Tips to Manage Your Remote Employees

The number of remote workers is edging upward, now including 43 percent of employed Americans, according to The New York Times. And studies reinforce that this shift is a win for productivity.

To take a closer look at managing these workers and encouraging their best, I chatted with Marianne Worthington, expert in teambuilding and management development and SkillPath trainer. Here are some highlights and great insight from Episode 5 of our Career Strategies for Working Women podcast: “Managing a Remote Workforce.”

 

Markey: Let’s dig deep into this increase in the number of remote workers. What are you seeing?

Worthington: For one thing, there’s a shift in how companies see remote work. Five to 10 years ago, it was a recruitment tool, offered as a benefit. You might choose one company over another because one let you work from home. Now, it’s becoming a business strategy. Companies can save on overhead by having a portion of their workforce working from home several days a week. Virtual work is also changing the scene for people taking on second jobs. Instead of saying “Hey, I need some extra cash, I’ll go work at Target.” Vast online services let people choose virtual work over a physical job because they can make more money in less time. And, you’re also seeing a shift in the skill set companies might be looking for related to remote work. Medical professionals might need to have experience using Dragon or other transcription software. Others might want expertise in team management software.

 

Markey: So this arrangement is not only good for the employer, but the employee as well?

Worthington: It is. And organizations are realizing that remote workers work hard. Studies are confirming that people are more productive when they are at home (assuming they’ve actually got their home set up as a workplace) because they don’t have all the distractions. But there are also challenges: How do you create consistent communication? How do you prevent extreme extroverts from feeling lonely?

 

Markey: Yes, even when I managed a remote workforce, we used GoToMeeting™ or Webex for videoconferencing when we weren’t able to meet face-to-face.

Worthington: Yes, and with that technology you get not just the tone (which you get in a conference call) you get the body language too, which makes up 48 percent of our communication.

 

Markey: Another thing I’ve noticed here in Kansas City (and I know it’s happening nationwide) is more and more co-working spaces.

Worthington: That is a big trend, particularly in the startup world, where you maybe can’t afford an office space. For a few hundred dollars a month, you’ve got space for six team members where you can actually work together and interact. And if two or three employees are located in another city, they can all work together periodically as a little tribe in a co-working space, saving airfare and office costs.

 

Markey: Ok. Let’s go back to those remote workers that are definitely sitting in their living rooms or dens. What are some ways managers should be interacting differently with these workers?

Worthington: Three things come to mind. The first is consistency. People thrive in structure, and when you’re working from home, there can be a lack of it. Weekly one-on-ones with each individual on your team can help fix this and build bonds as well. And, make sure those conversations aren’t all business. Ask about their kids or puppy or vacation. I also love the idea of starting every morning with a 15-minute huddle where every person on the team gives a really quick update about what’s going on. (It’s also a great way to the end the day if at all possible.)

The second thing is letting go. You cannot be a micromanager and manage a remote team. You set the goal and the timeline and then let the team work together to figure out how they’re going to meet it. This is really important in creating interdependency and accountability. And streamlined communication matters too. For example, you can’t send an email and when you don’t get an immediate response, text. And if there’s no immediate response, call. It’s a waste of time and makes for a toxic work environment. You’ve got to trust the systems you have in place.

And, finally the third one is conflict resolution. There needs to be an expectation that if you do something that irks me, I don’t send the “safe” email or text to let you know. I need to pick up the phone or, better yet, hop on Skype® and have that difficult conversation so I can see your body language and you can see mine, so we’re resolving the situation appropriately versus escalating it.

 

Markey: That sounds like an awesome tip for a workforce that’s physically together as well—having some rules of engagement.

Worthington: Yes, and there’s so much that crosses over in managing all employees. And having that face-to-face contact is one of them.

 

Markey: Are there any industries in particular where you’re seeing more remote workers?

Worthington: There are a couple that are flourishing. The medical industry, for one, has a high number of employees working from home, with transcriptionists and also a lot of salespeople working in pharmaceuticals. Also big box retailers like Amazon® are moving their customer service teams home, finding that you don’t need to be in an office to answer calls. And while having salespeople working remotely isn’t new, there’s a growing trend for companies to expand territories by having two or three salespeople in a market working together.

 

Markey: How does having remote workers affect an organization’s culture?

Worthington: When you’re managing remote workers, trust, values and culture can be the most difficult to manage. You’ve got to be intentional about creating your company culture. And there are a few things that can help:

• You can hire for it by choosing people who would be comfortable working from home
• Put processes in place that recognize remote workers publicly rather than just an email from me to you, in an out-of-sight/out-of-mind way
• Understanding personalities is important in building an intentional culture. When everyone understands the different personalities, we communicate better.
• Create a communication charter that outlines expected behavior. For example, when I have this type of communication, I use email. Or, if I’m asking you to lunch, I use IM.
• Virtual teambuilding can also be fun in creating a sense of community. One company sends a cupcake or cookie for birthdays. Another sends glitter bombs and gives employees a budget to send little gifts to colleagues. Another example would be when you’re celebrating something, send a pizza gift card to every person on the team, so you can all order pizza at the same time and celebrate together on Skype® Business or Google Hangouts®.
• Stay cognizant about what you’re trying to build and make these remote workers a priority … even when there are fires to put out.

The big take-away: Being a great manager is being a great manager regardless of whether your workforce is remote or they’re in the same building with you. Take the time to think about how you want to interact with your team, how to set expectations and establish communication norms and be intentional in building a strong culture.

Listen to the complete podcast: “Managing a Remote Workforce”