Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Are You Engaging Your Remote Workers Properly

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Are You Engaging Your Remote Workers Properly Rapport building is essential for effective collaboration, but its not as easy as in the days when you just walked into your retail store or office and greeted your employees hello. As a business owner and member of severalvirtual teams, Ive picked up the following strategies for establishing and sustaining solid relationships with remote workers you rarely see. 1. Outline your expectations for remote workers. Not all remote work scenarios are the same, and both you and your employee should have a concrete plan for navigating the situation effectively. Draft a document that outlines the specifics for work hours, environment, communication,collaboration toolsand anticipated performance outcomes. If an employee is new to your organization or to remote work, I recommend a three-month pilot for all parties to gauge how the arrangement is going and to iron out the wrinkles. Also try to systematize your remote work policies as much as you can. Offering individuals too many choices and trying to keep on top of a dozen different arrangements is likely to cause confusion and misunderstandings. 2. Be visible to your remote workers. After the initial three months, dont assume your remote workers are on autopilot. Being in different physical locations does not negate the need for regular oversight of your employees activities. If anything, it requires more consideration so remote workers dont feelisolated and disconnected. Plan a team meetingâ€"preferably by videoconference so you can see each other at least once a monthâ€"and schedule individual check-in calls to troubleshoot issues, provide essential guidance and big-picture perspective. During those meetings, reiterate that youre alive and thinking about them. And, if youre relying on remote workers for a real-time, accurate picture of your working capital, initiate contact weekly if not daily. For more where this came from, visit the AMEX Business site.