Whether your team is fully remote or “hybrid,” with a mix of in-person and at-home workdays, managing employees who are working remotely can be a tough transition for even the most experienced and confident manager. As the new normal shifts from in-person with coworkers to virtual meetings, managers across the globe are finding what works for their teams (and what doesn’t).
While each business is unique and has its own specific needs and challenges, the Human Resources experts here at Axcet HR Solutions have you covered when it comes to tried and true tips for managing remote employees.
RELATED: How to Engage Remote Workers >>
Each team is different, and even within your team, personalities and needs can differ from employee to employee. Knowing what your employees are struggling with and how to best help them will help ensure that you’re able to retain your employees, even throughout the “Great Resignation.” You can take inventory of these needs in various ways, including through a one-on-one meeting or via a form that each employee can complete.
Getting into a groove of when to communicate with your remote employees is crucial to keeping employees productive and connected. Scheduling weekly (or even daily) huddles with the entire team or department can go a long way to making sure opportunities for collaboration aren’t missed and the team feels connected.
As a manager, you should also try to meet with each of your employees one-on-one. This will allow you time to focus on each individual employee and their challenges, goals, productivity, and progress. While an employee who is in-person with you at the office could have popped by your desk at any time, working in a remote workspace is different. Employees who may have felt comfortable asking you a question in person may struggle with wording their concerns in an email. Creating an environment where employees have access to you and your input will help build trust and rapport as your team continues to work from home.
RELATED: 3 Ways to Keep Remote Workers Accountable >>
Remote employees need oversight and management just as much as in-person employees do – and perhaps even more. A set of remote employee challenges exists on two opposite ends of the spectrum: at one end, employees may struggle to fully “unplug” from work after hours, creating a high risk of stress and eventual burnout. At the other end of the spectrum, otherwise diligent and motivated employees could be experiencing distractions at home that cause them to lose focus and procrastinate on projects. Ensuring that deadlines are clear and intermittent check-ins along the way can go a long way in making sure projects (and employees) stay on track.
Shifting from an in-person to a hybrid or remote office style presents a host of unique challenges. You don’t have to face these (or any HR challenges) alone. Meet Axcet HR Solutions: Human Resources experts with 35 years of experience. No matter the size of your need, we’d love to see how we can help you. Schedule a conversation with us today.