5 Tips on Becoming a Great Remote Manager
Thanks to recent global circumstances, workplaces have finally adopted remote working. However, it isn’t permanent at every establishment. There has always been a portion of most workforces working remotely, but it didn’t become popularized until a pandemic hit the globe a couple of years ago.
Remote working means you work from outside the office, probably at home. This may seem like a setback from a managerial standpoint. However, thanks to its recent surge it is showing some promise in regards to creating a tighter work culture and faster workflow without needing set time constraints on when to work.
This development begs the question: how can managers maintain standards whilst managing remotely?
Flexible working is a must
Flexible working is the act of working in a way where you decide when to take breaks and when to work without having set centralized times in your workplace.
Working remotely allows employees to do this easily. It has been shown to increase the comfort and satisfaction levels of employees. It also allows businesses to cater to employees in different time zones, something you should also keep in mind when scheduling team meetings.
Encouraging this method results in overall better-quality work as long as employees are maintaining or increasing their quality of work and staying within deadlines since it isn’t the approach that is important but rather the quality.
Maintain adequate tracking
As a manager, it is still your duty to run the team and keep projects going without pestering your employees. Depending on the type of projects running, be that remote social work or programming, you should be using task tracking software or having some form of tracking tasks without discussing with employees every day.
If you prefer a more traditional method, a 5-15 method is a good option when managing remotely. A 5-15 report is a weekly report written by employees in fifteen minutes that can be read in five. The report is intended to inform you about the employee’s priorities, achievements, and so on.
Setting team reminders through team-communication software can also prove useful.
Be clear and build the team
When assigning projects to your team you should be transparent about your expectations, what tasks are at hand, and what policies to follow. You should also consider scheduling meetings beforehand during the continuation of the project.
Divide tasks between members and make sure there is a way to clearly communicate between team members. Especially, if there is a discrepancy in expectations and corporate policies between two members or you and a member.
You can also create guides for your team to follow in the case of a longer project.
Listen to your employees
As Aristotle once said, “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander”. It is your job as a remote manager to listen to the complaints of employees. You should create an environment where constructive criticism is widely accepted. Ask yourself whether you are succeeding as a remote manager.
When conversing about problems as a team you are able to brainstorm better together. Thus, can show your team that you are all working against the same problem together.
Sometimes you will find a specific employee having a problem and confiding in you as their manager. Such problems can often affect the continuation of the whole team. Therefore, you should make it your priority to find a permanent or temporary solution so the whole team and the individual can keep moving.
Listening to what your employees tell you and vice versa will also create more trust throughout the team, adding to a smooth workflow. Don’t forget to be empathetic to employees. After all, they most likely are working just as hard as you are.
Focus on the “why”
Working remotely could easily result in detachment and forgetfulness. When presenting new projects or when simply discussing nuances with your team you should emphasize why you all are going to be doing this. Give everyone a purpose and a reason. This can help motivate them to do their best and properly understand the end goal.
You should also provide everyone with help and resources when needed such as tools needed for remote work.
Conclusion
This shift in the manner of working from the traditional to a technologically advanced one comes with its own challenges and advantages. Yet it is still being adopted wherever it can with certain exceptions from companies such as Tesla.
Whilst people are afraid of change, this shift goes to show how important it is to experiment with norms regarding work environments and how symbiotic the dynamic between employees and superiors truly is.
