Struggling to connect with your remote employees and get everyone on the same page throughout your company? Remote employee management is a unique skill that differs from traditional management. Learn how to effectively manage your remote employees and improve overall productivity and employee satisfaction.
Remote employees have their expectations about how their job should operate. Typically, these employees require or expect a flexible schedule. While you should expect the same productivity of a remote worker, you may have difficulty keeping them to a traditional nine-to-five schedule.
The most important feature of successfully managing remote employees is to keep clear communication. As long as you set clear, firm boundaries about deadlines and important meetings, you can offer flexible scheduling for the rest of their duties. This benefit is tremendous for many remote workers. Some employees may be telecommuting from another country, another time zone or balancing another job or responsibility.
Just like your traditional employees, it’s essential to trust your remote employees. Trust shouldn’t be extended when it isn’t earned, but carefully screen your prospective employees and choose workers who can be trusted to work on their schedule.
Perhaps the most important way you can encourage your remote employees is through vibrant company culture. Company culture can play a huge role in employee satisfaction, motivation, and retention. Whether you have routine meetings, benefits or detailed emails that highlight various departments, goals, and dreams, work to bring your employees together and encourage your remote workforce to feel like part of the team. This is particularly important if you have a blend of remote and in-house employees.
Remote employee management comes with its unique challenges. However, consistent, positive steps toward effective leadership can make a dramatic difference. Just like traditional management, effective leadership is built around mutual trust, effective communication, inspirational examples and a commitment to company culture.