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For several years now, thousands of professionals have been working from home, so you would think that today’s environment of “stay at home” would be no big deal for those that are already used to working from home.

However, in many ways it is a big deal, because although many worked from home, they still met clients and employees at offices, had meetings outside the home office as well as business lunches (or heck, just any lunch outside the home). Yet now they never leave unless it is essential, such as a grocery run. Then we have the thousands of new employees working from home that never did before who are learning what this model even looks like, finding they too are feeling confined vs. working. And let’s be frank, there is a different feeling when one gets stuck at the home office because they are really busy all day vs. stuck at the home office because they are forced to.

So, what is the difference? The difference is not just physical, it’s mental. It is the old “have to” vs. “get to.” We are now confined to our home, not just working from home. So as leaders and employees how do we deal with this current situation?

Let’s focus on two key points to increase production and create the best mindset possible:

• First — Separating the work environment and schedule from the home environment.
• Second — Holding ourselves and our people accountable to producing results while also balancing empathy.

Separating the Work and the Home Environment

It is important to keep (or create) your morning disciplines of getting up and getting ready for work. Try to remove the temptation of “working in your underwear.” As much as many feel this is a benefit of working from home, we tend to behave how we dress. Get dressed as you would if you were going to the office. Consider it this way: instead of driving you are merely walking to the office. This helps you to mentally “clock‑in” to work.

Do your best to stay out of the pantry and don’t turn on the TV or allow yourself to mindlessly scroll through social media. At our home office, we have a sign on the office door to let our kids know that we are working and to not disturb us. Of course this does not work for those kids that are too young to read. Younger kids at home require a much more detailed plan that requires creative scheduling and perhaps even a specific kind of set-up at home.

This is important: seriously try to separate your time and effort so you are giving your work 100 percent of your focus during your work time and you are doing the same for your home time. Don’t try to do laundry (or any other house chore) while you are answering emails. As much as this sounds like a benefit, it actually will increase your stress and feelings of being overwhelmed, not to mention it takes away cognitive function and focus on getting your business done.

At the end of your work day, take off your work clothes and put on your home/family clothes and then give them 100 percent of your time. This separation of work and personal life has its challenges, whether you are home with family, kids, pets or just by yourself, but the principles remain consistent. The goal is to give 100 percent of your focus and effort to who you are serving — work or family or self. This separation can help you not to feel overwhelmed when trying to balance both sides of life at the same time and can greatly improve effectiveness and productivity.

Holding Ourselves and Our Employees Accountable

Everyone is struggling with this unheard-of current environment of being confined to our homes (even though many states are starting to open). Companies are struggling to stay solvent, employees are struggling financially too, while everyone is struggling with stress and fear involved in this unprecedented time. So as leaders and employees how do we balance “empathy” and “accountability”?

One does not need to eliminate one or the other — in fact I believe they go hand-in-hand. As employees, the best thing we can do for our company, leaders, clients and peers is to give our best. As employees, our empathy is shown in our work so that by us doing our part, we help to ensure we have a job and a career to return to in the near future.

As leaders, we must ensure that all team members are doing their part to help and serve the team, the organization and the clients. It is just as wrong for a leader to not hold an employee accountable to do their job as it is to not be empathetic to an employee having issues with their health or family issues. This is a time that we must expect the best from everyone; employees and leaders.

Leaders and employees must have candid conversations about their situations and make sure allowances are made for both sides — the person and the business. Sometimes people may need to take some time to tend to their family needs or personal issues and other times leaders will have to push employees who are making bad decisions or not performing to meet their obligations. The key is to understand how and when to take action. I have found clear and direct communication with clear expectations are the best method for achieving this goal.

Final Thought

To be empathetic does not mean one cannot be held accountable or that a leader should not hold their employees accountable to perform. The truth is most of us need someone to help us stay focused and productive and even the most disciplined need that external accountability to push us to be our best. The issue is we are in a time of extremes and unknowns. Some people are having real struggles that are affecting their ability to sustain productivity and there is the other side of the spectrum where some employees are taking advantage of the situation and using this time to manipulate leaders and organizations. It is the leader’s tough job to determine the differences and handle them accordingly.

If you work for an organization with a strong HR department, my recommendation for the leaders is to take advantage of this resource early and often. HR can be very helpful if brought in early to deal with situations by giving resources to those that need it and also dealing with those that choose to not do the right thing.

Being a leader is tough enough, and for many employees balancing work and life is tough as well. Today’s craziness is not making it easier, but I do believe it will make us all better for the future.

MANA welcomes your comments on this article. Write to us at [email protected].