It reduces stress, there’s no lost time in commuting, and it makes for a better work-life balance. Telework is a booming trend amongst employees. But managers sometimes have some trouble adjusting to this new reality. Effectively managing remote employees is, however, possible!
According to a 2014 BMO Bank of Montreal survey, more than half of Canadian companies now offer their employees the ability to work remotely. For managers, the challenge is in defining new ways of interacting with their team members. Joëlle Charpentier, consultant and trainer in organizational development, including virtual team management, has some advice.
The importance of trust
It is better when managers meet their employees face to face before starting a virtual working relationship to set a solid foundation. At first, meet in person regularly, and then move on to videoconferences or Skype. This allows you to develop a relational capital on which the collaboration will bear fruit.
“It's important to build a relationship of trust and maintain it, because remote communications have their pitfalls, like misunderstandings,” states the specialist. These first few meetings will allow the manager to understand the needs of employees and to establish a clear way of working with them.
The control trap
Physical distance means more vigilance on the manager’s part, who must organize and plan meetings. “There is no spontaneous discussions in the hallway,” she says. “To establish clear communication, we must create opportunities to talk.” But be careful not to confuse vigilance with 24/7 monitoring! Charpentier recommends using the coaching approach rather than that of control.
Building on teamwork
The danger of remote working is that employees will feel alone. The manager must therefore be careful in promoting a sense of belonging by organizing work meetings with virtual teams and highlighting each individual’s achievements. “It’s a win-win situation. It fosters collaboration and support among colleagues, even remotely, making it a more creative and effective work environment.”
Finding the right beat
The frequency with which manager should be monitoring their employees must be adapted to their needs. While some like to get daily updates from their supervisor, even if only for a few minutes, others are content with more independent weekly monitoring.
Calls, team videoconferences, individual conversations via Skype, email, chat, texting… Ways of communicating are multiple, but again, it is the manager’s responsibility to find the right balance that will work for both parties. “I once saw a manager who would send follow ups through text messages, because his employees were rather young,” she says.
Trial and error
Finding that optimal way of managing remote workers is far from easy. “Give it some time. Test out different ways of doing things to find the right formula,” says Charpentier. “Do not hesitate to talk about what works and what doesn’t.”
Even those managers that are close to their employees and make jokes with them are able to find their footing in virtual management. “You can use humour to break the physical distance and create a friendly climate by preparing icebreakers in advance.”
Recognizing its limitations
Just as telework is not for all types of people, not all supervisors feel comfortable in managing this style of work. Opting to manage teams where its members are physically present at work is sometimes better.
À PROPOS DE L'AUTEUR
Après une maîtrise en sciences politiques, Fanny Bourel se tourne vers le journalisme en 2012. Celle qui a signé depuis 2013 près de 200 articles pour les clients de 37e AVENUE se démarque par sa détermination à livrer des textes bien ficelés et vivants, à tous coups. En 2015, elle devenait la première lauréate de la bourse AJIQ-TC Média.