How to Manage Remote Teams

Today’s health care models include providing services for clients outside traditional settings of local physician offices and hospital clinics. Health care organizations now compete to attract and engage rural and remote populations; the result is better access for clients, as well as increased profits for companies.

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The rise of telehealth, or Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), allows people, who previously had limited contact with clinicians, to receive quality care in their homes from a full range of specialists.

Satellite clinics and “far-flung” visiting nurse programs often supplement telemedicine, requiring managers to oversee staff in different and creative ways. Working remotely is a growing trend.

Consider these statistics:

• Around the world, 70% of professionals telecommute at least one day a week; 53% work remotely for half the week.
• A 2016 Gallup poll found that 43% of American employees work remotely, up from 39% in 2012. In 2018, 3.2% of employees work remotely.
• FlexJobs, a search site that matches employees with remote jobs, reports that health care offers more telecommuting opportunities than any other industry.

If you manage remote staff, what should you know?

How can a supervisor engage and motivate others when distance is a factor? Just as important, how can you, as a manager, help your remote staff succeed? Here are some ways to manage remote teams and individuals:

1. 1

   Get to know your employees

   When you and your team are in the same space, it’s easy to chat throughout the day. Even a casual “How was your weekend?” reinforces a relationship. Health care teams may work together at another site, or individuals may have independent positions; no matter, they want to feel a sense of belonging to the organization. Video meetings and phone calls are more effective than emails.

   As their supervisor, it’s your responsibility to let them know that you appreciate their efforts and that you’re interested in them outside their job duties.

   Set aside time to contact each person and spend some time learning about them: family, interests, vacation plans, etc. You don’t need to get overly-involved, but when you know staff better, it’s easier to be supportive and understanding when they need help outside the workplace. Positive relationships and personal connections are essential for employee satisfaction and well-being.

   Use “old-fashioned” ways of keeping in touch, too. Send birthday and holiday cards. When there’s a new marketing giveaway or promotional swag, pop it in the mail so everyone gets it.

2. 2

   Be available and responsive

   When an off-site team member has a question, they probably don’t know what your schedule is and won’t always realize that you can’t get back to them right away. Encourage them to communicate in a way that allows you to respond as soon as possible: Text? Email? Phone? It’s also a good idea to establish “office hours” when you are available to talk without interruption. Remote teams want to feel connected, so work together to find the best way to communicate efficiently.

   As with everyone you manage, normal work-related exchanges stop at the end of the workday. Emergencies are different, of course. You want to be notified at once of any unusual or difficult situations.

3. 3

   Keep them involved

   Although they probably don’t miss office politics, team members who work away from a central location can feel isolated. Research shows that 21% of remote workers feel lonely. When they’re missing out on social interactions, they’re also missing out on building trust. Isolation leads to burnout… and increased turnover.

   Regular departmental or all-staff meetings that include remote staff keeps everyone in the loop about events, policies, and updates. Assign projects that include committee members from all locations, with a remote employee as the lead. Ask a remote team or individual to research a topic to share at a future meeting. Include them in decision-making whenever possible. Schedule Q & A sessions with senior managers and leadership, just for remote workers.

4. 4

   Give them what they need

   When staff works away from the central office, where little things are easily handled, getting simple tasks done can be frustrating. Does your team know how to contact Human Resources for questions about vacations or family leave? Can they reach out to Payroll and adjust deductions? What about managing their retirement plan? Do they have the name of the company’s retirement specialist?

   The same goes for getting technology support, ordering supplies, and filing expense reports. In-house staff can walk down the hall or stop a co-worker to ask a quick question. Without solid resources and easy ways to get things done, valuable work time is lost. Managers should be advocates for their remote teams, insisting that assistance be available for all employees.

5. 5

   Hold them accountable

   When a manager can’t be physically present to oversee teams, it’s challenging to know what exactly is being accomplished. Regular check-ins and monitoring help both sides, as well as establishing outcome-driven metrics. Use screen sharing so they can show you what they’re working on.

   For individuals who have the same job descriptions as their in-house counterparts, the manager can easily evaluate performance. If the remote team or individual has a unique role, the manager can still measure outcomes by designing specific metrics. There is no need for “punitive” oversight measures, such as requiring daily time logs. When you’re clear about expectations from the outset, you are setting limits that can’t be questioned later.

6. 6

   Provide opportunities

   A wise manager knows that everyone needs ways to stay motivated and grow their career. Whether working in-house or at a remote outpost, provide opportunities that will stimulate staff. Bring remote staff to the main office on a regular basis, so they can meet their colleagues and get caught up with other departments.

   Send staff to conferences or workshops, so they can network, learn, and gather CEUs for their licenses. If travel to a conference is impossible, let them attend a virtual conference or take an online course. Ask them to develop and present a webinar after they’ve finished.

   Senior management should find ways to expand the roles and responsibilities of remote staff, including opportunities for promotion and advancement in the company.

   Remote working is here to stay -- in fact, it’s going to continue to grow. Managers who take time to develop relationships with their remote employees, encourage and support them, and make sure they feel included, will be rewarded with loyal, hard-working staff members.