Inclusive Virtual Teams
Fostering and sustaining an inclusive team culture is an important underpinning of Berkeley Lab’s IDEA strategy. Virtual teams (or teams with remote employees) are no exception. Whether you are part of a fully distributed workforce like Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), or you have a remote co-worker living in another state: we must make every effort to ensure that each individual is able to fully contribute and serve as a valued team member.
As of April 2020, Berkeley Lab is currently sheltering in place due to COVID-19. Many of our colleagues are working from home, and experiencing a new remote work environment and culture. While the disruption to our work life has been challenging, this situation has also enabled us to think differently and innovate. For example, how can we run effective and inclusive virtual meetings? How can we continue to operate and conduct business with IDEA principles in mind, if the team is working from home?
Please see the following resources related to virtual teams and remote inclusion best practices, and learn how to set yourself (and your team members) up for success.
Trainings
Remote Work Resources - Curated training for employees and supervisors from LBNL HR Learning and Organizational Development and University of CA.
Onboarding to Remote Work:
All Employees: working remotely, virtual teamwork, working on virtual teams, and cultivating resilience through change.
Supervisors and Managers: leading from a distance for remote workers, managing virtual teams, and working on virtual teams.
Remote Inclusion Best Practices
Tool Kits
For All Employees:
Best Practices for Remote Meetings - from the All-Access Employee Resource Group, Accessible Meetings Committee
Ergonomic Guidelines - For employees working from home less than 30 days
Remote Work Toolkit - External best practices for working remotely
Telework and Accessibility Toolkit
For Supervisors, Managers, and Search/Interview Committees:
Communication Charter for Remote Teams - For teams with remote workers, this charter sets expectations for how your team will communicate, collaborate, and work together effectively. Discuss as a team and agree and commit to communication norms.
Video Conference Interviewing - Best practices for hiring managers, search committees, and interview teams from LBNL HR.
Discussion Guide
IDEA Leader Discussion Guide: Managing Your Remote Team Inclusively (60 mins)
Discussion Guide - For supervisor or manager to review in advance and reference
Link for Team Exercise - For team members to review
Communication Charter for Remote Teams - For team members to review and complete together (Module #4 of team exercise referenced above)
Video
IDEA Brown Bag: Inclusive Virtual Teams
Fostering and sustaining an inclusive team culture is an important underpinning of Berkeley Lab’s IDEA strategy. Whether you are part of a fully distributed workforce like Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), or you have a remote co-worker living in another state: we must make every effort to ensure that each individual is able to fully contribute and serve as a valued team member. For example, how can we run effective and inclusive virtual meetings? How can we continue to operate and conduct business with IDEA principles in mind, if the team is working from home?
Good Reads
What Psychological Safety Looks Like in a Hybrid Workplace - Harvard Business Review
Telework and Digital Accessibility - US Dept. of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Programs
How to Combat Zoom Fatigue - Harvard Business Review
15 Questions on Remote Work, Answered - Harvard Business Review
How to Manage a Hybrid Team - Harvard Business Review
How to Succeed at Working from Home - Forbes
Dear Remote Teams, I’d Like to Introduce You to Your New Team Members - Medium. A practical guide to choosing and setting up technical and communications infrastructure for remote/distributed teams.
Employers Must ‘Lean In’ To Protect Women’s Workforce Gains - Forbes
How to Be a Better Leader in a Remote Work Culture - Daisy Auger-Dominguez
On Leadership: Stop Watching Your Workers - The Washington Post. As some teams transition to remote work, it may be tempting for managers to assert more control and be more vigilant about how team members are using their time. Extensive research from Ethan Bernstein at Harvard Business School suggests that the opposite behaviors promote greater productivity and well-being. The “transparency paradox” indicates that when employees are not constantly monitored or watched by their managers, they tend to engage in more innovative behaviors.
It’s Not Just You: In Online Meetings, Many Women Can’t Get a Word In - New York Times
Additional Resources
Additional Resources for Virtual Teams - Specific to COVID-19:
Remote Work During COVID-19 - IT Guidance/Resources
COVID-19 Human Resources - HR Guidance/Resources
COVID-19 FAQs - HR, IT Services, Site Access, Lab Operations, Payroll and Finance, Health Services and Safety, Research Communications, Resources At Home, Business Travel, LBNL Conference Attendees, LBNL Hosted Conferences and Events, Self Isolation Policy, etc.
LinkedIn Learning Resources & Opportunities - Curated courses from LBNL HR Learning and Organizational Development.
COVID-19 and Team Psychological Safety - Interview with Dr. Amy Edmondson, Harvard Business School
Wellness Resources - General and Specific to COVID-19:
Mindfulness & Mitigating Stress
Resources for Parents & Caregivers
Social Gatherings During Physical Distancing
Tips from LBNL Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Be Well at Work:
B-Well Wellbeing Breaks - Schedule of external virtual talks