In what is certainly a very uncertain and new time for all of us, we are now facing an instance where our workforces are largely remote. However, this does not have to mean the end of teamwork, communication and culture! Using the power and understanding of DiSC, we have put together the below insights into what working from home may be like for your staff based on their DiSC style. Read on to find out how you and your team can be making the most of this situation and ensuring you maintain staff morale, engagement
and productivity!
D Style
Dominance: direct, strong-willed, and forceful (fast-paced and skeptical)
Considerations:
- Need for Action will mean they need to know things are getting done.
- Willing to take risks and like the freedom to make their own choices.
- Willing to speak up about issues so you don’t have to worry about them sitting on problems while you can’t see them.
- May struggle to have patience for the change and transition period where productivity could dip.
Tips to work productively from home:
- Set new challenges for them to work towards, this will be a great time for them to learn and finesse new skills.
- Provide clear guidelines and expectations of what they can and cannot do, and the results that are expected of them. That way they have a sense of autonomy, but you both know where the line is and when they need to reach out for advice/consideration.
- Create healthy competitions and targets to motivate and drive your D-Style employees. This can even be in the form of fun, inter-team challenges such as the most clients contacted in a day, opportunities raised etc.-use your imagination!
- Always reward their successes with recognition of a job well done and provide them with the reward of a new task to demonstrate the value you place on them.
- Make sure they are clear on the team goals and the importance of these, so that they do not get too caught up in their own tasks and forget the importance of collective results.
i Style
Influence: sociable, talkative, and lively (fast-paced and accepting)
Considerations:
- Their need for Collaboration and enjoyment of social settings will mean this is a tough situation for them, working remotely, as they prefer regular interaction to feel engaged and remain most productive in the team.
- The i-Style does not like predictability so try to pose this as a new and positive experience. Harness their enthusiasm for the benefit of the team in maintaining an upbeat attitude.
Tips to work productively from home:
- Managers should check in regularly to ensure they are staying motivated and also as a way to engage socially with their staff.
- Set up video conferencing to enable more interactive conversations and embrace their enthusiasm, the team will appreciate this during uncertain times.
- Always set new goals for i-Style staff to work towards to continue their momentum and enthusiasm.
- Don’t forget, lots of praise for a job well done! Public recognition is typically embraced by the i-Style so a team email probably won’t go astray!
- i-Styles love socialising so use this desire for networking to task them with engaging your customers and clients-unleash their social abilities which will benefit your clients and staff!
- Make sure you set clear guidelines for work as their enthusiasm may initially cover up a lack of clarity, and they may be prone to lose track of final goals.
S Style
Steadiness: gentle, accommodating, and soft-hearted (moderate-paced and accepting)
Considerations:
- This may be a tricky time for those who place a high priority on Stability, as the disruption to routine will require adjustment.
- They have a need for the approval of others so regular check ins, clear communication and ongoing support are musts!
- The S-Style has a tendency to hold back their opinions, so managers should make sure they are directly asking for feedback and clarity, otherwise it may not be given freely.
- May work effectively alone but over time could struggle with the lack of personal connection, as S-Style people do place more importance on being warm and outgoing.
Tips to work productively from home:
- Maintain open lines of communication.
- Set up regular check-ins and provide constructive feedback or confirmation of their good work. Alternatively, if they are struggling, clearly outline why/ how this is happening and how you will work to help them change this.
- Ensure they are properly set up to work from home as the sooner they find a new routine, the sooner they will feel a sense of stability.
- Provide clear step-by-step instructions and ask questions to make sure they understand tasks.
- Avoid rushing them to complete tasks and instead set clear, agreed upon deadlines. On the other hand, if they are not getting the job done, then you should address this in a clear manner and be firm about your expectations.
- Offer sincere praise for any job well done, but unlike the i-style, one-to-one or private praise is typically more appreciated, they don’t want the limelight.
- Provide long-term, overarching goals to satisfy their comfort with working steadily towards a goal, show them how they fit into the bigger picture.
- The S-Style will be great at supporting their coworkers during this time and providing a supportive environment, similarly, they will appreciate the same from others!
C Style
Conscientiousness : private, analytical, and logical (moderate-paced and skeptical)
Considerations:
- The C-Style prefers working independently and so will most likely thrive working from home, provided they have the information required to do so effectively.
- C-Styles like to ensure streamlined processes so if you are unsure about setting new policies and guidelines for working from home, feel free to reach out for their thoughts.
Tips to work productively from home:
- Provide them with as much factual information and detail as possible so that they are clear on tasks and expectations.
- Minimise micromanaging by setting scheduled check ins and sticking to them.
- Set clear deadlines so that they do not spend too long obsessing over single projects or tasks, trying to get them perfect. On a similar note, avoid rushing them to complete tasks as they will feel pressured and stressed by this.
- Ensure that you are asking for their opinions that they may not express openly and that there are no underlying feelings of discontent that may cause them to become resentful and reduce productivity.
- Provide specific feedback and praise on tasks well done, in a private setting. This will be more meaningful than generic compliments which may be perceived as empty.
- Reward them by asking for their input and providing them with opportunities to manage tasks autonomously.
- Ensure they are aware of team goals as well as their own so that they do not loose perspective since they may be less likely to check in regularly with coworkers.
Tips for all:
- Create a daily routine.
- Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise in daily.
- Create a dedicated work space so that you can concentrate during work, and switch off afterwards. Don’t work from bed and ensure your set up is comfortable for extended periods of time.
- Make to-do lists and regularly check in with your team.
- Stay focused, maybe have some music in the background but leave the TV off!
- Ensure some level of social interaction, Zoom calls with coworkers are great, or call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
- Get comfy for the day, if you do your best work in active-wear that’s fine, others may like the routine of getting dressed and doing their hair/ makeup to feel ready for work.
- Do what works for you! Everyone is different and we all need to respect those differences, tune into what you need to be most effective, and give yourself every chance to be productive.
See our current online programs
- Online bite-size workshops and series programs
- Managing your team from home (online program)
- DiSC – Understanding self and others (online program
Best wishes from the team at People Development Australia. Contact us with any questions or let us know if we can support you in any way.