Effectively Manage Remote Employees
Remote work has become more common than ever before due to COVID – 19 and organisations are changing their policies to accommodate remote workers.
While remote work offers numerous benefits for both organisation and their employees, there could be few challenges as well. Going remote can be tougher for few employees. To help organisations overcome the obstacles and ensure employees are working effectively from home, here are few tips:
1. Setting clear expectations
A big part of managing remote teams is making sure remote workers know exactly what organisation’s expectations are. Whether it is updates from each team member on a daily basis, or a weekly briefing, by letting the team know what organisations want from them upfront, they can be synchronised with the organisation’s expectations.
2. Documenting all communication
In addition to sharing expectations with each team member individually, it is important to document all communication with the remote workers to avoid miscommunication and for future reference.
3. Engaging and scheduling regular team meetings
Constant interaction is needed to avoid any poor performance and turnover. Engaging directly with remote employees at least once a day, either through an email, phone call or video chat, will add value and motivate them to perform better. This can be done by setting up regular group meetings or having virtual team building activities. These meetings can help employees get to know each other better, build connections and feel more inclined to cooperate and communicate with each other on a regular basis.
Additionally, team meetings give remote workers a chance to contribute their ideas and clear up miscommunications regarding project details, deadlines and expectations.
4. Being transparent
By making transparency a part of the organisation’s team culture, it’s easier to build trust with all employees and ensure they feel comfortable raising any questions or concerns.
Clearly and regularly communicating the organisation’s product roadmap, key wins, the problem they are solving and their importance in the organisation’s journey will help provide a transparent culture within the organisation.
5. Creating an “Open Door” policy
Remote employees may feel they’re disturbing their managers by contacting them outside of scheduled meeting hours, especially if remote workers are in different time zones. To prevent this, creating an “open door” policy where remote employees can contact their managers at any time. While they may not be able to answer immediately, make sure the remote workers know that there’s no such thing as too much communication.
Are there any other tips that has worked for you? Please share in the comment section below.
