One of the biggest trends in the business world is the increasing number of remote workers in the workforce. In fact, around 70% of people working around the world work from home or remotely at least once a week. People want more flexibility and a better work/life balance, and working remotely can provide that to people.
Remote employees can provide companies with several different benefits including reduced turnover, cost savings, access to more talent and a more productive workforce. However, managing a remote employee or a team of remote workers is not always easy. Challenges arise that can make like difficult for anyone managing remote workers. With that in mind, this article is going to look at a few tips for effectively managing remote employees.
Make Expectations Crystal Clear
When someone is working remotely, it is impossible for you to pop by their desk and ensure they are on track with everything. As a result, you need to make expectations as clear as possible once the working relationship starts. They need to know what is expected of them, and what they have to do.
Be sure to get frequent updates from them as well, and encourage them to ask questions. Also, be sure to hold remote workers accountable just like you would for any other employee. Providing feedback is a good way to not only praise employees for their good work, but also help workers improve.
Encourage Consistent Communication and Build Relationships
The key to being able to manage remote employees is being able to trust them. However, trust doesn’t automatically materialize. It needs to be built up over time. One of the best ways to build trust is to maintain consistent communication. You should be engaging with your remote workers as often as possible to keep them in the loop.
If you don’t engage with your remote employees frequently and hold meetings every now and then, they may begin to feel disengaged. This can potentially lead to worse performance or make them feel left out.
Make Sure They Have All the Tools They Need
One of the big reasons that remote work is so viable in the modern day is all of the technology we have at our disposal. Tools make it easier to communicate, to work from anywhere and opens up a ton of possibilities. As a result, if you are hiring remote workers, be sure to provide them with everything they need to be successful.
This could include files and information, passwords, software and more. In particular, many remote employees may need remote desktop access, and there are several pieces of software like TeamViewer that can be of assistance there. Without providing these types of tools or information, remote workers might not be able to be as productive as they could be.
Do Your Best to Not Micromanage
A big reason why many people decide to work remotely is the freedom and autonomy that it provides them with. If you as a manager are constantly trying to micromanage and control what they’re doing and when they’re doing it, they are likely to resist it. Micromanaging can also be stressful for everyone involved.
Of course, you want to make sure they are doing what they’re supposed to, but that is why trust is so important. Instead, try to focus on the outcomes of their work, and not their exact process or level of activity. Give them freedom, as long as they are able to get their work done by the deadlines.
Be Open and Transparent
Being honest is an outstanding quality for everyone to have. Your workers will appreciate honesty, even if it isn’t always what they want to hear. When it comes to things like feedback, thoughts and expectations, you’re only hurting yourself by lying or sugar coating things. Be honest when they ask questions, voice concerns or complete their duties.
Ensure to tell everyone about things at the same time too. No one wants to hear important news late or be forgotten about because info was only shared with certain people. Also, many employees look to their leaders and mimic their behavior, so being open and transparent yourself can encourage your remote workers to always do the same.
In conclusion, we hope that this article has helped you learn some great ways to effectively manage remote employees.
