8 Tips for Managing Remote Staffers

The rise of COVID-19 has prompted many companies across the world to roll out voluntary or mandatory work-from-home policies in an effort to slow down the spread of coronavirus. For managers whose teams usually work from an office, this new setup can present a host of challenges. Employers who traditionally were able to physically check in on their employees must now do so remotely. One concern while dealing with a remote workforce is the ability to supervise effectively.

Remote working can be extremely productive if you work with your staff to ensure they have all the tools they need to succeed. Consider these options as you work to support and stay connected with your remote staff.

Set Clear Expectations

As a manager, set clear, calculated goals and expectations in advance and establish ground rules for how interactions will take place. At a basic level, this will allow the employees to outline their availability, how they can be reached for different needs and how they will address personal challenges.

Integrate Accountability into the Workflow

It is not unreasonable for you to expect your employees to produce the same caliber of work as they would if they were working from an office. To achieve maximum productivity, schedule regular check-ins to track their progress and address any concerns that they might have.

Set expectations and apply the usual performance metrics to evaluate the job performance of remote workers. And don’t forget to acknowledge their work so their efforts don’t go unnoticed.

Offer Flexibility

Many people are more productive if they are allowed to work at the time of their choosing. It also allows them to take care of unavoidable personal issues like childcare family issues, particularly in today’s ever-changing environment. The goal here is to stay focused on results, not activity.

Communicate Often and Openly

Communication is the key in all workplaces — especially those where most interactions happen over emails, chats or phone calls. A lot of remote work problems stem from poor communication. Remote workers need to feel included, up-to-date on what’s going on in the company and comfortable approaching you with any issues. So keep the lines of communication open at all times.

Get to know your remote employees on a personal level as well. Reserve a few minutes during meetings and calls for casual workplace conversations to build rapport with all members of your team. This will help you work through most of your staff’s problems and build trust in them so they can approach you with issues that are important to them.

Establish a Regular Check-in Routine

Many successful remote managers set up daily scheduled calls with their remote employees. These could be one-on-one calls if the employees work independently from each other, or a team call if their work is collaborative in nature. The important thing here is that the calls are regular and predictable, that the employees know they can come to you with problems, and that their concerns and questions will be heard.

Use Video Technology Extensively

Wherever possible, encourage video calls instead of phone calls, and phone calls over instant messaging apps. Video conferencing has a number of benefits. Visual signs allow for increased mutual knowledge about coworkers and also help reduce the sense of isolation among teams. These calls can be extremely useful for complex or sensitive conversations, as they feel more personal than written or audio-only communication.

Use Multiple Tools

Managing and working in remote teams means that you have to make use of myriad tools and services, ranging from collaboration software and messaging apps to time management tracking tools. Apart from the standard emails, some popular options for you to consider in different categories are:

• Chat: Google Hangouts, Slack, Skype, Twist
• Project management: Trello, Asana, Jira
• Web and video conferencing: Google Meet, Cisco Webex, Zoom
• Scheduling: Google Calendar, Calendly, Doodle
• Workflow automation: Microsoft Flow, Monday, Zapier

Not every tool will be a good fit for your team. Research the various options to figure out which ones suit your needs best.

Do not forget to provide training to your remote staff members on how each of the chosen tools work to ensure everyone gets the most out of them.

Trust Your Team

Like any other relationship, a fruitful remote manager-employee relationship is also built on trust. It is crucial for you to trust your team to do the work based on the expectations you have set. While regular communication is important, avoid micromanaging your remote staff members. Instead, focus on the quality and punctuality of your remote employees' work.

Although challenging, the option to work remotely can be beneficial for employers and employees alike. Organizations that embrace telecommuters can hire the best talent without any geographic constraints. And employees who get the option to work from home are happier, more productive and more loyal to their company. In fact, research says that 74 percent of CFOs are seeing the benefits of working from home and are looking at making it permanent, even after the stay-at-home orders are lifted.