With Covid-19 on the rise, companies are quickly moving their employees to begin working remotely. If you've never managed remote employees, there are likely a few challenges headed your way. To ensure you are following the best practices, here are 3 tips we follow here at OmniCall for successfully managing remote employees.

Communication is King

It's easy to let communication fall to the wayside when your team is remote. After all, the old saying ?out of sight, out of mind? is unfortunately hard to dismiss when you're used to seeing your employees face-to-face daily. The bigger issue is that your employee will feel, well, 'remote? and forgotten. Therefore, communication guidelines are always a good thing to set in place immediately. https://xn--ln-pengar-52a.se/

Your team communication guidelines should include things such as:

  • Preferred Method of Communication (email, text message, video chat, etc)
  • Preferred Day/Time for Communication (specific days and times)
  • Expected Response Time (for whichever method of communication you're using)
  • Continuously Updating About Company-Wide Information

 

Helpful Tools for Remote Management

There are multiple technology tools available to help with a variety of challenges when it comes to remote work. At OmniCall, we use Slack for our inner-office communication. We find it to be extremely helpful, as you are able to organize by Channels.

For example, we post company-wide announcements in the ?General? channel, which is public and notifies all employees simultaneously. On the other hand, Slack also allows you the ability to ?chat? individuals, so your employees can reach out personally without having to send an email for every little question or concern.

For document organization, we utilize Google Docs and Dropbox so that our remote employees can access everything they need to perform their jobs. LogMeIn is another great resource; it allows our staff the ability to remotely log into their office computer, just in case they need to use a program or reach a file that is not located on their at-home computer.

 

Face Time Keeps Spirits High

Creating a ?virtual water cooler? for your team is definitely a healthy step, and tools such as Slack can help with this. You can even use video communication tools like Zoom to keep up team camaraderie. However, one-on-ones are crucial for your remote employees.

Sometimes team members find it intimidating to discuss certain issues in a large group setting, and an email can be misinterpreted at times. Setting aside that time to speak with your remote employees not only shows you value their professional opinion, but it's also a great way to check in with them on a more personal level and help them align their overall career goals.

Not to mention it can get down right lonely working remotely! Here at OmniCall, we schedule weekly video calls; you will find the best routine for your employees in due time.

Change is often a challenge for employees; fast, unexpected change can be even more overwhelming. Implementing these simple processes for your remote employees will not only keep business running smoothly, but will also give peace of mind to your team.

Click here for more information on how our OmniCall Receptionists can help manage your business calls while you focus on managing your remote team.