There's a lot of WFH advice going around and I was avoiding throwing more on the pile, but as a remote manager of remote workers and also a caregiver who manages caregivers, I feel like I do have some stuff to contribute to the conversation.

First: please be mindful that others may be experiencing WFH challenges that you don't experience: https://twitter.com/hashoctothorpe/status/1236431034293485569

I've built a largely remote career. I love remote work and encourage employers to make it available as an accessibility issue. But it does not make work more accessible *for everyone,* and we need to be mindful of that.

So I've got remote work tips for managers of folks who are suddenly/temporarily remote.

First, try to set a good example about work/life boundaries. If you're used to being in the office and you're suddenly remote, it's easy to sign on early and stay late, just because you don't have a commute to anchor you. Resist this.

You will do your reports a big, big favor if they see you saying "I'm signing off for the night but I'll check in with you about that tomorrow," because that gives them permission to do the same.

Yes, even if it'd only take a few minutes.

Be as flexible about working hours as you can.

Folks who regularly work from home are generally expected to make childcare arrangements, but in a situation like this it's unreasonable to expect that. Let people shift their hours early/late if they need to.

Respect that you, and your workplace, and your team's jobs, are now guests in your team's homes. Guests who arrived on short notice, and whom your team members may be scrambling to accommodate.

They may not have a room to dedicate to your use, or all the equipment they have in the office. They may be trying to accommodate you without disrupting a schedule their families rely on, or on top of a family schedule that's already been disrupted.

Over-communicate, and make yourself available. People can't stop you in the kitchen or overhear pertinent info in the bullpen, so build in space for that--host office hours where you'll sit on a video call and folks can drop in. Ask folks if they've got blockers you can move.

If you don't do a daily standup already, it may be a good idea to start one--not to keep tabs on your people, but to build in a structure for folks to share the kind of info that folks would normally get from working next to each other.

(If possible, make this asynchronous or semi-synchronous, via a chat program, rather than asking everyone to jump on a call--this is more accessible to folks who need to shift their hours, and those who don't have a clean, quiet place for video calls at home).

If your work does involve a lot of meetings, you're probably gonna see some people's kids. Be cool about it. Those kids have had their schedule massively disrupted too and your team is doing their best.

Also, remember that your team are all guests in each others' homes. If your team cusses a lot, maybe remind them to watch their language on video calls--headphones are great but the ways of the audio driver are unknowable and sometimes folks are gonna have to use speakers.

Be mindful of the balance between creating face time through synchronous meetings, and respecting that every meeting is taking place in every attendee's home. Be as flexible as you can about meeting attendance and having video/audio turned on. Have someone watching the chat.