E-management is fast becoming the norm as more individuals work at a distance from their supervisors. New communications and collaborative technologies are transforming how, where, and when work gets done. A key question leaders and managers must address is, "How can I get the best from my people when my primary - or only - means of interacting with them is via technology?" This presentation addresses some of the key challenges faced by remote managers and provides best practices on how to address them. To find out more please contact us at enquiries@tmaworld.com.

1. Managing
Remote Workers
TMA World
Viewpoint

2. Managing Remote Workers
I was talking with a friend the other day who works full time from her
home. She‟s employed by a major US bank investigating possible account
fraud. I know she enjoys her work, and gets a thrill from the chase and
capture! While enjoying what she does – and eliminating the hours and costs
spent commuting every week – I could tell
she wasn’t thrilled
by the remote working
arrangement.
What were
some of the
issues?

3. What were some of the issues?
• Isolation – very rare contact from her manager
• Increased misunderstandings – when the manager is heard from, the
communications tend to be vague, imprecise
• Working longer hours – what was commuting time is now considered to
be part of the normal working day, or that the boundaries between work
and home disappear altogether
• No feedback – no expressions of thanks or “Let‟s see if we can work
together and streamline that process.”
• Perceived unfairness – those in HQ doing very similar work are on
higher pay grades
• Out of the loop regarding opportunities – “No, I didn‟t hear about that
new position!”

4. Simply put, my neighbor‟s major problem was that she was caught in the
„out-of-sight, out-of-mind‟ trap –
a not uncommon feeling for remote workers.
The problem is not with remote working per se,
but with the management of remote working.
If anything is going to reveal deficiencies
in management skills,
it is management of remote workers.

5. Ten Tips
Switch perspectives
Make contact frequently
Make expectations clear
Be accessible
Promote network building
Standardize
Stay alert
Close the feedback loop
Inspire
Focus on what matters

6. Ten Tips (Cont’d)
• Switch perspectives – put yourself in the remote worker‟s shoes for a
while. What kind of positive and negative feelings and thoughts would you
most likely experience? Show empathy for the tough sides of remote
working.
• Make contact frequently – you might think you give each of your remote
workers a lot of your time, but they will perceive the time you spend as far
less. And don‟t make every contact about work; build a relationship and
develop trust.
• Make expectations clear – don‟t leave remote workers trying to read
your mind. Distance amplifies uncertainty, and it is the role of the remote
manager to provide a sense of structure through clear roles and
responsibilities, precise objectives, and performance measures. Create
ways by which remote workers can monitor their own performance and not
always have to wait for your feedback.
• Be accessible – don‟t disappear into the virtual black hole, never to be
seen again. Let remote workers know how they can best contact you, and
when. Share your calendar.

7. Ten Tips (Cont’d)
• Promote network building – remote workers may not work as a team,
but they can still support each other, share knowledge and best practices,
and establish a „virtual water cooler‟ – through social media, for example.
• Standardize – create standard tools, templates and processes where you
can. The research points to higher productivity levels among remote
workers, but they can‟t be if they often have to invent and reinvent their
own ways of working.
• Stay alert – look for warning signs that all is not well, e.g., being
unresponsive, changes in the tone of communicating. Act quickly to resolve
any issues because distance tends to make small problems big problems
very quickly.
• Close the feedback loop – feedback and coaching can be wonderful gifts,
but sometimes distance causes them to be left open-ended. It is easy to
lose track and miss following through effectively, and that can feel like
neglect leading to resentment.

8. Ten Tips (Cont’d)
• Inspire – it‟s so easy to lose sight of people‟s
emotional needs when they‟re at a distance. In my
view, remote management should be made up of
about 40 percent management and 60 percent
leadership. The management side can facilitate
work getting done efficiently and effectively, but
that by itself doesn‟t engage people. Let remote
workers know how their work is important to the
bigger picture - how it contributes to the success
of the unit, the division, the organization, to the
wider community. We all need to feel we‟re part of
something bigger than ourselves, and for remote
workers to feel that way requires the inspirational
touch as well as the transactional instruction.
• Focus on what matters – results are what
matter, not whether someone has sat handcuffed
to a computer for 8 hours or more (the
„presenteeism‟ school of management
thought). For some managers this requires a
mindset shift, and a letting go of fears about „What
are they doing out there?‟
With clear
accountabilities,
objectives and
measures – and
with treating
people
with respect and
consideration no
matter where they
are located – our
remote colleagues
can be
extraordinarily
productive and
successful.

9. To learn more about how TMA World can
help your organization’s leaders
to manage remotely, contact us at
enquiries@tmaworld.com
or visit
www.tmaworld.com/our_solutions.cfm