{"id":5676,"date":"2024-03-13T11:02:41","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T11:02:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/?p=5676"},"modified":"2024-03-18T05:46:05","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T05:46:05","slug":"manage-employees-remotely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/manage-employees-remotely\/","title":{"rendered":"Best ways to manage employees remotely: 5 tips that work"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This article will discuss five tips that work the best to manage employees remotely.<\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the idea of working remotely has become more prominent in many industries. Employees want to work freely in a comfortable environment. However, managers find it challenging to manage remote workers effectively.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a survey conducted by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2020\/07\/remote-managers-are-having-trust-issues\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harvard Business Review,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 40% of 215 managers expressed low confidence in managing workers remotely.\u00a0 Some even admitted they lack the confidence to influence remote workers to perform their jobs well and coordinate the team effectively.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a result, issues such as micromanagement, lack of communication, low collaboration, burnout, and expectations from employees come up within the organization. In the long run, this affects employees\u2019 productivity, motivation, and adversely affects the company&#8217;s growth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you experience this issue, you\u2019re not alone. In this article, you will learn about five (5) tips that can help you manage your remote employees effectively. Let\u2019s get started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5 Tips for Managing Your Employees Remotely<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing your remote employees effectively can increase <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/how-to-boost-productivity-at-work\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">productivity in your workplace<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are five tips to help you get started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid Micromanaging Your Employees<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set Clear Goals for Team Members<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Define Clear Working Policies for Your Employees<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Constantly Communicate with Your Employees<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create Time for Non-Work Discussions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><strong>Avoid Micromanaging Your Employees<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many remote managers believe that micromanaging their employees contributes to productivity. As of 2022, a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2022\/08\/14\/business\/worker-productivity-tracking.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">report by the New York Times<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> revealed that managers use real monitoring tools to measure their employees\u2019 work hours.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They take random screenshots of webcam photos and screen or monitor their idle and active time to ensure they get the job done. A slight sign of inactivity by these monitoring tools leads to non-payment of wages and, in worse cases, getting fired which is not a good idea\u00a0to manage employees remotely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While micromanagement largely benefits you as an employer, experts agree that its negative effects on your workers can prompt them to be less productive and ultimately make them quit. That\u2019s not a healthy culture for any company.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To avoid this scenario, you should delegate tasks to your employees and assign deadlines, preferably daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Your employees are adults. Give them the responsibilities, trust them to get the job done, and assess their performance when they\u2019re done as this is one of the best ways to manage employees remotely.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an interview with Microsoft\u2019s CEO<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Nadella says, \u201cThe only way a business is successful and productive is if employees feel a sense of empowerment, energy, and connection for the company\u2019s mission and are doing meaningful work. It\u2019s not about surveillance; it\u2019s about helping employees thrive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way to encourage <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/seven-tips-to-boost-remote-work-productivity\/#Conclusion\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">remote work productivity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is by trusting them with their responsibilities and not constantly monitoring their every movement. Let them demonstrate their expertise. If they deliver, that\u2019s great! If they don\u2019t, coach them or change the plan. But, don\u2019t micromanage them, as that could affect your employees negatively.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Also read:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/seven-tips-to-boost-remote-work-productivity\/\">7 Tips To Boost Remote Work Productivity<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Set Clear Goals for Team Members<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every company has a set of realistic goals they intend to achieve, whether long-term or short-term. Your job as a manager is to ensure that you outline these goals to your team and let them see how their role is crucial to its achievement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For your goals to be clear, you need to stick to the SMART rules:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Specific<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 You need to know what you want to achieve, who will achieve them, and how to achieve them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Measurable <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 Your goals are measurable only if you can track your progress.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Achievable<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 Even if your goal will stretch your team\u2019s potential, you shouldn\u2019t go overboard with it. Be sure to know what\u2019s realistic or not.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Relevant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 As managers, you could sometimes set goals that are not of utmost priority for the company\u2019s needs. Ask yourself if you\u2019re prioritizing the right goal at the right time<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Time-bound<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 Your goals need a deadline, whether daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually. It gives your team a sense of purpose, knowing what they can achieve within a given time.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By setting clear goals, your team members will know what to deliver, and you will be at peace knowing they are working to contribute to the company\u2019s growth. After setting the goals, you will need to constantly check and review to see whether you\u2019re on the right track.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Also read:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/tips-for-onboarding-remote-employees\/\">5 Tips For Onboarding Remote Employees<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Define Clear Working Policies for Your Employees<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you\u2019ve set your goals, you need to define some clear working policies for your employees. Defining these policies helps to prevent issues at work and you can manage employees remotely in a better way. While these policies vary by employee\u2019s roles, your company, and industry, here are a few general policies you can put in writing:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Availability<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Communicate the working hours to your employees. If you want them to choose their working hours, great! If that isn&#8217;t the case, let them know when they must be available for work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you want them to work online within a specific window, from 9 am to 5 pm? Must they be available for certain meetings? Make it known.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Responsiveness<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a manager in a remote setting, you could have delayed responses. But this doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t set expectations around the response time to emails or chats.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After you have considered the time zone and workload, you can set about 1-2 hours for their response rate or include phrases such as \u201creply to my message as soon as possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Remote tools and technology<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most remote jobs require a computer, internet access, a phone, and\/or a headset. Other roles require additional tools like printers, company laptops, video conferencing tools, and other necessary software.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You must communicate the tools you will provide, the ones employees must purchase, and other expenses that require additional reimbursement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Constantly Communicate with Your Employees<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The other best way to manage employees remotely is to constantly communicate with your employees. Even after setting your goals and working policies, you would need to constantly review their progress and communicate with each other when necessary. Communication is a two-way street. As the manager, you should constantly communicate with your team members.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check-in on their current tasks and progress. Evaluate their performances. Offer support and guidance when they need help. Encourage them to solve problems. Praise them when they have successfully completed a project or achieved a goal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, you should encourage feedback from your employees. Their voices also matter. If there is a need for a difficult conversation, be kind, open, and honest about the topic. Anyone can do a good and terrible job at the same time. Learn to provide constructive criticism that\u2019s filled with kindness and respect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Create Time for Non-Work Discussions<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working physically at an office allows employees to catch up with each other. They socialize and build relationships, which could strengthen teams. Unfortunately, remote workers don\u2019t have access to this physical privilege, making them feel isolated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the bright side, you can create time for teams to discuss non-work-related issues. You can have a dedicated channel that focuses on this aspect or a face-to-face meeting, where workers can talk about whatever is bothering them, even if it\u2019s not work-related and this way you can manage employees remotely.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can afford to, you can create in-person events once a year or every two years. Doing this creates bonds that can contribute to the company\u2019s growth and\u00a0is one of the best ways to manage employees remotely.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing remote employees can be a daunting task. But with the right strategies, you can encourage them to work better, boost their morale, and have them contribute positively to the company\u2019s growth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article will discuss five tips that work the best to manage employees remotely. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the idea of working remotely has become more prominent in many industries. Employees want to work freely in a comfortable environment. However, managers find it challenging to manage remote workers effectively.\u00a0 In a survey [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":5677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5676","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-employee","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5676"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5676\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5680,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5676\/revisions\/5680"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}