How to Manage and Evaluate Remote Teams

Are you managing direct reports remotely for the first time? Share your tips with us in the comments!

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we work a few years ago, and while some of us have long returned to an in-office environment, many of us are still able to work in a remote or hybrid capacity. That means day-to-day management and leadership—including annual or quarterly review protocols—must be adjusted, especially if we've never worked remotely before.

For those of us working remotely for the first time, including managers, there are few questions that come up when it comes to managing remote teams. First, how can we effectively lead and stay on top of performance and engagement, while also planning for fair and relevant performance reviews?

Set clear expectations for work and keep communications open

When you’re not seeing your direct reports everyday, it’s important to make very clear what your expectations are for deadlines, ongoing projects, and communications. 

• Be upfront and honest about the status of programs that may have been affected by the pandemic. Staff may be worried or unsure about whether they are expected to continue work on a program, particularly if it was reliant on outside funding.
• Familiarize yourself with—and train staff on—the use of digital collaboration tools to help your team stay connected. Be aware that many people are suffering “Zoom burnout”, and decide which methods work best for your team. Remember—just because we’re at home doesn’t mean that every communication has to be a video call.
• Schedule individual and team check-ins on a regular basis. Again, find a method that makes people feel comfortable. It may be a phone call for one person, and a Google Hangout for another. Always remain open to feedback and be willing to make adjustments to your protocols as everyone gets acclimated to a new way of working. 

Establish methods for staying on top of performance, collaboration, and growth 

One of the most challenging aspects of managing staff remotely is keeping track of what people are working on and how they are doing. Being a remote leader requires taking proactive measures and obtaining constant feedback.

• Ask for status updates from your direct reports. In addition to getting individual updates, a shareable to-do list for the team is helpful because then you are all aware of where everyone is on shared projects. This is a good way to see if team members are collaborating and on schedule to meet deadlines.
• If you find that someone is unresponsive to emails or texts, reach out to them to see what’s going on. Strive to be an empathetic leader, particularly during challenging times. 
• Give your staff the opportunity to take on new challenges. Keeping them engaged during this time away from the office is especially important for morale. Look into virtual conferences, training, and other professional development opportunities that may be beneficial.

Determine if your current review framework needs adjustment

Although many studies have shown remote workers to be more productive than their in-office counterparts, the pandemic presents a unique situation. In many cases, in-office teams did not have sufficient time to prepare for the switch to remote work. So how can this affect performance reviews?

• Managers must take into account that their team’s remote work environments may be extra-challenging due to family members or roommates sharing a space. As in any review, discuss setbacks but keep in mind the sometimes complex logistics of working from home.
• If punctuality and hours spent at the office were a consideration previously, it’s now a good time to think about better measures of productivity. The ability to meet predetermined goals by a deadline is more important than accounting for hours. 
• If COVID-19 affected any programs that were in your direct reports’ goals for the year, make sure that you revisit those goals. See how else you can measure progress and success. 

Pro Tip: Working successfully through this unexpected and difficult time is an accomplishment in itself, and should be written up in any reviews.