Whether you have 10 remote workers or 100, managing them can be like corralling cats. You can’t control everything, but you can help break bad habits that negatively impact morale, engagement, and teamwork:
- Set ground rules for videoconferences. For instance, instruct everyone to stay on mute until it’s time for them to talk and ask them to keep their video on throughout the call. Seek engagement and input for all team members as possible. While rules for these virtual meetings are important, be flexible and understanding there are interruptions or tech glitches. Remember that everyone is working hard and multitasking.
- Jump in with a one-on-one meeting as soon as you notice someone’s productivity or engagement is down. Don’t call them out in front of other colleagues, and don’t wait until the person is so far behind that it’s impossible to catch up. It’s important to give people fair warning and find out what’s behind their poor performance.
- While everyone is multitasking, be firm about your expectations of when employees should be working. Help by prioritizing tasks and making it clear when they will be expected to be available for meeting, answer questions, or interact via email or phone.
- To minimize distractions, offer team members resources that can help them function better and more efficiently. This may mean a new desk, tablet, or headset.
