2 Keys To Managing Your Remote Employees

Do you want to become more effective at managing your employees who work outside your office? I spent more than five years managing staff who worked in other cities and another four years heading up my division’s learning and development department. I was frequently asked if there was a special course a manager could take in order to improve their skills at managing employees from a distance.

First, let me clarify that I’m discussing exempt staff here that directly report to you. Here I’m primarily discussing those who work in their homes, but this also applies to those who work out of your other offices or stores.

“Ninety percent of all management problems are caused by miscommunication.” –Dale Carnegie

I never took the time to develop or purchase a distance management course. Instead, I told new managers there were two keys to successfully managing from a distance.

1. Communication. Since you’re not going to bump into them in the hallways or walk past their office doorways, you, as manager, must find the time to proactively communicate with them. Managers-Tools.com, the best (and free) source of management advice, recommends weekly one-on-one sessions with each direct report whether they office in your building or elsewhere.

A manager effective at managing from a distance will also find other reasons to contact directs. I had 10 directs and used to code my calendar so that I remembered to reach out to each one at least once every two weeks.

Yes, sometimes I had to make up a reason, and sometimes they weren’t available. The overwhelming percentage of these contacts should be verbal, either via telephone, Skype, or in person. I made it a point to solicit their opinions, to follow up with them after a big event or sales call just to inquire how it went. I also scheduled calls to discuss specific events they managed and drilled down to find out if they’d done their homework.

“Trust, but verify.”—Ronald Reagan

2. Trust. I have a philosophical disagreement with HR professionals who believe that the majority should be punished for the failures of a tiny minority. For example, if a manager has had one employee abuse telecommuting privileges, then the company puts a rule into place making it more difficult for others.

I follow a different guiding principle: Treat your employees like adults.

Don’t, as one manager suggested, require them to complete additional reports outlining their work. What you really want to know is, “Are they making progress?” and, “What obstacles are they running into?"  Don’t wrap them in red tape; communicate with them and ask them. Learn to ask discerning questions that will drill down to the underlying truths.

If you’re a sales manager, you know what needs to be done to close a big sale and the approximate timeline. Use your experience to determine how effective your direct is.

If you burden employees with reporting tasks, they’ll learn to game the system, further wasting your time and theirs. It will also negatively impact their engagement with you and your organization.

Man Up, Managers!

To summarize, don’t lobby your HR department to create rules and regulations. These might make it easier for you, but fear the law of unintended consequences. How will these impact their engagement? How will it impact their work load?  You’re a manager—manage! Develop proactive communication skills that contain a healthy dose of listening. Don’t hide behind email. Pick up the phone, open up Skype, or travel to see them. 

Second, set your default to "Trust,” not to “Doubt.” Believe them unless you have reason not to. Learn to ask discerning questions to determine whether the sale, project, or objective is on time and under budget. Proactively listen to what they have to say. Listen also to the tone in their voices. Treat them as your partners, not as suspects.

Yes, I’ve had a few employees take advantage of me. But they have been far outnumbered by those who worked their you know what’s off, frequently working longer hours than I expected them to.

Regards,

Glenn

You can follow me at a distance on Twitter. I’m @txglennross.