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Successful long-distance collaboration requires effective management. Employees need their supervisor's help to prioritise work and locate the resources they need to do their jobs well.
Create Communication Guidelines Managers should begin the "virtual work" process by outlining standard communication practices for the team. These guidelines should include topics such as: * Which communication channels to use -- email, phone, written reports -- and when to use them * How to use each channel -- such as when to include all team members on a message, or how to signal that a message does not require a reply * What are acceptable and unacceptable uses for each channel -- for example, don't use virtual bulletin boards to post jokes of the day Outline Reporting Practices Managers and their teams will need to find the right balance between keeping each other updated and not becoming a communication burden. Leaders should outline their expectations for how often they will get updates and how detailed they should be. Manage By Objective Supervisors who measure productivity by how late employees stay at work will need to change their management approach. Instead, it's helpful to establish a list of objectives that each team member needs to accomplish. One way to do this is through a task list for each employee. It's also important for leaders to help employees prioritise their work so that the critical tasks are tackled first. Provide Feedback Teams working remotely for the first time need to reinforce helpful team behaviour and deal with problems directly. Letting others know what's working and what's not will prevent staff getting into bad habits. Don't overlook the importance of letting team members know when a particular problem has been dealt with effectively. Schedule Regular Performance Reviews Remote worker management doesn't mean out of sight, out of mind. It's important to hold regular performance reviews so employees know how they're doing. These are also a good way of getting feedback on how employees are coping with distance working. Look to schedule performance reviews at least once a year. Hold Occasional Face-to-Face Meetings Today's technology tools make working as a virtual team almost the same as being in the same office. Despite this, managers should meet in person with staff members to reaffirm relationships. Face-to-face meetings let employees know that they're important to the business.
About the Author Microsoft Small Business
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