Like most businesses today, you might be dealing with a remote workforce as a means to either comply with a direct order from authorities, to reduce the risks of spreading the coronavirus at work, or both. Managing employees working from home requires a different skill set than managing employees working in the office.  There are factors that must be taken into consideration, including:

• How will work hours be tracked?
• How will performance be measured?
• What equipment should be provided?
• Is the work location safe and secure?
• How and when will we communicate?
• How will sensitive information be protected?

It is important to begin with the implementation of a telecommuting policy outlining specific details and company expectations for employees working from home. It is also recommended to develop a telecommuting agreement, which will answer the questions listed above and require the signatures of both management and employee.

The policy and agreement will serve as documentation that everyone involved has read and understands the rules of the road, so to speak. Then what? How do you keep those remote employees motivated and engaged in their work? How do you keep them from feeling isolated? Here are some tips!

• Use a chat program, like Slack, HipChat, Stride, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts Chat or Workplace by Facebook, to name just a few. Chatting makes it easier to keep in touch with people and is usually faster and more casual than email.
• Schedule regular phone calls and video meetings. Check in with your people regularly and stay connected. Discuss assigned tasks, weekly activities everyone is working on, review work that has been completed, and even allow time to share stories about working from home. This way, no one feels left out of the loop.
• Surprise your remote team members by sending them Snacknation’s remote boxes, which offers snacks and coffee. Happy people are more productive.
• Take time to recognize great work and make sure that recognition is visible to other members of the organization. People like to feel valued and appreciated.

Email is at [email protected] if you would like to discuss managing your remote workforce, or if you have any great tips of your own to share. We would love to hear them.