Tips for Managing Long Distance – Part 1

Q: Our company has offices is several states, and I have about half of my staff scattered at different locations around the country. Needless to say, communicating and trying to create a cohesive team has been a challenge. Any suggestions on how to manage employees from far away?

A: The work situation you’re describing is referred to as remote management. Once rare, this arrangement is becoming more common as our economy becomes increasingly globalized, and as technology enables us to work and collaborate from anywhere at any time.

But, as you know, managing remote employees (not to be with confused with telecommuting) entails increased challenges above and beyond the ordinary aspects of management: Issues like communicating expectations, creating employee engagement, building strong teams, monitoring performance and coaching can become extraordinary and problematic. Here are some tips to improve communication:

Phone: Don’t be the boss that only calls if there’s a problem. Have a five-minute call around the same time at the beginning of each day (ideally). By initiating the contact, you’ll solidify your relationship and create trust and engagement. It lets the employee know you’re available and interested in their work. A bonus, you’ll likely find out about problems much sooner.

Voice mail: Keep messages short; state the reason for the call and when you expect to be called back. But don’t be too cryptic. The last thing employees want to hear is: “Hi Joe, this is your boss, call me back.” With no idea on what to expect or how urgent or serious the matter, they’ll experience unnecessary anxiety.

Conference calls: When possible use video conferencing or Skype which cuts down on participants muting their phones and tuning out. Make sure topics discussed are relevant to all involved. Be sensitive of shy participants or those whose accents may be difficult to understand. Invite their feedback by being available immediately after the call.

Managing remote workers is more demanding than managing face-to-face, and does require an additional set of skills. It’s not enough to simply be a good manager; you also have to be a strong leader.

Tune-in next week for more tips on managing long distance.