Wednesday, October 28, 2015

3 Things To Know About Managing Offsite Employees



3 Things To Know About Managing Offsite Employees


Welcome back to my personal proven training blog. Today, I want to share some more information about a popular training curriculum that I have been promoting, Managing Offsite and Remote Employees.

At Proven Training Solutions, Managing Offsite and Remote Employees is one of our most popular training programs specifically in the DC area. I am often recruited to coach managers on these topics in Washington, Virginia and Arlington. In these demographics there appears to be more businesses working with employees off site. An offsite employee is any employee that does not work in the main building with the other staff. This employee may be located anywhere. They may work from home or be located in another facility.

So, if you find yourself in a situation where you are responsible for managing a remote employee, what do you do?

These days thanks to the internet and mobile devices it is easy to stay in touch with off site employees. However, motivating, managing and communicating with them is a whole other story.

I am going to share with you three things that I recommend all managers do when dealing with an employee who is telecommuting.

1. More contact

Although you will see an offsite employee less you should talk to them more. This isn't just for efficiency and discipline, but to help make that employee feel as if they are still part of the team. You want everyone who is working for you to feel like them matter. Scheduling regular daily check ins is a good way to do this.

2. Call them, don't text or email them

When dealing with a remote employee it may feel easy just to send communications via email or text. However, it is a better idea to call them on the phone or video conference when possible so that, once again, they feel connected. Adding this personal touch will help make the employee feel as if they are more responsible and will help with time management. Not to mention it will assist in nurturing loyalty as well as open communication.

Remember, texts and emails can often be misconstrued. Make a phone call to remote employees to assure that communication is clear. This is especially important when discussing sensitive issues.

3. Make an effort to make that individual feel included in the team dynamic

Lastly, if you wish to be successful managing an employee off site make sure that you include them in all aspects of business operation. This includes both onsite and offsite issues. Have them provide feedback on new projects as well. Do not exclude them from the team just because they are located offsite. This will make this employee feel more valued.

These days there are more and more business structures that include employees working offsite. Because of technology there is absolutely no reason why a remote employee should ever feel off the grid. Our Proven Training Solutions program Managing Offsite and Remote Employees educates managers about the challenges of dealing with employees who are not working in the same facility with them. 

If you'd like to find out more specific details about this curriculum, do not hesitate to visit Proven Training Solutions.

Until next time,
-Bill Walsh


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