Working remotely gives workers the freedom to earn a living, and avoid commuting at the same time. Some employees switch between working from home and heading into the office. For others, they work completely from their home. Technology has made it much easier for this to happen.
This does present new challenges for managers. When workers are present at the office, managers can simply head over to their desks if they have questions or want to see the employees’ progress. When someone is not on site, managers have to call them and hope they answer the phone.
Not all employees are good at managing their own time, and it is no different for those who work at home. In fact, being out-of-sight can give the impression that they get less done. Some employees do a great job of managing their time no matter where they are. Many others will need some help.
When dealing with remote employees, you should consider frequent updates of at least twice a week. Require employees to answer the phone when it rings during agreed periods. Unless it’s an emergency, the employee shouldn’t constantly be stating he or she had to go pick up milk at the grocery store.
Come to an agreement before allowing employees to work from home. Make sure both the employees and the managers know exactly what is to be expected from each. This requires ways to measure the work of the telecommuting personnel.
If you work at home, go above and beyond what is expected of you. This will prevent colleagues from complaining that you are getting paid to sit at home and watch television. If you give them any reason whatsoever, the entire group can lose faith in your ability to work from home. Colleagues often think it’s unfair that a few people get to work at home while everyone else has to truck into the office. They will be on the lookout for anything that gives them an excuse to bust you.
Some people find they are not cut out to work remotely. It can get lonely and the expectations for doing more can cause more stress than it’s worth. Others are quite capable of managing their time and don’t need a manager watching over them. Most people fall somewhere in between, where they need a bit of a push, but can get it done in the end.
– Scott Blessing