This guest post deals with remote management and productivity. It is not just for corporations. Many of us have various service providers in remote locations we cannot do our job without. They deserve our respect and support.
In light of the global health pandemic, most businesses have shifted to remote work or work-from-home setup in order to continue operations while abiding public health measures. Global Workplace Analytics reports that around 5 million employees work remotely half the time or more, with CNBC finding that 42% of American workers previously not on remote work making the shift.
Remote management–or the ability to coordinate and oversee multiple teams and projects across multiple locations or with a full-time remote work team–has become an essential skill for business continuity. With digital tools and software designed to facilitate remote work and collaboration, this skill is made even more accessible for managers to adapt to the changing work landscape.
For some companies currently adjusting to this new remote work setup, remote management can face a number of challenges. Employees working remotely may have difficulty dealing with distractions in their home space, alongside coping with social isolation and loneliness. On the other hand, supervisors and managers may struggle to motivate employees or encourage teamwork due to the lack of face-to-face interaction. Even these tools may become an obstacle for new users, making coordination, and information-seeking more complicated than before.
In light of these challenges, the infographic below shares some of the remote management best practices that can help your team stay connected and focused on staying on-target. First and foremost, make changes to your workflow. Things like creating email lists for smooth communication, using the remote work tools that best fit your team, setting a clear schedule, and laying down ground rules for daily operations may be difficult to establish, but these changes are crucial for the long-term.
Specifically, these adjustments ensure that the team has all it needs in order to get their tasks done while minimizing the friction caused by the lack of face-to-face interaction and the use of new tools. Securing the foundations of your workflow now means you and your team can focus on other concerns as you go along.
On the management side, best practices include having daily check-ins for the team or one-on-one calls, establishing communication channels, providing encouragement and emotional support, avoiding micromanagement, promoting transparency, keeping a feedback-friendly culture, engaging in remote team engagement activities, and having regular face-to-face meetings when possible.
These strategies put an emphasis on trusting the capabilities of your employees while helping to nurture good and healthy working relationships with them. Additionally, it opens up an avenue for employees to have their voices and concerns heard amidst all these rapid changes. This becomes crucial for adapting and adjusting remote work practices in the company for better productivity without compromising your team’s well-being.
At the end of the day, it’s both the company and management’s responsibility to ensure that remote teams feel they are still valued and included, despite the setup. Creating a positive work environment not only provides support to its employees, but also boosts morale and productivity. If you are interested in elevating your remote management skills, continue reading for a more detailed understanding of these best practices and strategies.
