Remote workers are increasingly common in today’s workforce. This is due to a number of factors, including advances in technology, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rise of the gig economy.
While remote work offers many benefits, it can also be difficult to manage – especially if the shift to a hybrid or remote workforce has been recent or unexpected.
In this article, we will explore some practical ways to manage remote workers for optimal outcomes. Let’s get into it.
Set clear expectations from the beginning
Remote work doesn’t just happen – it takes careful planning, and without due diligence, remote work can easily fall apart. The first step to managing a remote team is setting clear expectations from the beginning.
This means detailing what is expected of employees, how they will be evaluated, and what the communication process will look like. You might also want to create a remote work policy, which will outline expectations for things like sign-on times, work hours, and break policies.
Make sure you set expectations around:
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Communication (including methods, frequency, and response time)
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Availability (including expected work hours)
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Guidelines for working from home
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Tools and processes that will be used (e.g. Slack, Trello, Zoom)
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Policies on remote work (time off, sick days, etc.)
If you’re starting a remote team from scratch, it’s especially important to set clear expectations during the onboarding process. This will help reduce confusion and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Put strong communication avenues in place
Communication is key when managing remote workers. You need to have a way to communicate with them effectively, otherwise miscommunications can lead to frustration and wasted time on both sides.
The best way to communicate with remote workers is via video conferencing. This allows you to see their facial expressions and read their body language, which can help you better understand what they are trying to say.
Of course, you won’t be able to stay on video call 24/7 – so what else can you do?
In the digital age, there are a number of platforms that can help you communicate with remote workers effectively. Some of the best ones are Slack, Asana, and Trello.
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Slack is a messaging app that lets you communicate with team members in real-time. You can create different channels for different topics, which makes it easy to follow conversations.
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Asana is a project management tool that lets you create tasks, assign them to team members, and track their progress. This is a great way to make sure that everyone is aware of what they need to do and how they are progressing.
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Trello is a visual task management tool that lets you create boards with different cards for each task. You can add team members, due dates, and comments to each card, making it easy to keep track of everything.
Make sure to have clear and concise written communication protocols in place, and ensure all remote workers are familiar with them. This will help prevent any confusion when trying to communicate over email or chat.
Set straightforward schedules (and make them cloud-based)
When your entire workforce is in-house, you can easily dictate when work hours are. Remote workers, however, are often working all hours of the day, thanks to the flexibility their remote status affords them.
This can be a challenge for managers, who may not be used to tracking time in such an unconstrained way. One solution is to set straightforward schedules. That way, remote workers can easily see when they are expected to be working and managers can keep an eye on who is slacking off.
Your best bet is to use a cloud-based scheduling system, like Google Calendar, which will allow everyone to see each other’s schedules. This is especially important for remote workers who are working different hours than the rest of the team.
Use workflow tools to get the job done
Remote work arrangements make it difficult to collaborate in real-time and can lead to chaos if not managed well. One way to mitigate this is to use workflow tools that allow for task assignment, communication, and file sharing in one place. These tools help everyone stay on the same page and reduce confusion about what needs to be done.
For instance, tools like ClickUp make it easy to create project pipelines, templates, and to-do lists that can be customized for each team or individual. This ensures that everyone has access to the same information and knows who is responsible for what tasks.
There are also tools that make things like payroll and invoicing easier, taking the hassle out of payday. Alternatively, you can generate paystubs online for easy access to digital payroll forms, or create your W-2 form when the time comes.
When implementing new tools, make sure you:
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Clearly communicate the goals of the tool and how it will be used
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Train everyone on how to use the tool
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Set up regular check-ins to ensure everyone is using the tool correctly and that it’s meeting everyone’s needs
With the right tools in place, managing a remote team can be much less daunting.
Welcome constructive feedback
It’s hard to tell whether your employees are satisfied with their working experience, as you don’t see them face-to-face on a daily basis. However, there are ways to get feedback and improve the work situation for both you and your remote employees.
Communication is key when managing remote workers. You need to have a way to communicate with them effectively, otherwise miscommunications can lead to frustration and wasted time on both sides.
The best way to communicate with remote workers is via video conferencing. This allows you to see their facial expressions and read their body language, which can help you better understand what they are trying to say.
Of course, you won’t be able to stay on video call 24/7 – so what else can you do?
In the digital age, there are a number of platforms that can help you communicate with remote workers effectively. Some of the best ones are Slack, Asana, and Trello.
One way to solicit feedback is through periodic surveys. You can ask specific questions about how they feel their work is going, what they like or don’t like about their job, and what tools or methods they find helpful for working remotely.
Another way to get feedback is through one-on-one meetings. This can be a time where you catch up with your employee on their work progress, but it can also be a time where you ask questions about how they’re enjoying their work and what you can do to help them be more productive.
Soliciting feedback is important because it allows you to identify any potential problems early on, before they turn into bigger issues. It also helps show your employees that you care about their satisfaction and are willing to make changes based on their feedback.
Bottom line
When you are managing a team of remote workers, keep in mind that you are dealing with individuals, not just a faceless entity on the other side of a computer screen. By implementing the tips we have discussed here, you can create an environment in which your remote workers feel appreciated and engaged, and are able to produce their best work.
