Being in charge of managing remote employees for the first time can be a daunting prospect. Managers need to be aware of how remote working can create feelings of isolation among team members. To ensure employees are productive, engaged and thriving, follow our eight tips below:
1. Set expectations early and often. This will help employees maintain a healthy work/life balance as well as providing clarity on priorities, milestones, performance goals and more. Outline each team member’s availability and ensure you can reach them when needed.
2. Be organized and flexible. When it comes to working with remote teams, the key is to allow flexible hours to maintain consistency. Whether your employees choose to put in their hours in the morning or evening, as long as the work gets completed and is of high quality.
3. Adapt the length of your meetings. What works in the office may not work remotely. Instead of lengthy meetings, have short virtual get-togethers.
4. Emphasize communication. It’s crucial that managers communicate with their remote staff because it keeps workers apprised of deadlines, available resources, work-related challenges and managers’ expectations.
5. Remember to listen. The most successful managers are good listeners, communicate trust and respect, enquire about workload and progress without micromanaging,
6. Build connections and be available to your team. Many workers can feel isolated and disoriented while working from home, that’s why it’s important to build connections with employees.
7. Provide a way to collaborate. Providing a shared document that tracks work activities is one way managers can stay apprised of what their teams are doing.
8. Celebrate success. Managers should also look for opportunities to celebrate the same work milestones that would be celebrated in the office.
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If you would like to know more about managing your employees remotely then please get in touch with the office: sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830664.