How can employers communicate effectively amid remote work?
Hong Kong's Labour Department on Tuesday directed employers to switch up working arrangements from their staff following the issuance of the Cold Weather Warning from the Hong Kong Observatory. Employers were also told to remind employees to wear warm clothing.
"They should take appropriate precautions such as reminding employees who have to work out. doors or in remote areas to wear appropriately warm clothing and make arrangements for employees to rotate from outdoor to indoor or sheltered work sites as far as possible," the government said in a media release.
Employees were also reminded to be mindful of the weather forecast and be mindful of their physical health conditions.
"They should notify their supervisors and seek medical help immediately if feeling unwell, such as having cold limbs and body shivering," the government advised.
New working arrangements are urged by the government since last week, except this was because of the pandemic. Government bureaus and departments were previously told to implement "new special work arrangements" depending on their operational needs starting January 25.
"Such arrangements may include allowing some of their staff to take turns to work from home as far as possible," said the government in a separate press release.
According to the announcement, this may result to the temporary reduction in provision of some public services offered by different departments, which will make "suitable arrangements and announcements separately."
"The Government appeals to members of the public for their understanding should there be any inconvenience caused," the government said, adding: "Members of the public are encouraged to use alternative means, such as the post, drop-in boxes or online channels, to receive the services they need."
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The government said it will reduce the flow of people in government buildings and offices to help contain the pandemic.
Read more: Hong Kong set to raise minimum wage
Communication during remote work
Amid changes happening in the workplace arrangement for businesses, regardless of the reason, it is important for employers to communicate their messages to employees clearly.
Chee Tung Leong, CEO and co-founder at EngageRocket, previously discussed with HRD how to improve messaging amid the remote work setup, where he gave two tips.
Limit communication to only one or two platforms. Multiple platforms can cause "additional layers of distractions."
Set clear expectations and goals. Chee said setting clear and achievable milestones and deadlines will help employees manage their time effectively.
"Remote work requires a great deal of self-motivation," he told HRD. "Clarity provides a clear direction and framework to help leaders and remote employees to achieve goals."