If you’re a business manager, chances are you’ve had to use telecommuting to get through the Coronavirus. Maybe this is a new territory for you, and you’re not quite sure how to effectively manage your team members who are now working from home. Here are five basic tips on how to successfully manage a telecommuting staff, along with some considerations and warnings.

1. Provide Good Technology Tools

Successful telecommuting involves having the right tools. In other words, you need to have a sound infrastructure, such as providing your staff with the best high-tech equipment so that they can function efficiently.

Your telecommuting team should be equipped with secure, reliable tools, so they won’t have trouble accessing your network from several locations. This means providing tools, such as desktop softphones and social media tools that provide for real-time teamwork between workers.

2. Consider Each Employee’s Strengths and Weaknesses

When making work assignments, consider which people need more supervision than others. This means you need to know your employees and what they can do or cannot do, along with their skills and personalities. Although some employees need more supervision than others, you still need to be cautious not to micromanage or overly supervise.

3. Conduct Regular Check-Ins

Rather than just depending on email for staying in touch with your remote team, conduct regular meetings with each member of your staff. By using video conferencing, talking on the phone, and other communication methods, you can keep a strong connection with your telecommuting staff.

4. Schedule Time on Zoom to Chat with Your Team

Zoom is ideal for conducting business when you can’t meet in person. But besides using Zoom for business purposes, also schedule some social time in which you simply get to know your team members better. This shows the people on your team that you care about them and their families. As a result, they’ll be more likely to do their best work.

5.  Track Work Hours

One of the best ways to track work hours for teleworkers is by using mobile work hour tracker apps. These can be used both inside and outside of an office for recording work time on projects.

Another method is using iPunchclock, an iOS app. This tool enables teleworkers to clock in and clock out for various tasks. What’s more, iPunchclock has the ability to report both the latitude and longitude where jobs are performed.

Examples of Industries Using Telecommuting
  • The manufacturing industry has 3% of its workforce working remotely.
  • Another industry is the retail industry as at-home retail jobs continue to increase. An at-home retail job involves answering questions from customers by using email, live chat, and talking on the phone.
  • The healthcare field makes up 11.6% of all the people who work at home. What’s more, many social workers work remotely using audio-video appointments.
  • The education industry is another example as remote instructors are creating online learning activities for students.
Other Considerations
  • When defining your expectations, be very specific about what you expect from your remote team. This applies to deadlines as well as deliveries.
  • Acknowledge your employees’ achievements even though you’re not physically with them. For example, you could mention their names and achievements in a group chat platform or send emails telling them they’ve done an exceptional job.
  • Although email is an effective communication tool, there are still times when you need to talk. Thus, it’s important to recognize these times.
  • Schedule regular facetime meetings with your team members.
  • Make sure your team members are on the same page.
  • To reach out to clients, consider how businesses use several tools. For instance, they can create blog posts that provide solutions to problems. Other methods include those, such as participating in social media. Getting involved with Facebook groups, answering questions on Twitter, and guest blogging on other sites are common methods.
Conclusion

These are just a few ways you can successfully manage a telecommuting staff. For more information on how we can help you find great remote workers, contact us.