10 Tips on How to Better Manage People Who Work from Home

Although many of us associate the home office with convenient flexibility, for managers, it brings obstacles that, if not handled correctly, can affect productivity, communication and the satisfaction of the entire team. At TITANS, we’ve gathered practical advice on how management can overcome the many pitfalls and achieve alignment across the entire corporate department.

When the Harvard research team asked managers about their ability to lead teams that are home-office-based, they got some interesting results. Nearly half of the 215 respondents lacked confidence in that area. Focusing on a variety of industries, this international study was published in 2020.

Not much has changed in the following four years. According to TechSmith Corporation, research firm Global Workplace Analytics and Caryatid Workplace Consultancy, as many as 75% of leaders now say their companies have not adopted best practices related to remote working. Their survey, which interviewed as many as 900 executives in the U.S., also found that three-quarters of companies have not trained executives on how to manage home office teams. Not surprisingly, many prefer their subordinates to go back to the offices and face not only resistance but defiance.

However, Dr. Raghu Krishnamoorthy believes his research has captured important insights about effective leaders who led staff working from home between 2021 and 2022. They did not practice restrictive micromanagement in the form of exhaustive assessments, checklists and approvals that eroded trust. Instead, they sought to micro-understand the work of their teams.

They achieved this by better integrating into the team’s workflow, resolving problems remotely on time, and fostering trust. They delegated tasks but helped subordinates when needed; they were flexible but alert to warning signs and prevented unexpected problems. They had frequent individual and team meetings with employees, were available to them when needed, and increased their engagement in the virtual environment.

What other principles could you adopt as a manager to lead people effectively? At TITANS, we’ve compiled 10 proven recommendations for you:

1. Communicate openly. Building trust starts with transparency about the company’s expectations, goals and values. Regular contact is essential in a remote work environment, as is showing empathy and building a connection with one another. Management should create an environment in which staff feel comfortable voicing their concerns and feel confident that their input is valued.

2. Rethink your idea of productivity. Encourage your team to try productivity apps and techniques, such as Pomodoro, and implement regular performance reviews. But instead of focusing on hours worked, emphasize meeting deadlines and producing high-quality work. Set clear, measurable goals, priorities and expectations, but give your team the autonomy to achieve them in their own way.

3. Maintain boundaries between your career and personal life. Leadership should lead by example in promoting effective communication and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Your team will also appreciate it if you encourage them to take regular breaks and not expect them to be available during their time off. Fostering a culture that values mindfulness, mental health, and well-being is key.

4. Strengthen team cohesion. Organise virtual team-building activities and informal get-togethers to celebrate milestones and achievements together, even if it’s just via video chat. Creating online communities where team members can share personal interests and experiences can also help. If possible, organise occasional face-to-face meetings or team retreats to strengthen relationships and change the environment.

5. Don’t underestimate safety risks. Investing in reliable technical support and providing your team with the necessary hardware and software is essential. Regular training on new tools and best practices can also enhance cybersecurity. Don’t forget that open communication about technical issues speeds up their resolution and minimises disruption of workflow.

6. Integrate new team members. Develop a comprehensive home office onboarding programme that includes virtual meetings, the creation of mentor buddy pairs, and clear documentation of processes and expectations. Encourage the existing staff to reach out to new people and offer them support. Regular meetings during the first few months will also help them.

7. Encourage professional growth. Organisations must create career development opportunities for home office staff. Examples include regular performance reviews, transparent promotion criteria, virtual mentoring programs, as well as encouraging people working from home to take on visible projects and actively participate in team meetings.

8. Don’t overload people with digital communication. Establish clear communication guidelines, such as appropriate times for sending emails and expected response times.  You can also introduce blocks of time with no communication to allow your team to focus on the work. And regularly reassess whether it’s possible to reduce the number of meetings.

9. Show flexibility. Your team is made up of individuals with unique lives and needs. Some may be parents who operate from home. Others may like to take their work with them when they travel and join meetings from the lobby of a hostel or coffee shop. To manage their personal life in combination with their work life, it is important to show understanding and flexibility.

10. Create an open-door policy. Tell both home office staff and those who work on site that they can contact you at any time and that while you may not be able to respond immediately, there is never too much communication.

Working from home presents us with constant opportunities to push ourselves further. Fortunately, it’s never too late to improve your management strategies and tap into your team’s potential. With the right approach, you’ll not only overcome the above-mentioned challenges but you’ll also gain a new range of professional opportunities and better work results. Fingers crossed!