Training for a Multicultural Business Environment

Do You Need Help Managing Off Site Employees?

Create A Successful Employee Training Program, Set Clear Goals & Objectives And Change Your Mindset For The Best Possible Results

According to the Telework Advisory Group for WorldatWork, millions of people throughout the United States are working in places outside of the office. In fact, 45.1 million of the 135.4 million person workforce claim to work out of their homes at least part of the time.

This should come as no surprise, as a growing number of employers are deciding to allow their employees to work outside of the office. This decision can help cut overhead costs, while at the same time allowing the employer and prospective employees the flexibility that may be necessary in order for us to hire the best possible people for our jobs.

However,  it does bring up questions such as what do off-site employees need and how can supervisors go about managing off site employees in order to make certain they are working as efficiently and effectively as possible? The reality is that our technology age has made it even easier for employees to work from remote areas. Unfortunately, technology has evolved faster than the business practices of most companies, which means many companies and their supervisors are not sure how to go about putting together a successful employee training program to use with offsite workers.

By keeping a few things in mind, however, managing off site employees doesn't have to be as difficult as some people might think. Some things to keep in mind when it comes to managing off site employees and determining what do off-site employees need include:

• Ensure your performance expectations are clear:
  
  Get your employee involved in helping to develop or refine those expectations. When off-site employees help set their goals and objectives, they are more committed to achieving them. Participation in goal setting is critical in gaining off-site ownership of those objectives, especially when you aren’t there to actively supervise or manage the work that has to be done.

• Select off site employees carefully:
  
  Not everyone is a good candidate for working off site. Be sure to choose self-motivated individuals who don’t need the constant feedback and whom you can trust to get the job done right.

• Communicate regularly:
  
  Communication is important in any setting, but this is particularly true when it comes to managing off site employees. Agree on your communication methods and intervals up front so the off-site employee understands what you want and when you want information. If we regularly follow up with them outside of or beyond the established intervals, the off-site employee may feel they are not being trusted.

• Reward performance:
  
  It is just as important to provide off site employees with recognition or opportunity for advancement as it is to provide these to on site workers. Most employees want and need positive feedback and praise to continue working at optimum effectiveness. Even though we want to hire relatively ‘low-maintenance’ employees as off-site workers, they still appreciate recognition and the opportunity for advancement.

These are just a few things to keep in mind when managing off site employees. The bottom line is that you need to change your mind set with off site employees, and you need to be sure to develop a successful employee training program in order to get the best possible results.