Managing Remote Employees/Telecommuters
Companies like Capital One, Cisco Systems and Best Buy are finding success in allowing employees to work from home – or anywhere other than the office. Call Centers used by the Home Shopping Network and Infomercials are also taking advantage of the benefits. Can you as well?
Keeping your employees during these difficult economic times may be as simple as allowing them some flexibility. Nearly a third of U.S. workers consider work/life balance to be the most important factor when considering a change, according to a 2008 national survey of workers who’ve been with their company less than five years.
Allowing employees to work remotely may be carried out as a regular, consistent provision, an occasional provision or to meet a temporary situation such as in disaster recovery or pandemic conditions.
There are many factors that are influencing companies to review the alternative of a telecommuting relationship with its employees: increased globalization, the cost savings on overhead, mergers and acquisitions, and the increased desire of employees to have a work/life balance.
There are several Insights written by others that address how to build a strong telecommuting relationship and how to select eligible employees. But, how will you manage them? What type of management is needed to be successful? What traits are important in a manager of a remote employee? The answer: the same as any other manager!
This Insight addresses five tips on managing telecommuters/remote employees.
Tip 1: Set Guidelines. These guidelines should identify how telecommuters are selected and what the requirements are to continue in this type of relationship. As mentioned in previous Insights, a contract between the employee and the company is an important document so that everyone has a clear understanding of the guidelines.
Tip 2: Set Expectations. Managers who still manage by standing over the employee’s shoulders or having to physically see the employee each day will not do well in a telecommuting relationship. Expectations should be identified through the performance results reached by the remote employee; not on the number of hours worked. It’s important that a manager can quantify the results and help the employee to establish goals that can be measured.
Tip 3: Communicate! It’s important that a manager effectively manage performance by reinforcing positive behavior and addressing poor performance immediately. While effective communication is vital, whether the employee is working in the office or telecommuting, the tools used to do this can vary. It’s important for a manager of remote employees to take advantage of all the communications tools that are available. Learn to identify the communication styles and needs of each employee so that you can meet the needs of everyone in this type of a relationship.
Tip 4: Create Opportunities for Involvement. Remote employees often perceive themselves to be “out of the loop.” Successful managers will find a way to create opportunities for a remote employee to be as involved as possible with company celebrations, assignments and promotional opportunities.
Tip 5: Be Aware of Employment Laws. Employment laws apply to all of your workforce – including remote employees. Some of the laws that a manager should put particular emphasis on reviewing are: Fair Labor Standards Act (Wage and Hour Compliance), OSHA (Workplace Safety), Workers’ Compensation, Americans with Disabilities Act, Family Medical Leave Act.
Remember, even with adherence to these tips, not every telecommuting relationship will be successful. Some employees will find it too difficult to work from home, or will miss the face-to-face interaction. The manager may find the situation does not prove productive, the tools needed are not in place, or service is suffering.
When you begin to see these outcomes appear, it is important to address the concerns as quickly as possible. If poor performance continues, the telecommuting relationship may need to be terminated and the employee returned to a traditional relationship. It will be important to refer back to the telecommuting contract. There should be a clear framework for handling concerns and, if necessary, ultimately changing the relationship.
If you’re interested in more resources, check out the following HRTools.com Insights:
Five tips on managing telecommuters/remote employees
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