The skills required of a leader managing remote employees are not fundamentally different than those for managing any other employees. However, the most effective managers put a little extra effort into communicating effectively, building relationships, and cultivating a sense of team when members are geographically dispersed. This brief article provides guidance on how to do just that in four simple steps.
Step 1: Set Clear Expectations
As would be the case with any of your direct reports, it’s important that remote employees have appropriate performance goals or targets (whether monthly, quarterly, or yearly). Once those have been established, you should check-in on progress regularly through an agreed-upon schedule in order to maintain accountability. To be most effective, you should take this approach with all of your team members. So that they will feel like they are an important part of the team, remote employees should know that they are being treated the same as their colleagues.
Step 2: Communicate Frequently and Openly
Lack of open communication can leave remote employees feeling disconnected and forgotten. Even empowered remote employees need frequent contact with their supervisor to stay plugged into shifting priorities. Regular communication with your direct reports allows you to build the familiarity and trust necessary to be a strong leader. Be sure to establish a schedule of communications between you and each remote employee, as well as between remote employees and the rest of the team. You might want to consider using a rotating team meeting schedule to demonstrate that you are sensitive to time-zone constraints.
Step 3: Invest in the Relationships
There is one particular area where working with remote employees requires a bit of extra effort on the part of the manager. The most effective managers invest in building relationships with their remote employees, getting to know them on a personal level. Taking this approach will require some extra work, since you don’t run into these team members around the office. One easy way to do this is to use the first few minutes of calls and meetings for casual conversation. You might also consider starting each team meeting with a short ice breaker exercise.
Step 4: Avoid Pitfalls
Finally, there are a handful of pitfalls which are simple to avoid if you are sure to stay aware of them. Watch the language you use when talking about remote employees in order to avoid creating fractures within teams by using non-inclusive language. It’s natural for remote employees to feel invisible and unappreciated from time to time. So, be sure to be generous with your praise and acknowledgement in one-on-ones and in team meetings.
Spending the small amount of extra time and thought required to follow these steps will pay dividends as you manage your remote team.
Bryan L. Olson
Founder & Managing Partner