Today, many companies have remote employees. It can feel weird at first and make you feel out of touch, but with the right steps, you can successfully manage remote employees.
At Easybee, we are a virtual answering service with remote employees worldwide. We’ve mastered the art of handling remote employees. Here’s what you must know.
Set Expectations
As you would in person, you should have expectations for your remote employees. This could include certain technology they must use, hours they must work, productively levels to meet, and rules they must follow.
Create an employee handbook so everyone is on the same page and there’s no question about what an employee should be doing.
It can feel weird at first to trust employees that aren’t right in front of you, but if you’ve trained them right, they will do their job. On the other hand, if you helicopter over them, they’ll feel like they aren’t trusted and will be less productive.
Have an open door policy and encourage full transparency on both sides of the working relationship so your work will get done. For example, if you have trouble with an employee, meet with them and let them know of the issues you’re experiencing so you can work through them together.
Even if your employees aren’t local, you should get to know them. The more invested you seem in your employees, the more invested they’ll feel in your business.
Take the time to talk to one another, and even have virtual team bonding events, so everyone feels connected rather than isolated and on their own. When your employees feel honored, they will have an easier time talking to you about problems or concerns that arise while working.
There isn’t tolerance for certain types of activities, and that must be spelled out. So make it crystal clear whether you need employees to work certain hours, to check in at certain times, or have strict rules about what they can and cannot do while working.
Also, be upfront about the consequences of violating any of the posted company policies and always keep employees up-to-date when things change. You don’t want to surprise an employee by letting them go when they weren’t aware of the policies in the first place.
Whether you’re managing a team of virtual receptionists or running another type of company, the premise is the same.
You have to manage your remote team with care and trust. They want to feel like you believe in them and know they’ll do a good job. Employees who feel trusted will work harder and help your business’s bottom line.
If you find that you aren’t comfortable having your own employees be remote, but you need a virtual answering service, Easybee is here for you. Our receptionists are used to working remotely and succeed quite well at it. Contact us today to learn more.