Telecommuting is becoming an increasingly popular trend in the modern workplace, especially as more millennials enter the workforce. According to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 95 percent of millennials polled said a work/life balance is important to them. With their affinity for technology, employees are pushing for a more flexible work schedule and location. For managers and human resources teams, telecommuting can pose challenges. Here are four ways company leadership can better manage remote workers:
1. Arrange frequent check ins
For the best results, managers should hold telecommuting employees to a certain level of accountability. To ensure workers make progress, HR should enforce regular check-ins with remote employees. Leaders can schedule these meetings at regular intervals – the same day and time each week – so both parties can prepare for discussion of goals and project headway, according to Open Forum. This practice can increase productivity and keep managers informed of a remote worker's completion of responsibilities.
These meetings can take place over the phone or face-to-face through video conferencing. Seeing a worker in person makes the working relationship more personal. Remote employees may also feel more accountable for their obligations when workers aren't communicating solely by email or instant messaging.
2. Commend success
In-office teams are often rewarded for their accomplishments, so why shouldn't remote groups receive the same treatment? Commending telecommuting employees for their achievements will make these workers feel like a part of the larger organization and reinforce a collaborative attitude, according to CIO. Remote employees may often feel isolated from the in-office team, so celebrations of the groups' success will make members feel valued by the company. Observing telecommuting employees' victories can also encourage continued hard work and productivity.
3. Provide clarity
It's easy for managers to define the objectives of projects and the overall team through in-house workers since face-to-face interaction is more frequent. To ensure the success of a company's remote team, however, leaders must clearly explain the expectations of telecommuting employees as well. Understanding the projected results and necessary individual contributions will keep employees engaged and focused. Furthermore, the project can be completed more efficiently when both in-office and remote workers are given an in-depth overview of tasks.
"Employees prefer two to three days of telecommuting per week."
4. Alter management style
As more and more employees work remotely, the basics of management may have to change. The success of telecommuting is a two-way street between workers and company leaders, according to Fortune. Supervisors must keep tabs of remote employees and their production to ensure tasks are being completed in a timely manner.
A major pitfall of telecommuting is leaders falling into the "Out of sight, out of mind" trap. Priorities may change with a moment's notice, so company leaders need to communicate with remote employees very frequently to keep them in the loop. This practice will help telecommuting workers understand all intricacies of important decisions, while also maintaining the necessary level of accountability.
According to Global Workplace Analytics, 80 to 90 percent of the U.S. workforce said they would like to telework at least part-time; two to three days per week was the preferred amount of time. The ability to work remotely offers many benefits for companies, including being an attractive factor to bring in and retain employees. To ensure telecommuting workers are successful and productive, managers and HR teams should change their management style, perform regular check-ins and clearly define team objectives.