The following post was originally featured on b2ecomm …
It’s now more common than ever for employees to go to work in their pajamas.
According to this Forrester report, 66 percent of information workers in North America and Europe work remotely. Recent growth of the mobile office stemmed in part from the economic downturn and the accompanying need for operational cost savings. Supplementing that growth is a continual stream of emerging mobile business technologies, which make it easy to collaborate in real time with co-workers across the globe.
And, it seems to be working well for both parties. Not only does the virtual office create greater work-life balance for employees, there are big benefits for companies.
While technology has paved the way to a more flexible working world, communication between employers and their workers has never been more important. Without direct interaction with the organization, their supervisors and colleagues, remote workers can easily feel, well, remote – even with technologies like telepresence, wireless devices and the cloud. In fact, the absence of face-to-face communication and direct supervision can lead to issues like lack of motivation, lower morale and message misinterpretation. Luckily, most such issues are preventable.
Here are five tips for managing from afar:
Keep communication clear, concise and constant. Communication is a No. 1 priority with any employee, but it’s vital between supervisors and their staffers outside the office. Keep virtual workers in the loop using regularly scheduled calls, video chat meetings or email updates. Make messages short and sweet – provide the who, what, when, where and why. Address follow-up questions.
Set expectations and rules upfront. Employees need to know how the organization defines a successful remote working relationship. They also need to abide by certain rules and expectations – how many hours to work each week, assignment deadlines, submission processes and requirements for meeting attendance. Set ground rules in writing upfront and revisit them regularly.
Create a collaborative mindset. Building a sense of “we” not only generates a high volume of great thinking, it helps each staff member feel like an important part of the team. Set up digital collaboration space (e.g., forums, microblogs, intranet communities), and include off-site employees in project planning, brainstorming and feedback channels. Remember them, too, with your company’s employee recognition program.
Build strong relationships. Healthy colleague relationships strengthen both traditional and virtual teams. To develop and build relationships with those working independently, managers must combine constant virtual communication with periodic in-person interactions. Managers should get to know employees on a personal level, provide positive feedback and constructive criticism, and ensure all communication is open and honest.
Be available, reliable and flexible. Remote communication takes extra effort, sometimes requiring leaders to go above and beyond. Managers must be available for employee emergencies and to address questions and concerns at all hours. They also need to be flexible enough to drop what they are doing to address a concern in person, if needed.
What are some other go-to rules for managing remote workers? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
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The following post was originally featured on High Road Communications’ 
