Managing Remotely

There’s been a rise in remote working as more and more employees define new work relationships with their employers. Perhaps this is a reflection of new technologies allowing for easier communication regardless of location, or maybe it is a result of the wounded economy. In some cases, this opens employers’ eyes to new business models without the overhead of traditional office settings. Whatever the reason, working remotely is now a reality. There are many benefits: cutting overhead, flexible schedules, spending more time with family and less money on childcare.

BNET’s Wayne Turmel recently wrote a nice piece on managing remotely – including both the new challenges and the new opportunities it introduces to the manager’s day. Turmel detailed several great points for managers to address.

Here are a few takeaways we found particularly helpful:

• Make sure all employees are working from the same information. It seems simple – and it is – but it’s amazing how many team members are often working from old spreadsheets and the wrong product information. Find a system that works for your team to make sure everyone is on the same page.

• Once you’ve implemented a collaboration tool or system, encourage your workers to use it. Most importantly, encourage them to use it often. You’ve spent crucial time and resources finding a good collaboration plan — now it’s your job as manager to make sure your employees understand how it works. Help them transition to using those tools as it will streamline communications and foster better communication across locations.

• Along those same lines, you will need to give employees adequate time and resources to learn the new tools so that they are properly used.

Here are a few others we wanted to add to the mix:

• Make sure you’re all on the same page – literally and figuratively. While we already talked about making sure everyone is working from the same materials, you need to ensure that everyone is working towards the same project goals. It’s easy to blur details and lose objectives when you’re managing remotely. You need to clearly articulate the end and interim objectives while being clear with your workers about how their tasks map to this goal.

• Manage, but don’t micromanage. With employees spread throughout locations, it’s easy to slip into the routine of micromanaging. While it is necessary to check in and keep a steady stream of communication, be sure to leave some room for employees to get a sense of freedom and ownership from their work. Over-managing your workforce will ultimately lead to discouraged and resentful employees.

• Whatever system and tools you choose, make certain that they are easily available in all locations and that everyone has access to software updates. A solution that many are finding helpful is using “cloud computing” tools that are hosted online so that people located around the globe will be able to communicate and update each other in real time, rather than waiting for spreadsheets and documents to be circulated via email.

Good luck managing remotely!

Photo credit: Wolfden