Bay Path University

7 www.baypath.edu "The key to successfully working remotely is variety. You have to get up and move around. Even if you have invested into a state-of-the-art office set-up, you should get out of your chair every hour and walk around the house, do some stretches, or engage in some kind of activity. This might be easier to do at home than at work. It might be why we are seeing people becoming more productive working remotely. Regardless, it's not good to be sedentary. When you move, blood flows to the brain. You should make movement a mandatory part of your remote work routine." M A N A G E W I T H Y O U R S T R O N G E S T M U S C L E Laura Lynn Dant Meyer '87 G'06 is the head of technology operations audit and compliance at MassMutual. She has worked for the company for over thirty years and has had nineteen different work opportunities for the insurance giant, amassing an enviable skillset in both the technology and managerial areas. If you do a Google search for "managing remote workers," the list is endless. From tips to best practices to special apps, they advocate a mind-boggling recipe for managing. So how do you manage remotely? Is there a one size that fits all? "At this time, we are all one hundred percent fully remote. The transition was very smooth. We continued to do what we did in person: weekly meetings, check-ins, and working ses- sions. We had to adjust our style somewhat, and we had to employ more emotional intelligence than ever before… we worked at keeping connected." Today's leaders are challenged with managing technology just as much managing people. With remote workers, the issues of keeping up to date with technology changes, maintaining privacy, and protecting data are paramount. Still, it is the people factor that makes remote work a success. "As we have worked remotely, we have produced as much as if we are in person, and maybe even more. I see that my group is on at all hours, but we joke about it. Yet, it tells me people are very responsible about what needs to be done. "My management style is based on my core values, and that has not changed with this shift. My core values are very important and guide me in my role: trust, believing in people, building relationships, collaboration, and learning from others. "The days of micromanaging are out, and a good manager needs to be a player/coach. When the work is hard and challenging, you need to do the right thing and work right beside them. Or stand right beside them. You also need to know when to step out of the ring. If you have a good set of core values, and these values are aligned with the working environment, then everyone doesn't just do good…they do great. It won't matter if you are managing remotely. "I had a mentor who once said to me: 'Laura, if you learn to lead by your heart, you will be successful in any role that you are asked to step into. Your heart is your strongest muscle. If you do this, then you will be fine." Sage advice. W H A T D O E S T H E F U T U R E H O L D ? A December 2020 survey from KPMG, an international consulting and accounting firm, published results that confirmed what many companies and organizations have learned—seventy-one percent of workers prefer to have a hybrid work arrangement. COVID-19 has also given rise to an increased desire among a new generation of mobile and savvy employees to have greater flexibility and work-life balance. The pandemic has proven that for many workers across the generations, they can indeed work anywhere and anytime, an unanticipated benefit for our increasingly global world. Companies and organizations must especially be bold and embrace this new reality to retain talent. The new step is critical— how to make it work post-pandemic for employers and employees. The future of work is already here. Today's leaders are challenged with managing technology, but it is the people factor that makes remote work a success. T H E F U T U R E I S A L R E A D Y H E R E

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