07/ 06/ 2004
Telework, working remotely, mobile working, virtual office -- many different buzzwords are passed around the water cooler to describe employees that work outside your home office or store front. Managing telecommuters can prove to be a unique challenge, and it means special adjustments for your telecommuting workers also. There are definitely pros and cons to a telework relationship, so if you're considering implementing such a program, weigh the advantages and disadvantages carefully. These tips will help.
Involve your telecommuters in regularly scheduled staff meetings, conference calls and online chats
Many small-business owners meet with their staff in a regular, informal manner simply to touch base. These meetings may happen on a weekly, monthly or even quarterly basis depending on your needs. Even if these casual meetings last just 10 minutes, they are an invaluable way to help your remote workers feel included. Conference your telecommuters in for such meetings via telephone or online chats. Though meeting topics may cover anything from the addition of new clients to the receptionist's son selling popcorn to raise money for his scout group, telecommuters will feel much more connected knowing the big and small things that are going on in the home office.
Involve them in social functions for all employees such as holiday parties, working retreats, employee education, etc.
It may not always be possible, especially if a telecommuter is out of state, but try to involve telecommuters in as many company social functions as the schedule allows. Telecommuters may already feel isolated from the day-to-day social aspects of work, so feeling like their schedules are taken into consideration for the larger social gatherings will help them feel tied in with the team.
Call them directly with big company news including client changes, new hires, etc.
Don't allow your telecommuters to hear big news through the grapevine. If big news of new clients, employee additions or other exciting information is not shared through your regular staff meetings, be sure to take a moment to give your remote workers a phone call to fill them in at the same time other employees hear the news. Hearing about big company events as a sidebar of a casual conversation with other employees can make the telecommuting employee feel very isolated and out of the loop.
Schedule regular visits.
Regular visits to the home office are of particular value to your telecommuter. Visits to the home office are another great way to keep telecommuters in touch with other employees and team members, helping them feel like a connected part of the team on the company's home turf. When telecommuters visit, make time in your schedule for a personal visit. This might include lunch or even just the morning coffee break, but the one-on-one time with your remote employee will help them connect to the home office.
And if possible, visit your remote employees. Remember, your telecommuters don’t have office buddies to go to lunch with on a regular basis. If you are close enough, drive to their location for a long lunch visit. If you must fly to get to a telecommuter's "office," make a full day of it -- include lunch and take in a couple of local sites. This may not look like a very productive day on paper, but the gesture will make huge strides in employee relations and company loyalty.
Encourage remote workers to participate in committees.
With the ease and convenience of the Internet, phone lines, fax machines, video conferencing and the like, there is no reason why a remote employee can't take part in important company committees. Whether you have an employee relations committee that helps plan the company's holiday parties or an editorial board that reviews content for your quarterly newsletter, involving your telecommuter may not only bring fresh ideas to your committee but is one more way to help the employee feel connected to the rest of the team.
Define work schedules with your telecommuter's input.
Some folks may believe that a telecommuter has it made – think of the stereotypes of lounging in sweats, watching TV all day, sending a few e-mails from time to time. But in truth, a telecommuting situation offers a unique set of productivity challenges that you may not have considered. Some telecommuters may put in 10-12 hours a day, simply because work is there. For a telecommuter working from home, there is no mass exodus from the office at 5 p.m. It's very easy to think of something that needs to be taken care of at 8 p.m. and simply go into the "office" to handle it rather than waiting until the next business day.
Encourage your remote employees to follow your company's regular business hours. If 5 p.m. is closing time, urge your telecommuters to close the office door at that time and "go home." And since a telecommuting situation does offer a certain amount of flexibility, there may be times that an alternate schedule might be beneficial. Talk with your telecommuters to best work out this schedule.
Telecommuting offers many valuable advantages to you, your company, your employees and -- some say -- even the environment. But it should not mean "out of sight, out of mind." Stay in touch with your telecommuters; help them feel like a valued part of your team, and your remote workers may just be some of your most loyal and productive employees.
