‘Remote’, but still ‘present’: the secrets to managing the virtual workforce

Did you know that according to The State of the Remote Job Marketplace by Flexjobs, “3.9 million US employees, or 2.9% of the total US workforce, work from home at least half the time, up from 1.8 million in 2005. And, “38% of full-time staff are projected to work remotely in the next decade.”

Believe it or not, “remote workers are made up of nearly equal numbers of men and women at 52 and 48 percent respectively, with an average age of 46.”

Although the popularity of this relatively new commuting option may be growing, not all companies are ready to manage remote workers. And let’s face it, not everyone is cut out for remote work.

Working remotely for over twenty years for my own company and earning my master’s degree online as well, I feel I have mastered the art of being ‘remote, but present’.

Let’s consider the minimum skills required to work remotely. The person must be:

• Tech savvy (able to use all remote software for project management, time tracking, file sharing, and all types of communication)
• Organized (able to log, sort, and prioritize files on and offline, as well as manage your time effectively)
• Honest (able to commit to the same work hours per day with minimal supervision and record those hours accordingly)
• Reliable (able to complete assigned work and meet deadlines with minimal supervision)
• Professional (able to conduct themselves in the same manner as they would in an office environment during meetings, including appropriate business attire during video conferences)

In addition, the remote worker must have an environment set up that is quiet, free from distractions, and has all the necessary equipment to get their job done every day. For example: reliable Internet, a printer, and a desk. All of these requirements must be documented in some type of written format and signed by all parties when accepting remote work.

Some of the software solutions I use for my remote consultants are:

• One Drive to share files.
• Join.Me to share screen, phone and video conferences.
• Smart Sheets for monitoring collaborative project management.
• Google Hangouts for online chats.

Now that we have defined the minimum skills required, we will define what employers need to manage them effectively. The two biggest challenges to address with remote teams are engagement issues and meeting expectations, such as completing tasks and meeting deadlines. Many remote workers find it difficult to properly manage their time in a remote environment with minimal supervision.

That’s why it’s especially important to have frequent check-ins in both teleconference and videoconferencing formats. This will make it easier to identify problems sooner, rather than later, and clear up any miscommunication. Typically, these records are the responsibility of a project manager or supervisor.

So what are some ways employers can they effectively manage their virtual teams? I have outlined some of my own tips that I use when managing large teams below:

#1 Have a short icebreaker activity during the first five minutes of the weekly calls that allows everyone to participate and get to know each other. That is, describe your state without saying your name while the participants try to guess where you are from. Remote work can sometimes feel isolating, so personal connections like this enhance your team’s synergy.

#2 Have everyone sign a remote work Honesty and Integrity contract, which includes the skills I listed above.)

#3 Develop a standards and guidelines document for all deliverables to ensure overall consistency.

#4 Use agendas for all meetings and respect allotted times for each discussion topic, and distribute a summary of action items/recap after each meeting. Remember to be flexible when scheduling meetings, as many remote workers live in different time zones.

#5 Assign tasks based on each person’s skill set. There is nothing that lowers a person’s morale than having them work at something that is not within their job description or skill set. Take the time to ask if you are not sure.

#6 Be available. I always make sure I am on the assigned chat tool with the team or available by phone for my consultants when they have questions. If you need to jump into a quick screen sharing session, do it. It’s better than having your remote worker confused and producing a wrong delivery.

When all of these aspects of remote work come together, the results can be positive for both remote workers and employers.

Remote workers save money on items like gas, tolls, work clothes, and childcare, because “work-life balance, family, time savings, and travel stress are the top reasons they people are looking for flexible work.”

On the other hand, employers realize “increased worker productivity and efficiency, better recruiting and hiring, lower employee turnover, lower real estate and overhead costs, increased employee engagement and satisfaction, and positive environmental impacts.”

So before you decide on a telecommuting position, make sure you have the skills, tools, and environment to do it effectively. And, as an employer, before you open up the option of telecommuting to your employees, or hiring external remote freelancers, make sure you have some guidelines and standards in place first. Trust me, it will save you a lot of headaches in the future.

Until next time…