teleworking and the best ways for the employee to contact the supervisor while working remotely.

• If you normally make daily rounds to visit employees at their desks, you can give them a call during this period. Maintain team meetings and one-to-one check-ins, altering the schedule if needed to accommodate any alternative schedules that have been approved.
• Conduct regular check-ins. Start each workday with a phone, video or instant message chat. Your employees will be eager for connection and information during the disruption and the structure will help everyone create a positive routine. Every other day or weekly may be fine, so long as you are in contact frequently enough that your employees are in sync with you and/or with one another.

Be positive. A positive attitude toward teleworking and a willingness to trust employees to telework effectively is key to making such arrangements successful and productive. Teleworking presents an opportunity for managers to become better supervisors. Instead of focusing on how many hours your employees are working, re-emphasize a focus on measuring results and reaching objectives—regardless of work arrangement. The employee’s completed work product is the indicator of success, rather than direct observation. By focusing on the employee’s work product, tele-managers will improve their organizational abilities and their own skill in managing by objectives.

Debrief after normal operations resume. Employees and supervisors should review work plans when work returns to normal, assess progress on the employee’s work plan and prioritize any unresolved or new work that resulted from temporary operational disruption.

If you still have questions, contact your department supervisor or manager.