How To Manage Employees From a Remote Location

Managing a remote team takes a different set of habits than managing people in an office. Three things make the biggest difference: the software you use to track time and stay connected, how consistently you communicate, and whether people still feel recognized when nobody’s there to see them work.

Software

Remote work relies on the right technology to keep everyone connected and accountable. A time tracking and communication system that works well remotely is what actually makes the transition from office to home manageable. Choose one that gives you visibility into hours worked without turning into another tool everyone has to fight with.

Communication

Communication is easy to underestimate when everyone works from the same office, since a quick question can get answered by knocking on a door. Remote employees don’t have that option, and without a deliberate substitute, it’s easy for someone to feel cut off from the rest of the company.

Set up a system that reminds you or someone on the management team to check in with every employee on a regular basis. Texting, chat tools, email, video calls, and regular meetings can all fill the gap a hallway conversation used to fill.

Encouragement

Encouragement is easy to lose track of once a team goes remote. In an office, a quick word or a pat on the back happens without anyone planning for it. Remotely, weeks can go by without any recognition at all if a manager isn’t deliberate about it.

The fix is the same as it is for communication: build recognition into a routine so it doesn’t depend on remembering. A few ways to recognize remote employees:

• Announcements during video meetings
• Emails sent to the whole team
• A quick text to the employee directly
• A phone call
• A surprise gift card for coffee
• A dedicated chat channel just for praise and shout-outs

Combine consistent communication, real recognition, and a time tracking system that doesn’t get in anyone’s way, and managing a remote team becomes a lot more workable. Put in the effort early, and you’ll end up with a team that’s productive and sticks around because the flexibility works for them.

TimeTrakGO offers several time tracking options for remote teams, including a timesheet built for remote workers that records time accurately no matter where an employee is working from. See TimeTrakGO’s time clock options to find one that fits your team.