The pandemic has spurred a massive expansion of work-at-home options. That means new corporate structures, fresh scheduling options, and, maybe more importantly, the need for different management techniques.
Is your hiring system optimized to find the best remote management team?
Answering this question the right way could have a crucial impact on your ability to compete. A study conducted by Owl Labs showed that 70% of full-time workers operated from home during the pandemic. Meanwhile, eight out of 10 expect to continue their remote working at least three times a week, even when the risk of COVID has passed.
Get ready for this new reality by creating the most effective remote management team possible. Here are the best practices to follow to make this possible:
Create a Structure
Before you begin hiring your next round of remote managers, take a look at your overall system. Have you mastered the details as an organization? Take a moment to consider your options.
If you’ve spent the COVID period (and even some time before that) building an optimized system for managing remote workers, then you’re ready to take advantage of your investment. You should be prepared to expand your management team by plugging the right candidates into place.
However, not everyone has reached that level of performance. If you still need some work on your overall system, you have a couple of alternatives. You can either fine-tune your process before looking for new managers. Or you can focus on supervisory candidates who have the skills necessary to perfect your remote managerial system.
Invest in Tech
Human Resources makes a huge difference when you’re maximizing the management of your remote team. You need the right people in place to supervise your geographically scattered staff.
However, before you look to individuals, think about your technological backbone. When you make the hiring decisions for your remote managers, will they have the tools they need to do their best job? It’s critical to put the right tech in place.
Value Communication Skills
Managing remote workers puts a heavy emphasis on communication. If you’re not careful, you can lose effective contact with your employees. This leads to a lot of frustration and wasted effort.
It’s important that your managers have the right skills to overcome this challenge. When you make your wish list during the hiring process, put communication skill near the top. Check that they have the personality and capabilities to keep their teams on task, despite the fact that they aren’t physically together in one place.
As a result, you should gravitate towards candidates who have remote managerial experience. They can slot directly into the role you need them to fill. In addition, they can give you useful insights on how to optimize your process.
Provide Training
Training gets more complicated in a remote situation. You don’t have the easy back-and-forth that can happen during in-person conversations. That puts more impetus on you to create useful and comprehensive training materials.
Don’t limit your training efforts to front-line employees. Also consider the skill development your supervisors need to get the most out of their teams in remote situations. Invest in enrichment programs for them as well. Give them the knowledge they need to lead effectively in a new managerial landscape.
Set Guidelines and Transparent KPIs
A remote workforce puts many processes out of your line of sight. You have to trust employees to reach performance goals without you being able to micromanaging their moment-to-moment routine.
For you, this means setting clear goals. Your remote managers need to know what defines success in your eyes. By creating clear guidance and transparent performance measures, you make it easier for your supervisors to get the most out of their teams.
Looking for the best remote managers? PrideStaff can help. You’ll get the leadership you need for the new economy.
Contact PrideStaff to start building your ideal leadership team.
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