What are the challenges with remote employees?
As an employer, managing remote employees can present some unique challenges compared to an in-person workplace, such as:
- Limited face-to-face opportunity: In remote settings, leadership and employees do not have the same chances to express concerns and connect over tasks. This issue can lead to digital micromanaging and reduced access to leadership support and other resources.
- Social isolation: Employees may feel disconnected from the business without social interactions in a physical workplace.
- Information accessibility: Task-related information, communicating needs and instructions can create disjointed communication and information access.
- Home distractions: Remote employees may need to contend with distractions such as limited home office space or parenting responsibilities.
Related: Overcome These Three Hybrid Work Challenges to Support Inclusion and Belonging
11 tips for managing remote employees
To help ensure you and your employees are most effective in your daily work, here are 11 tips for managing remote employees:
1. Set immediate and clear expectations
Ensure all employees know what your expectations are when they are working remotely. For example, let them know how often you want them to check in, whether you would like them to connect before they end their workday and if they should track their time. While some leaders expect daily updates from each team member, others may be satisfied with a weekly briefing. Letting your team know what you expect from them ensures you are all on the same page.
Related: The Great Disconnect: What Job Seekers Want vs What Employers Offer
2. Document your communication strategy
In addition to sharing expectations with each team member individually, it’s also important to document your communication process, so remote employees have something to reference. For example, outline which questions or issues necessitate a group meeting or video call versus a quick message or email. Include details about timing and responsiveness, such as how soon you expect a response to an email during working hours.
Related: Re-Onboarding for a New World of Work
3. Engage as often as possible
Since physical distance separates you from your remote employees, make time to engage directly with them at least once a day, whether through an email, instant message, phone call or video chat. The more often you reach out to these employees, the more they will feel included and engaged in their work. Consistent interaction with each team member, whether they work remotely or not, will ensure they feel included and valued.
Related: Finding the Balance: Assessing Which Hybrid Working Model Fits Your Organization
4. Schedule regular team meetings
Whether your team is partially or fully remote, set up regular group meetings and live virtual events to foster a sense of unity and help employees bond. These meetings will help employees get to know each other, build connections and feel more inclined to cooperate and communicate with each other regularly. Team meetings allow remote employees to contribute ideas and clear up miscommunications regarding project details and expectations.
5. Be transparent
Employees often look to leaders as examples of how to behave in work settings. If you are open and honest, they are more likely to behave the same way. Making transparency a part of your team culture will build trust with all employees and ensure they feel comfortable coming to you with any questions or concerns. Be sure your transparency extends equally to all team members. For example, if you have news to share, make sure you let every team member know at the same time. This way, your remote employees will not feel like they are the last to hear about what’s happening in the office or that you’re intentionally withholding information from them.
6. Build a strong rapport with each team member
Always take time to get to know your remote team members in the same way as your non-remote team members, including their hobbies, interests and career aspirations. While you may feel pressured to focus on business during a call or video chat, always set aside a few minutes for small talk at the beginning or end of your appointments, just as you would in an in-person meeting. Simply asking about an employee’s weekend, chatting about their family or inquiring about their plans for an upcoming holiday can help them become more comfortable with you and engaged in their work.
7. Use technology to overcome geographic boundaries
Your company’s technology to enable remote work can also be leveraged to build a community. Use tools for more face-to-face interactions and create spaces (such as separate instant messenger channels or online forums) where employees can discuss non-work related topics during breaks and build relationships. Creating a remote version of anything you do locally is also helpful. For example, if you have an in-office tradition of singing “Happy Birthday” to employees, do the same for remote employees by gathering the team together for a video call.
Read more: 4 Technical Skills Needed For Remote Work
8. Set aside time for regular one-on-one conversations
It’s easy to cancel or postpone seemingly non-essential events, such as one-on-one conversations, when you’re busy. These meetings are crucial for effectively managing remote teams because remote employees often miss minor updates and ad hoc meetings throughout the day in the office. Do your best to hold one-on-one meetings at the same time each week or bi-weekly, and give each remote employee at least a half hour of your undivided attention so they can ask questions, raise concerns or share their ideas.
9. Include remote employees
When employees work together in an office setting, conversations happen organically. So-called “watercooler” chats can turn into critical conversations where you or one of your team members shares crucial information. When these conversations develop, be sure to pass along the message to your remote employee as quickly as possible. Remember to include remote employees in all meaningful discussions about company objectives, visions and plans, or they may begin to feel alienated and undervalued.
Related: How to Prioritize Inclusion and Belonging in a Hybrid Workplace
10. Avoid micromanaging
Part of the appeal of remote work for employees is the autonomy. When you are not sitting next to your employees, it’s easy to assume they are not working or sticking to the delegated tasks. This concern can quickly develop into micromanaging behaviour, where leaders bombard remote employees with communications and continuously ask for progress reports. Micromanaging remote employees can be stressful for both parties and make employees feel they are untrustworthy. Instead, focus on outcomes and goals rather than activity. So long as the employee completes their work well and on time, their work style may be irrelevant. At the same time, remote employees should not take advantage of their autonomy by wasting time and ignoring their workload. Some employees lack the self-discipline for remote work, and it’s important that you recognize this behaviour quickly before it affects team productivity.
Related: The Future is Hybrid: Embrace Flexibility in Your Hybrid Workplace Model
11. Create an “open door” policy
Remote employees may feel they are disturbing you by contacting you outside of scheduled meeting times, especially if you work in different time zones. To prevent this, create an “open door” policy where remote and non-remote employees can contact you anytime. While in-office employees can see when you’re in meetings, away at lunch or otherwise out of the office, remote employees cannot know whether you are at your workspace. If you are unavailable when a remote employee attempts to get in touch, make a concerted effort to respond as quickly as possible.
Managing remote employees can be a learning curve if it is new to your company. By creating a plan and following these eleven tips, you can establish an efficient system, facilitate communication and ensure all employees are as successful as possible.
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