Although some AMCs had already made the move to a work-from-home environment, there were many of us that were unexpectedly propelled into this model because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Due to the nature of our work, many on our teams already had laptops with the ability to carry out their day-to-day tasks using cloud-based programs.  This was a blessing when the call came to quickly adapt.  But staff did not routinely work from remote locations except on a short-term basis (mostly during an annual meeting) which does not hold the same expectations as working 100% from home. 

Now, six months into the pandemic, we are seeing the benefits from the work-at-home model with many of us in the process of evaluating the future of our physical office needs.  However, with the speed at which we needed to transition to this model, we did not have time to put in place or communicate a clear list of expectations to our team for working from home. 

As AMC leaders, it is up to us to not only communicate our expectations to our staff but to also live up to them ourselves.  To that end, our company reflected on our own recent experiences and created the below Work-From-Home Pledge.  This Pledge is helpful in providing clarity for our existing team members, but as importantly, it serves as a valuable resource to share with potential new hires to ensure a complete understanding of job expectations and performance requirements. 

WORK-FROM-HOME PLEDGE

I WILL…

1. Uphold the mission, vision and values of my employer and my clients.
2. Meet project deadlines and communicate any barriers that may prevent me from achieving them.
3. Bring forth new ideas that will provide additional value and operational efficiencies to my team and my clients.
4. Make sure my remote office space is conducive to being productive.
5. Have the technology and connectivity needed to fulfill the obligations of my job.
6. Work the same schedule and the same number of hours that was expected of me when I was in the office.
7. Communicate with my supervisor and team as far in advance as possible when I need to modify my schedule.
8. Show up on time (or, if I’m the host, 5-10 minutes early) for scheduled virtual meetings with my video and audio turned on.
9. Dress and appear professional for virtual meetings the same as if I were meeting with the client in-person. 
10. Eliminate distractions that will prevent me from being fully engaged in my virtual meeting including not eating, responding to emails or taking phone calls during virtual meetings.
11. Make sure that my background during virtual meetings presents a professional image.
12. Support my colleagues as I would if I were sharing an office.
13. Say something to someone in authority if I see a colleague struggling or behaving in a manner that is concerning or outside of usual behavior.
14. Conduct a periodic self-check to make sure that I am remaining healthy – both physically and mentally.  I will ask myself the following questions:
    1. Am I feeling ok?
    2. What are my main stressors – is there anything new?
    3. Am I addressing my physical needs for diet and exercise?
    4. Am I taking time for myself?  
    5. Am I shutting off my work when I should?
    6. Is my physical space still working or do I need a change of scenery?  
    7. If my answers to the above concern me, am I seeking the support and help that I need?
    8. Take time off work to recharge and maintain my motivation. 

Of course, you may have additional expectations to add or maybe some of the above do not fit with your AMC’s culture.  Whatever your AMC’s Pledge contains, it is best to have acknowledgment that it has been read and agreed to, and therefore, should be signed or in some way confirmed by each member of your staff. 

There is no crystal ball as to what the next six months or even next year holds, but identifying and communicating our expectations while supporting our staff and each other will ensure that we move forward upholding our promised level of service that our clients expect from us.

JoAnn Taie is a Partner/Owner of Global Management Partners, LLC, an association management company located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.