During the pandemic, David Kaltschmidt, a director at Grafana Labs, shares his experiences managing engineering teams while maintaining work-life balance. Grafana Labs, with its Scandinavian roots, emphasizes employee well-being, which has been crucial during the pandemic's challenges. The company has introduced initiatives like health/work-life balance OKRs, company-wide shutdown days, and mental health support to help employees manage stress. Kaltschmidt highlights the importance of flexible working hours, advocating for reduced stress through time management hacks, such as committing to a minimum number of work hours and adjusting meeting schedules to prioritize focus time. He describes the challenges of remote onboarding and the efforts to integrate new employees through structured plans and virtual interactions. Emphasizing quality output over hours, Kaltschmidt encourages managers to be mindful of their team's mental health and to adapt their management style to the exceptional circumstances presented by the pandemic.