The challenge of managing remote employees
Far from being an option or a privilege, remote work has now become the norm for many organisations.
Prompted by COVID-19, the “stay at home” orders have created some challenges for managers and HR, at a time when many companies were implementing remote work policies for the first time. For some, this is the first time they will be managing remote employees – creating uncertainty on how to navigate and maintain both productivity and engagement.
It's not business as usual and managers need to be aware of how remote work can create feelings of isolation among team members. These feelings can sneak up on you quickly, particularly for those used to interacting with colleagues and clients every day.
At the end of the day, we know that at the centre of every business is its people, and we have a duty of care – a responsibility to them – to provide a supportive and safe work environment – despite it being a remote one.
Statistics have shown us that when people are happy and feel supported in their roles, they are more productive and are likely to deliver their best work – they are creative and look to engage in a collaborative way.
Here are some key strategies to successfully manage your remote employees.
First: how do you know how your team is really feeling?
Working remotely is a shift in the way in which we engage. We need to rely on different strategies and use video calls to look out for specific social cues.
In the past few months, research has shown that most people are enjoying the benefits of the flexibility that has come from working at home, however, the most significant finding is that people are missing their daily interactions with colleagues, causing their mental wellbeing to decline.
As employers we need to ensure that our goals include keeping our people’s mental, physical and financial wellbeing at top of mind
Face to face, most people can sense when a colleague is stressed or perhaps upset, whereas online it can be difficult to recognise these signs. We need to look for other telling signs or triggers, listen out for their tone. Look for what they aren’t telling just as much as what they are saying.
Connect and be available
It's important to build connections with employees - many can feel isolated and disoriented in this new work reality. You should continue to try and 'grab coffee' together i.e. whatever helps maintain a sense of normality and reminds everyone they're not an island working alone
Staying connected and ensuring that your people have continuity through some key areas, such as the regular 1:1 meeting that you’d have in the office, is vital. Show your people that they are always at the top of your mind despite not being physically close will show them that you continue to support them.
Having an emotional and direct connection with your team will have a huge positive impact. You simply need to ensure that you make the time despite whatever else is going on for you.
Similarly, working remotely can at times feel isolating, particularly for extroverts. The office environment created the space to have that wonderful “chit chat” around the desk or in the Kitchen, so finding ways to recreate that is key to bringing your people together.
TIP: Setting up Virtual session where people can drop in simply to chat – about non work-related things will bring about a burst of energy and start to form greater relationships.
Be organised and flexible
Allowing flexible hours when it comes to working with remote teams helps to maintain consistency. While a concrete plan is a must, you should consider adjusting strategies as needed.
Leading by example is a great way for Your leadership team to create a path for the rest of your employees - in particular when it comes to employee wellbeing. don't just talk the talk but walk the walk, it will show your people that your values are aligned.
How does this really show that we support our people and their well-being?
Aligned actions and words ensure that your message will be better received. Demonstrate that you encourage work/life balance and flexibility by enabling your leadership team to be transparent and communicate when they too are taking the opportunity personally to take kids to sporting events or any other personal time out so that, across the business, others can do it too.
Managers should also set the behaviour around the hours employees are expected to work, such as expectations around responding to any after-hours work email and texts. This helps employees maintain a healthy work/life balance and prevents them from burning out which, without the physical separation between home and the office, can be more common when working from home.
Your actions, outline the business culture and set up the path for others to follow. Staff feel more comfortable to do the same when they can see that what you say is what you do.
TIP: unless you have external constraints or customer-facing staff, whether your employees choose to put in their hours in the morning or evening shouldn't matter as long as the work gets done on time and properly.
Track progress but don’t micromanage
Providing guidelines, setting expectations and checking in early on and often are key steps. You need to remain accessible and provide clarity on priorities and milestones
Consider asking your employees to give you a work schedule or a list of tasks they expect to accomplish within a given time. This will alleviate your concerns and give your team the structure they need to fulfil their role.
You shouldn't need to look over the team's shoulders while they're in the office, so you shouldn't have to do it when they're remote, either. Regular 1:1 check-ins will help avoid micromanaging and still enable you to keep a pulse on employees and provide an opportunity for feedback that goes both ways.
Tip: Remember trust is key. Just because you can't see them working at their workstation doesn't mean work isn't getting done.
Find the best form of communication
Communication with remote staff is critical as it keeps your workers aware of deadlines, available resources, work-related challenges and your expectations. Just as in the workplace, managers should keep workers up to date on policies, resources, staff changes, company successes as well as support them with tips for working at home.
Consider which method best fits your team's culture—email, texts, phone calls, etc and find that balance between constantly pinging employees and radio silence. Successful managers are good listeners, communicate trust and respect, inquire about workload and progress without micromanaging, and err on the side of over-communicating.
When it comes to meetings, it’s important to understand that what works in the office may not work remotely. Consider short virtual huddles instead of lengthy meetings. The same can be applied to team resourcing, scheduling and action planning.
Tip: the best method is to ask employees how they want to be managed while working remotely. Find the right balance and remember that checking in too often can be seen as a sign of mistrust.
Encourage annual and personal leave
Working from home has blended and overlapped our workdays with our personal life. Encourage your team to use their leave to get that balance back especially if they’re showing early signs of burnout.
Even if travel is restricted, it’s still essential to take some time off work to slow down, rest and recuperate. Having even a few days away from work will bring about some well-deserved time with family and friends.
Likewise taking personal time is important if you are feeling unwell. Many people think that just because they are working from home, they can work through it but this only prolongs recovery and adds to stress and undue pressures. Encourage your people to look after themselves and ensure you put things in place to support them whilst they recuperate.
You can also seek out opportunities to provide discounts on health and wellness services to your team. They will feel confident that their commitments to you are equally reflected in your commitment to them.
Tip: Encouraging your people to take the time to look after themselves will make them feel safe and valued. When we make our people feel valued, they feel trusted and are loyal.
Get genuine feedback
At times going back to basics can serve us well. Being prepared to listen, ask questions and take on board feedback is the starting point. Making your people feel like they are heard is one of our key responsibilities, but even more important than that is to take action.
How your people are feeling will vary and it is important to ensure that they feel validated no matter what they are experiencing.
Check in with them. Don’t ‘simply ask ARE YOU OK?
Ensure you are aware of what is going on for them, what they are experiencing. Allow them to think and process so that they can respond. Often, we fill the void by speaking too quickly but that does not allow them the space to breath and respond.
Send an anonymous survey to better understand if your people:
Are burnt out
Are feeling disenfranchised
feel appreciated or unappreciated
Also, ask for feedback on what you could do differently to make sure they feel supported.
Equipped with this information, use the feedback to help navigate your people and develop strategies to better support your teams and give them what they need and want.
The changes are seen to remote working, and our contributions to employee wellbeing has never been more important. Taking measured steps to support your people and their teams will bring about the changes that are needed to develop trust and collaboration whilst uplifting your people and making them feel like they belong.
With a new and consistent voice and vision and the acceptance of different ideas being set in place, your people will see and feel supported.
We care about people and know that you too will take the necessary steps to look after your people and their well-being. If you’d like to find out how we can support you and create new strategies, reach out – we are only too happy to share our knowledge and develop strategies that will work for you.