Managing a hybrid workforce – success strategies

Managers are now challenged to effectively manage staff remotely. The cadence of when employees must be “in the office” versus working remotely varies from credit union to credit union and even department to department. Managers and policymakers must realize that team management focuses on equity versus equality.

Let’s first identify the purpose of employees meeting together, the desired outcomes, and the common denominators of managing employees in the office versus working remotely.

1. Performance is paramount – A manager must focus on an employee’s output, task completion, and ability to meet deadlines. This is what matters the most. It doesn’t matter whether an employee is sitting in a cubicle or is remote; their ability to provide quality work and output is vital. Too many managers brought up in the “management by walking around” world try to manage staff based on time and place requirements. This “antique” management style is inappropriate in a remote work world. The focus should be on whether the employee is getting quality work done on time and not on when and where they are doing it.
2. Engagement is vital – It does not matter whether a person is on a team call or sitting in a conference room; their attention and input are essential to an engaged employee. An engaged employee demonstrates active listening skills, keeps up with the conversation flow, and readily provides input and insights. When an employee “appears” not to be engaged in the discussion, it becomes a performance issue.

 

continue reading »