Remote work is here to stay so the chances are great that you’ll face managing off-site employees in the near future. Data scientists remote one-quarter of all U.S. jobs will be remote by the end of 2022. This trend will increase the following year. That leaves managers with a conundrum: How do you manage an employee when you can’t see what they’re doing? We have six tips on how to manage your employees from afar now and in the years to come.
How Can You Manage Remote Employees
Tip 1: Be Clear About Your Expectations
Some of the normal parts of working, like showing up on time, tracking your hours, and taking breaks away from the keyboard now need to be spelled out a little more. Good managers of remote employees must establish when they want their employees to work, when they should be available for instant messaging, and more. Do you want to hear from your team every day? How quickly should they respond to your email? Set these expectations with the remote worker so no miscommunications will occur in these areas.
Tip 2: Engage Your Remote Workers
Unlike workers that you regularly see in an office, remote workers can be out of sight, out of mind. You’ll need to make an extra effort to engage your team by reaching out regularly to them on instant messaging, email, a phone call, or video chat. That way you can connect with your employees, not necessarily just to check in on tasks. Talk to them about their day, their family, how is their life generally—and stay connected.
Tip 3: Meet with the Team Regularly
Meeting virtually is important when everyone is dispersed. You can set up live team events to build camaraderie, though. Regular meetings where the team is on camera will help you see and feel more connected. Modern video conferencing solutions have tools to help people share ideas and spontaneously communicate. Use these tools.
Tip 4: Try to Be More Transparent
Be open and honest about how the company is doing. Try to make transparency a part of your cultural imperative. Talk about your feelings and share if you’re worried about productivity. Set the stage for your employees to do the same. Make sure, though, if you have a hybrid team where some people work at home and some don’t that you treat everyone the same and share information between all members of your team.
Tip 5: Use Technology to Bridge Gaps
In addition to video conferencing, use team collaboration tools like Asana or Microsoft Teams. Or IM tools like Slack. Use a good project management platform to help keep all of your data, from deadlines to documents, in one place. Finally, select a great tool to track your productivity transparently for the entire team.
Tip 6: Track Productivity
Exelare offers a modern ATS that does more than track candidates. Our cloud-based software can help you manage your remote employees with our KPI dashboard. At a glance, you and your employees can see exactly where you are in your efforts to reach your productivity goals. It’s a great way to bring everyone together with a shared purpose—no matter where they work.
Have You Been Effectively Managing Your Remote Employees?
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