Employers: Working with Remote Employees

September 2, 2015 | By | 1 Reply More

remote employees

Originally featured on ICMI.com

 

Flexibility on the job is a top priority for many job seekers, so more and more companies are offering remote work options to attract desirable applicants.

It’s a sad but true fact that once companies have recruited and on-boarded remote employees, out-of-site soon becomes out-of-mind. The burden is on teleworkers to be visible as they work apart from their team, when it’s employers who should be making efforts to help their remote employees feel connected.

 

This goes beyond providing them with top-of-the-line technology that monitors their work time, lets them interact during meetings, and protects data. It means that employers must be aware that remote employees have the same psychological needs as on-site workers, such as the need for recognition and support, and a sense of belonging.

 

Assuredly, managing remote workers has challenges; yet employers still must attempt to treat them similar to their on-site staff.  To do so consider the following three suggestions:

 

Reach Out

Besides checking with your employees to make sure what you need is getting done, ask them if there’s anything they need. Remote workers are typically independent, yet still may need instruction, assistance, and occasional reassurance.

 

If you have an open door policy for your on-site staff, you could recreate that for your remote workers by setting up special e-mails or online groups where they know they can ask questions or voice concerns at any time. Even better are scheduled phone or Skype® calls that are specifically meant for them to air their concerns.

 

 

Acknowledge

One of the benefits of remote work arrangements is being able to assess employees’ performance by results rather than the number of hours they’ve clocked.

 

But it doesn’t mean you should withhold all feedback until their finished projects hit your desk. Without scrutinizing, recognize and applaud their progress. Encourage employees to update you, and let them know you are aware of their continuous efforts.

 

Get Personal

Distance can make it impossible to treat your remote employees to birthday lunches or let them attend the company’s holiday party. Birthday cards, uplifting e-mails, friendly voice messages, and even gifts through the mail will do wonders at helping remote employees feel cared for and like members of the group.

 

Studies indicate people work for more than just a paycheck, so their performance depends on more than financial incentives. Show your staff you value them as part of your organization, not just producers for your company, and you will go a long way to help your employee satisfaction scores. Employees who know they are appreciated will care about their work and for whom they are working. And this can do wonders for your own bottom line.

 

 

Your Turn: What do–or would you do–to show your remote staff that you value them as individuals?

 

 

Are you interested in hiring qualified remote professionals but don’t know where to find them? Learn how RemoteWork Source can help!

 

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Category: Employee Engagement, Human Resources

About the Author ()

Pamela La Gioia is a resume writer and LinkedIn profile expert. She is also a pioneer in remote work, and has been researching and writing about remote work since the early 1990's. You can follow her on LinkedIn, for resume tips, LinkedIn insight, and general career help.

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