A Guide To Managing Remote Work Cannabis Employees

Remote work cannabis employees zoom meeting

We’ve all adjusted to the “new normal,” which includes working from home for most, if not the entire week. Although it’s been a learning experience, we’ve settled into the new work environment after months into the pandemic. According to Stanford research, 42% of the U.S. labor force now works from home full-time. However, leaders in the cannabis industry with remote work cannabis employees may be facing some management obstacles. 

Our cannabis staffing agency would like to lend you a helping hand with essential tips for managing remote work cannabis employees. For many of us, working from home is brand new. After years of heading into an office and being greeted by smiling faces, we find ourselves stuck in the digital world. So, how do cannabis executives and supervisors manage from a distance? Whether you’re rolling along fine or are desperately needing advice, our guide can come in handy. 

one-on-one zoom meeting

Benefits Of Remote Work 

Remote work comes with many upsides. MIT’s Dr. Peter Hirst piloted a flexible work program and reached some incredible results. Thanks to remote work, 90% of the employees in the program said their family and personal life improved. Additionally, 85% experienced reduced stress and 80% said their morale and engagement improved. Not to mention, cutting out your commute is better for the environment, as well as your wallet. 

Trust Your Team & Resist Micromanaging

Build rapport with all of your cannabiz employees working remotely. You may think that building rapport solely comes from doing and talking about work. However, it also involves getting to know each team member as a complete person. Ask them about their family, interests, and hobbies–for starters. Making a real connection with each team member allows you to build trust. And, this means it will be easier to resist micromanaging. 

Looking over someone’s shoulder while they do work is unnecessary both in the office and in a work-from-home situation. One-on-one quick checks or group phone meetings will allow you to keep a finger on the pulse of your team. Remember, you are the coach of the organization, and your employees look to you for inspiration and confidence. Poor management is a one-way street, which invites micromanaging, but coaching involves open communication. Build enough rapport that you trust your remote cannabis employees to make the right decisions. Additionally, you should guide them and help them learn through their failures. 

Consider The Variety Of Personalities

Not everyone will respond to remote work in the same way, as we all have different personalities. As a cannabis executive and/or leader, you should analyze your remote work cannabis employees, gauging how they are dealing with working from home. Introverts may prefer remote work and boost their efficiency and creativity. However, socialites may find it’s more difficult to work in an isolated setting. Regular human interaction is necessary for evolutionary success, and less face-to-face socializing may be detrimental to one’s psychological and physical well-being. Therefore, you should provide your remote work cannabis employees that are extroverts with more opportunities to collaborate digitally. You can even set up digital water-cooler or happy hour discussions for anyone who wants to join so everyone can catch up on each other’s social lives. 

Remote work typically comes easier to those who are adaptable to new environments or leaning toward a more introverted personality. Of course, there is going to be a mix of personalities. So, setting structured meetings–no more than 15 minutes each–throughout the week is beneficial. Additionally, creating optional collaboration opportunities for projects is a plus. And, don’t forget to set up team bonding events, even if it’s just through zoom. 

Provide Different Options To Collaborate

Collaborating with people face-to-face in an office setting is irreplaceable for those who thrive within that type of environment. However, technology makes it easier for us to communicate with each other from a distance. From Zoom to Slack, there are plenty of communication options in the digital world. It’s beneficial to provide your remote work cannabis employees with a variety of communication options. Having one option of communication could hinder performance and keep employees from fully opening up. 

Video conferencing helps with visual cues and eases the feeling of isolation. However, sometimes your remote work cannabis employees need a quicker way to communicate, so a platform like Slack–used mostly for messaging–is beneficial. Additionally, organizational platforms like Asana may help with collaborations on projects. Not to mention, it’s also advisable to set standards for what type of communication platform should be used for specific situations. For example, text messaging and Slack can be used to address something urgent in your cannabis organization. On the other hand, video conferencing and phone meetings can be reserved for a larger group or team meetings. And, you may also use these communication platforms to socialize and catch up. 

Establish Work And Non-Work Times

It’s easy to push your remote work cannabis employees too far and be unaware you’re doing so. Although your employees are working from home, that doesn’t necessarily mean they should work longer hours. In the end, results and efficiency are what matter the most. The duration of work doesn’t equate to the quality of it. So, establishing work and non-work times is crucial for all your cannabiz employees. 

Work-life balance is still essential in a work-from-home environment. It may be even more important since the two worlds are overlapping. When you set work and non-work times, your team will benefit from fewer burnouts, more mindfulness, and healthier bodies. According to Now Sourcing, the United States ranks at number 30 (out of 38 countries) in work-life balance. They also report that employees who work more than 50 hours per week are 1.66 times more likely to suffer from depression and have a higher risk of coronary heart disease. Promote working smarter and not harder, which leads to more collaboration and support. And, avoid assigning unrealistic workloads–quality work takes time. 

Communicate Clearly

Without face-to-face interaction with your employees, communication is more important than ever. Your remote work cannabis employees need detailed information about their projects and tasks. In other words, vague language or brief instructions won’t cut it in the digital world. For example, say more than you need to in a text message or email to make sure everything is understood clearly. It may take some extra time to do, but miscommunication will take up much more of everyone’s time. 

When you’re leading a meeting, simplify your messages. And, keep the length of a group meeting between 10-18 minutes, which is how long most people can pay attention before dozing off. The human body uses a large amount of oxygen, glucose, and blood flow while the brain absorbs new information. So, around the 18-minute mark, people start feeling weary, which means they won’t be able to retain information well. Also, make sure to listen to your cannabiz employees working from home, as listening is pivotal to effective communication. Listen and consider all of the ideas and suggestions of your remote work cannabis employees. Stay open-minded and acknowledge the message, even if you don’t immediately see or understand the benefit. Clear communication means you’ll have a happier team and better productivity. 

Looking For More Cannabis Industry Leadership Tips?

Holding executive roles in the cannabis industry can be challenging, especially during this time in history. Refining how you manage your remote work employees is just the beginning. Check out two guides that will help you continue to grow as a cannabis leader:

Top 10 Traits of Successful Cannabis Executives 

5 Ways to Motivate Employees in the Cannabis Industry

If you’re looking to grow your team, our cannabis staffing agency can help. We specialize in cannabis executive search, direct-hire, and temporary employees. Please reach out today at contact@cannabizteam.com for more information on how we can provide you with staffing solutions.

More Cannabis Industry Insight

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