Remote work has grown in popularity in recent years, both for companies and employees. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has shifted from being a rare luxury to almost a necessity, even as the pandemic’s impacts have tapered off. Many companies that normally require employees to be in the office five days a week have begun incorporating hybrid or remote work into their benefits packages, and it’s no secret that many employees enjoy this. A study by the Society for Human Resource Management shows that 4 out of 5 workers seek out flexible work including work-from-home options. However, remote work includes not only people who work from home but also those who work in offices geographically distant from their leaders or teammates. Improvements in and widespread adoption of communication platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack have allowed organizations to source talent from around the world and enable them to collaborate with others located halfway across the country. As a result, many leaders must shift their mindset from managing people in person to managing those they’ve only met through a computer screen.
When my company transitioned to fully remote work in 2020, I watched as leadership shifted their management styles to adapt to this dramatic change. In the months following our transition, I remember my manager mentioning in a team meeting, “As leaders, we were never really prepared for this outcome, and we’re going to need some help as we learn how to lead you all through this new way of working.” They did a fairly good job with the transition, but it was clear that it was a hard change for them. Like many managers across the country, they never received training on how to lead people in a virtual environment, so, understandably, such a dramatic change would throw them off their game a bit. I also remember many leaders at the company being concerned with the transition and openly opposed it. As author Trina Hoefling mentions in her book Working Virtually: Transforming the Mobile Workplace, many managers have concerns with virtual work, including how to tell if employees are working, how to stay connected, and the additional complications that flexible work adds to their workloads. These concerns are all valid, and you may share some of them, but let’s dive into four major things that Trina mentions leaders should focus on to lead successfully in a virtual environment.
1. Communication
Good communication is important in any work environment but becomes even more vital in a virtual one. Whether your team is working from home or in an office far from your geographic location, communication can become less organic. You no longer have the luxury of simply walking up to a desk and chatting about the weekend or the weather. In a virtual environment, you may need to purposefully schedule time to talk to your employees. It’s important to communicate regularly to build or maintain healthy relationships. Building key components of relationships, like trust, is challenging if you aren’t speaking with someone regularly. Make sure that you make time to talk with your team regularly, either one-on-one or in a team setting. Another part of communication that will be important to focus on is clarity. You may find that many of your interactions with your team are non-verbal in a virtual enjoinment, whether that’s through instant messenger or email. Your communications must be clear and concise in these instances, so don’t be afraid to re-read that email a few times or ask for input before sending it out. You may also want to be sure that you are available to answer any follow-up questions your team may have or offer to also discuss things in a meeting if that will help them digest the information better.
2. Manage by Results
Many managers are concerned about how to tell if an employee is working or doing what they should be doing if they cannot physically see them. Trina Hoefling makes an excellent point when they mention, “If you can’t tell if they are working while they are virtual, chances are you don’t really know if they are working even when you can see them.” I couldn’t agree more. It’s important to have a clear understanding of what your employees should be producing, whether that’s trackable metrics or meeting certain deadlines. As a virtual leader, you need to shift your focus from “monitoring” your team like a surveillance camera to prioritizing the results they produce. Results can be far more telling of where an employee is spending their time and effort or if they need coaching in a specific area. Use the results your team produces to gain insight into where you can step in and offer support. If you find this challenging, it may be a good idea to try to gain a better understanding of your team’s work and role within the organization. Don’t be afraid to consult your team on this matter either; you may learn other ways to help them by getting their feedback.
3. Trust Your Employees
I find trust to be the most important ingredient for building good relationships, especially at work. Building trust in your employees will foster their commitment and motivate them to do their best work. Without trust, interactions can become merely “transactional,” limiting the effort people are willing to put forth to achieve goals and diminishing team or employee engagement. If you can’t trust your employees, how can you expect them to trust you? Building trust can take time, especially if you are used to establishing it with someone standing directly in front of you. A great way to build mutual trust in a virtual environment is to encourage honest and open discussions. Make your employees feel safe! Tell and show them that it’s safe to make mistakes and learn from them. Encourage honest feedback and show appreciation when they give it, especially if it’s directed at you. A little bit of trust can go a long way and often has a compounding effect as it continues to grow. If you show your team that you trust them, they will likely work to maintain that trust and gain more. But be sure it goes both ways; remember that you also need to work to earn their trust
4. Facilitate Growth and Introductions
Virtual workers can easily feel siloed and isolated, especially if their work doesn’t overlap much with others. Leaders often serve as the connection between workers and the organization itself. They are relied upon to cascade information, provide updates, and communicate changes and feedback from the business and stakeholders. As a leader, you may find that you serve as the door between your employees and the rest of the company, so think about how you can help them open that door. One way to do this is by helping your team network. Chances are you have a more robust network of people you interact with than your employees do, so find opportunities to introduce them to that network. Help break down the silo effect by giving them chances to introduce themselves to others in the organization, even if their work doesn’t necessarily overlap. There likely will be a connection that ties your team’s work to other parts of the business. Dedicate some mental bandwidth to helping your team grow in the company. Take time to ask them about their goals and if any involve moving to other parts of the company. Use that insight to help them connect to the people or resources that will help them achieve those goals. People will typically work harder for those who are looking out for their benefit and best interests.
Being a leader in a virtual work environment can present certain challenges; however, it also offers significant rewards. As a leader, you may find yourself managing people you may never meet in person, but don’t be afraid of this. Remember the four key points we discussed and consider how you are currently applying them or how you can improve in your work environment. Check in with yourself and your team about how you’re communicating, focusing on results, building trust, and facilitating growth. There is much more to consider as a virtual leader, but this serves as an excellent starting point to help you develop your team and strengthen relationships.
Featured image by Glenn Carstens Peters on Unsplash
References:
Hoefling, Trina, and Didier Elzinga. Working Virtually: Transforming the Mobile Workplace. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023.
Leader's Manual 
Leave a comment