Managing employees in a hybrid environment, when on any given day some employees work from home and some are in the office, can be challenging. Guidance and tips from Telework!VA can help you manage employees confidently and successfully.
Telework!VA provides free customized training to help managers and their employees be successful in an environment that includes telework. Contact Telework!VA to learn more.
Managers need to have certain skills and knowledge to manage employees in today’s hybrid work environment. Successful managers need to:
Telework!VA can provide training to help managers develop these skills and put them into practice.
A successful workplace relies on trust between managers and their employees. Trust should not be different just because employees are working from home. If you trust that employees are working when they are in the office, you should also trust that they are working when they are supposed to from home. If you do not trust an employee to work from home productively, consider why you feel that way and think about what could be done to rebuild trust and strengthen your working relationship.
The most frequent questions Telework!VA receives from managers involve communication, collaboration, and monitoring of employee performance. We offer a few tips below. For additional support and guidance, contact us today.
Effective communication is essential to a successful workplace. To be effective, communication needs to flow in all directions — from managers to employees, from employees to managers, and among all members of the team. Make sure you have the policies and procedures in place to effectively use communication tools and technologies. This ensures that all team members receive the information and feedback they need and can easily communicate their ideas, questions, and concerns. Keep a virtual open door and encourage your staff to reach out immediately when they have questions or need assistance.
Collaboration can be a challenge when some employees are in the office and others are working from home. Fortunately, there are technology solutions to mitigate these challenges. Video conferencing platforms allow you to hold virtual meetings. Instant messaging and chat tools allow team members to share and discuss ideas. Document review features, such as tracked changes and comments, allow team members to collaborate on work products. Contact a Telework!VA expert to help you identify the right technologies for your team.
All employees are responsible for the success of the company, so accountability is a must. Managers need to be able to gauge their employees’ productivity, whether they work in the office or from home. The process does not have to look very different for telework employees than for on-site employees. Focus on the output of the work and manage by results. Establish measurable objectives — for quality, quantity, and timeliness — to provide benchmarks for evaluating an employee’s performance on a regular basis.
Managing teams virtually is somewhat different from managing them in person, but Telework!VA has some tips to help you manage teleworkers.