Long Distance Employees: Managing Your Remote Staff

Working from home or working out of a satellite office has increased in the U.S. by over 700% in the past twenty years.

Companies are realizing significant cost savings, increased productivity, and higher morale by allowing their employees to work remotely. But managing a remote staff comes with its own unique challenges.

Virtual employees are more and more commonplace in today's workforce: outsourcing, telecommuting, virtual companies, independent contractors. The widespread prevalence of increasingly inexpensive technology has made working with others nationally and internationally both possible and affordable, and carries significant advantages: a larger workforce market from which to choose employees, along with lower overhead per employee.

However, remote employees experience unique challenges, and present unique challenges as well to their supervisors. Reduced or inadequate communication, lack of team spirit and connection, reduced employee synergy, increased sense of isolation and mission fragmentation are all common with remote employees.

Many older, established companies and the traditional HR models have not fully accounted for these challenges, and as a result, the remote employees feel unconnected to the company, and their supervisors and HR have difficulty assessing how to engage and oversee them.

In this presentation, Stephen will discuss considerations prior to implementing a remote work policy, initial actions, monitoring and communications issues, and tips, techniques, and guidance for managing and leading remote employees. Managers will learn how to manage employee performance, develop communication strategies and build virtual teams, as well as how to use additional resources, such as an employee assistance program, to support off-site employees and handle potential problems. Whether you are initiating a new remote program, inheriting an existing one, or just want a refresher, this presentation will help maximize the relationship, and productivity, between you and your virtual employees.

Learning Objectives:

• Implement planning and organizational skills in order to manage the productivity of a remote and/or global workforce
• Develop an efficient system for "staying in touch"
• Manage performance problems effectively

Presented By:

Stephen A. Caton

Stephen A. Caton is a management trainer and consultant from Delaware. Beginning as a Total Quality Manager Trainer for his Air Force Reserve Unit. He trained over 1,100 military members. Embracing a hands-on style of training, he became a management trainer for non-profit organizations through the Center for Development of Human Services in Buffalo, New York. He quickly began focusing on client needs and developed a wide array of original, customized training curricula. Soon he became a highly sought-after management consultant and trainer for both public and private organizations and businesses in the state of New York. He took a 14 year hiatus from consulting when he accepted a request to return to active duty as a C-130 aircraft instructor navigator where he eventually achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel. Having recently retired from the Air Force, he has again begun to design courses and work with management teams to improve their efficiencies and effectiveness in the workplace.

His areas of expertise are in leadership skills, systematic problem solving, project team facilitation, process improvement, and interpersonal dynamics in the workplace.