While working from home in your pyjamas seems like the dream, is it all that it’s shaped up to be? For many of us, the remote work lifestyle is everything we could ask for, but for some, it can be a complete drag. Extroverts are some of the few people who find it particularly difficult to succeed when working from home. They may find themselves feeling lethargic and unmotivated when it comes to work tasks and meeting deadlines.

On the flip side, your usually quiet, introverted staff are thriving in their work from home environments! The reduced pressure to socialize actually increases their productivity levels and output.

What happens when extroverts work from home?

The extrovert in your office is the bubbly character who often thinks out loud and thrives from group problem-solving. They love to discuss new ideas with their team members and draw their energy from social interaction and human connection. Extrovert personalities excel in busy, high stimulating environments.

So, when you take an extrovert out of the buzzing office and put them in their quiet, isolated home, you might find them feeling a bit blue. Extroverts struggle to stay self-disciplined as they look for different ways and places to increase their energy. Working from home hits the extrovert harder than the rest of your team. They’ll need a little bit more love to stay on task and on track whilst working from their couch.

How can you support your extroverted staff?

The question is, as a leader, what can you do to support your staff while they work from home?

Firstly, don’t assume they aren’t struggling. If there is one thing we know, is that, if an extrovert goes quiet, we have a problem.

Next, manage your staff based on their personalities and preferences. Can you take a flexible, personalised approach to structure the work-from-home arrangements? Can you install staggered, or rotational, working practices? Ask your extroverted staff to come to the office a few times a week, while your introverted staff enjoy a full-time roster at home.

If these options aren’t available right now, there are other alternatives to ensure your staff feels taken care of.

• Grab a coffee and go for a walk! Walking meetings are a great way to get outside and connect with others whilst still getting the work done.
• Check in with everyone regularly (especially your extroverted staff!). Make sure your meetings are video based, so your staff fulfil their human connection needs.
• Provide regular goals to work towards or a ‘return to work’ date to keep your staff motivated and excited to work.
• Develop a buddy system to ensure each staff member has one other person they can talk to and discuss their ideas with. Extroverts respond well to a buddy system.

All in all, a successful working from home arrangement requires a person-centred design. Learn to prioritise the needs and wants of your staff to maximise at-home work performance. Remember, your staff thrive in their own way and struggle in their own way. So, it’s important to take the appropriate measures to provide them the tools needed to excel (or stay afloat) while working from home.