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By Dave Wilmer, Robert Half Technology
Question: "Several members of my IT staff have approached me about working remotely on a regular basis. I haven't given them an answer yet. I'm not against employees working off-site occasionally, but I worry it might undermine my department's productivity and cohesiveness if they do it too often. Do you have any recommendations for managing teleworkers that will ensure my team stays on track?"
As an IT professional, you know well that the connectivity and mobility today's communication technology provides can make home, or most anywhere, an extension of the traditional workplace. Increasingly sophisticated and reliable productivity tools such as file-sharing applications also support the "virtual office." So it's not surprising remote working is on the rise: According to the Telework Advisory Group, the number of employee telecommuters in the United States increased 39 percent, from 12.4 million in 2006 to 17.2 million in 2008.
More professionals, particularly those from Generation Y, expect employers to be flexible when it comes to work arrangements. Therefore, IT managers are wise to think more proactively and strategically about accommodating staff who would like to work remotely some or most of the time. Allowing certain employees to work off-site can actually provide real benefits for your IT department, and the organization, including reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and higher morale.
However, managing off-site personnel effectively does present some challenges. Here are a few tips for success:
Conduct a trial run -- and set expectations
The best telecommuting candidates are self-directed, organized, deadline-oriented and able to work with minimal supervision. Not everyone works well outside the traditional office -- even top performers -- so consider easing into a more formal arrangement by granting the request on a trial basis.
Setting frequent goals and benchmarks, at least at first, will help projects stay on track and ensure personnel working remotely stay focused and motivated. Be very clear about what you require from teleworking staff. For instance, tell them how quickly you would like them to respond to e-mails or phone calls. Let them know which and how many hours they should be available. Setting expectations up front will make it less complicated for you to supervise employees once they are off-site.
Resist the urge to micromanage
Trust is a critical issue when supervising remote workers. Avoid the temptation to micromanage. Of course, like all team members, these employees should be held accountable for meeting expectations. But if they sense their professionalism is doubted, and are asked to go to greater lengths than others to "prove" they are working, they no doubt will feel resentment.
Goal setting is an effective way to ensure projects stay on track and off-site employees are working productively. Many IT initiatives place a heavy emphasis on timelines, budgets and end-results, so these factors can easily serve as the basis for performance standards. A key advantage for IT managers is that there is usually an extensive document trail to help investigate concerns if problems arise with an individual's off-site work. You can verify that someone logged into the network by a certain time or determine how much development work was completed on a Web project by accessing relevant files.
Keep off-site staff in the loop
Perhaps the greatest challenge in managing remote workers is communication. Many IT professionals stay connected through e-mail, instant messaging and the telephone, but the lack of face time with colleagues can make remote workers feel isolated from the group and even harm working relationships.
You can minimize communication problems by encouraging all IT staff, regardless of location, to engage in frequent group discussions about ongoing work. Include off-site employees by speakerphone, teleconference or through an online meeting service. As a manager, you should also make a particular effort to keep employees working primarily off-site connected to the company's mission and goals. This will help them to remain invested in their projects and focused on objectives. In addition, encourage off-site staff to visit the office regularly.
Not every position lends itself to a teleworking arrangement. So unless you provide every staff member with the option, you must make it clear why some team members can work remotely and others cannot. Otherwise, you risk creating feelings of resentment among staff by giving the impression you are "playing favorites." By carefully defining the standards for working remotely and applying them consistently in your IT department, the remote working option will have a better chance of succeeding.
Dave Willmer is executive director of Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis. Robert Half Technology has more than 100 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.rht.com.
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