Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning Volume 16 Number 4
Tips for managing a remote workforce
Cary Jasgur
Amalgamated Bank,
275 7th Avenue,
New York, NY 10001,
USA
Tel +1 212 895 4828;
E-mail: caryjasgur@
amalgamatedbank.com
Journal of Business Continuity
& Emergency Planning
Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 346–358
© Henry Stewart Publications,
1749–9216
Page 346
Received (in revised form): 21st November 2022
Cary Jasgur
First Vice President, Enterprise Resilience, Amalgamated Bank, USA
Cary Jasgur is the First Vice President,
Enterprise Resilience for Amalgamated
Bank. He has over 30 years of experience
in various areas of resilience and recovery,
having managed responses to disaster events
both within the USA and globally, including
the H1N1 pandemic, Super Storm Sandy,
and the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a regular
speaker at organisational resilience confer-
ences. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree
in technical management and dual Master of
Science degrees in organisational leadership
and project leadership and management. He
is also a certified Master Business Continuity
Professional, Fellow of the Business
Continuity Institute, and Project Management
Professional.
Abstract
With the initial disruption of COVID-19 now
settling down, organisations are finding them-
selves in a new situation, where some of their
previously onsite workforce is now fully remote
or working according to a hybrid model of onsite
and remote work, and some new employees
have been hired as fully remote. This new
model of dispersed employees presents managers,
supervisors and leaders with fresh challenges
when it comes to checking in on employees and
providing them with the guidance, they need to
perform their daily functions. This paper sup-
plies key tips for the successful management of
remote workforces. As well as how to balance
the team dynamic with employees in multiple
locations and differing work types, such as,
fully remote, hybrid and onsite, the paper will
also explore the use of various technologies and
methods for ensuring employees are working
to the best of their ability and continue to be
content and productive in whatever environment
they find themselves working.
Keywords: remote workforce, work
from home, business continuity, dis-
aster recovery, enterprise resilience
INTRODUCTION
Over the past few years, there have been
various remote workforce models. Back in
November 2019, when remote working
was considered a privilege rather than a
practical possibility, everyone was in the
office working and interacting in much
the same way as they always had.
Jump ahead to April 2020, and everyone
was working from a remote location due to
COVID-19, diligently logging into Zoom,
or a similar platform, dressed in office attire
for meetings and other points of business.
Fast-forward to December 2020, and
everyone was still working remotely, albeit
with a less formal dress code.
Fast-forward again to July 2021, when
remote work was still the norm, people
were increasingly reluctant to turn on
their cameras, and in some cases, the
business call or meeting was a ‘monitored
event’ rather than an active environment.
Finally, today, most organisations have
transitioned to a new model, commonly
referred to as ‘hybrid’, where some
employees are onsite working in the office,
others are working remotely, and some do
a combination of both.
Today’s managers, supervisors and
leaders are left asking themselves two very
important questions: (1) how do managers,

supervisors and leaders maintain a connec-
tion with their employees, regardless of
where they are working? and (2) how do
managers, supervisors and leaders ensure
that that business operations in this new
multi-faceted world are getting done the
way they should and when they should?
This paper will unpack and explore
the tools that managers, supervisors and
leaders can use to ensure business opera-
tions continue as they should and that
employees are engaged at the proper level.
It will also explore where resilience pro-
fessionals can aid in implementing and
documenting the new workforce models.
In addition, the paper will uncover some
of the potential downsides of these new
workforce models.
The recommended practices, protocols
and procedures outlined in this paper do
not constitute legal advice; rather, they
are intended as suggestions and should
be altered, where necessary, to fit the
individual organisation, state and national
requirements, as well as applicable laws.
STEPS TO SUCCESS
In what follows, this paper explores the
following five steps to successfully man-
aging one’s remote workforce:
• Putting the employee first;
• Setting the stage;
• Equipping the team;
• Making it work; and
• Continuous improvement.
Putting the employee first
‘Take care of your employees and they
will take care of your business. It is as
simple as that!’1
Successful managers, supervisors and
leaders can show the strengths, weaknesses
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and needs of the individuals who work to
support business operations. They then
use that information to nurture and moti-
vate each individual employee. That same
insight and management style must be
applied to how they work remotely.
Consider this: in a team with 12
members, there are 12 different sets of
needs to meet. If that team is to perform
to the best of its ability, it is essential that
everyone is engaged.
This goes for the hours they work, as
well. If one employee prefers to work in
the early hours of the day, encourage it; if
another is more of a night owl, allow that.
If the work is meeting business require-
ments and needs, then treat employees as
the individuals they are.
While putting the employee first is
crucial to an organisation’s success, there
are potential downfalls to the ‘flexible
schedule’. Most obviously, it reduces the
overlap needed for proper collaboration
during the workday. This will be explored
further in due course.
Ask the employee what makes them
productive
Ask employees what makes them produc-
tive in a remote environment and follow
up by asking what makes them produc-
tive when working onsite. Based on this
feedback, task a small committee with
creating an innovative solution to bring
those things that make employees more
productive while onsite into the remote
environment.
When designing a productive plan for
remote employees, keep the following
three criteria in mind:
• They get through their work and finish
a reasonable quantity of tasks. This
means they are meeting deadlines and
not spending too much time on any
one thing;
• They do quality work. The finished
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Tips for managing a remote workforce
results meet or exceed the organisation’s
expectations;
• They do not waste time on things that
are lower priorities. Instead, they use
time and effort efficiently.
While it may not be possible to meet every
employee’s needs for productivity, be sure
to meet as many as possible across the
entire employee base.
Focus on employees’ professional
growth
For a manager, supervisor or leader to
develop a positive employee experience,
they must invest in each employee’s growth
and development. This needs to be built
on a foundation of transparency, owner-
ship over the process and connection to a
purpose.
Focus more on employees’ professional
growth and achievements than on how
to supervise them. If the organisation is
helping employees grow their skill sets, it
will be easier for them to meet or exceed
expectations with their accomplishments.
Do not worry about what they are doing;
worry about how well they get things done.
The first step in developing a better
employee experience is unlocking a
mindset that the workplace, whether onsite
or remote, is not just a place to complete
tasks, collaborate on projects or churn
out products. It is also a place to train,
learn and grow. Employees should be able
to see their organisation as a pathway to
developing skills to improve their whole
self while also building stability in their
careers.
Developing and supporting professional
growth may prove to be more difficult
with fully remote employees. Here, it
is especially important have a clear idea
about how they learn best, whether that
be onsite training or virtual training,
and provide them the tools to be suc-
cessful. They will return the favour with a
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renewed vigour in how they perform their
assigned work.
Offer encouragement and emotional
support
Isolation is a problem that can affect the
psychological wellbeing of employees.
Especially in the context of an abrupt
shift to remote work, it is important
for managers, supervisors and leaders to
acknowledge stress, listen to employees’
anxieties and concerns, and sympathise
with their struggles.
If a remote employee is clearly strug-
gling but not communicating stress or
anxiety, ask them how they are doing.
Even a general question such as ‘How is
this remote work situation working out for
you so far?’ can elicit vital information that
might not otherwise be heard. Having asked
the question, be sure to listen carefully to
the response before briefly restating it back
to the employee to ensure they have been
correctly understood. Let the employee’s
stress or concerns, rather than your own,
be the focus of this conversation.
Do not neglect one-on-ones
Team camaraderie is important, but so is
being available to talk to employees on
a one-to-one basis. This gives employees
the chance to address any issues they might
be afraid to bring up in group meetings, or
do not want to discuss via e-mail for fear
of being misunderstood.
In addition to providing a suitable
forum to air issues that employees might
not want to discuss elsewhere, one-on-one
conversations also provide a terrific way to
check in with employees about their role
and how it is aligning with their overall
career goals.
Understand common remote work
challenges
To start, managers, supervisors and leaders
need to understand factors that can make

remote work especially challenging.
Otherwise, high-performing employees
may experience a decline in job per-
formance and engagement when they
begin working remotely, especially in the
absence of preparation and training.
Challenges inherent in remote work
include: (1) lack of face time with co-
workers, managers, supervisors and
leaders, (2) lack of access to information,
(3) social isolation, (4) surrounding dis-
tractions, (5) communication breakdowns
and bottlenecks, and (6) video fatigue.
Closing the loop
While the success of any organisation
depends on its employees, it is important
to understand that the activities described
in this section do not represent a one-and-
done task list. They must be continually
updated to meet the ever-changing needs
of both the employees and the organisa-
tion itself. Failure to do this could lead to
employee dissatisfaction and higher than
normal turnover.
Setting the stage
‘If you create the stage setting and it is
grand, everyone who enters will play
their part.’2
Many organisations have made a switch
from onsite to hybrid or fully remote
workforces over the last few years. While
remote and hybrid models have many
benefits, managing employees from a
distance can present new challenges for
managers, supervisors and leaders. For
example, it can be difficult to keep track
of performance and productivity while
helping remote employees feel connected
and part of the team.
Leading a remote team sometimes
requires loosening the reins a little while
finding ways to continue to hold employees
accountable.
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Clarify the mission and overcommunicate it
Get clarity on the mission from senior
leadership and then overcommunicate it to
all employees regardless of where they are
working. Today’s remote employees need
to be reminded that the mission was never
about offices or work hours. How people
work together might have changed, but
the mission — the reason for the work
in the first place — has not changed.
Remote employees need that infusion of
purpose.
Employ the activities discussed in the
earlier section to ensure that leadership’s
connection with its employees still is
strong and bi-directional.
Establish rules of engagement
Remote work becomes more efficient and
satisfying when managers, supervisors and
leaders set expectations for the frequency,
means and ideal timing of communica-
tion with employees. For example, ‘We
use videoconferencing for daily check-in
meetings, but we use instant messaging
when something is urgent’.
It is also advisable to let employees
know the best way and time to reach you
during the workday (eg ‘I tend to be more
available late in the day for ad hoc phone
or video conversations, but if there is an
emergency earlier in the day, send me a
text’).
Finally, keep an eye on communication
among employees, to the extent proper, to
ensure that they are sharing information as
needed.
It is recommended that managers,
supervisors and leaders set up these ‘rules
of engagement’ (as they are known in
the military) with employees as soon as
possible, ideally during the first online
check-in meeting. While some choices
about specific expectations may be better
than others, the most crucial factor is that
all employees share the same set of expec-
tations for communication.
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Tips for managing a remote workforce
Remote workers may be allowed to
choose different schedules for how they
work — not to slack, but to fit when they
are most productive during the day.
Because everyone is different, having
some set standards to concentrate on and
measure productivity can be useful.
Set timeframes. These could be daily,
weekly, or monthly. It should not matter
what times employees choose to work,
unless for example, they are offering cus-
tomer support. It also should not matter in
which time zone they are working.
Define key performance indicators; for
example, you may want a content writer
to send a certain word count every week.
Set milestones for tasks or for overall
projects. Bigger tasks can especially benefit
from this as it not only makes things easier
but can also help with the collection of
data for future planning.
It is important to set clear expectations
when discussing productivity standards
with employees. Some productivity stand-
ards will vary with the job; others may be
standard across the organisation.
Although documenting productivity
standards may seem like too much of an
extra effort, it can help with spotting
trends that need to be addressed. It can
also help to spot burnout or the need for
added training to fix a bottleneck that is
affecting productivity.
Create clear communication guidelines
If working remotely, it is easy to let commu-
nication fall by the wayside and let employees
work independently. This is important to
avoid. The aim is to create a virtual team
presence where all feel comfortable.
This can get complicated in larger
organisations, where some employees are
remote and others are not, or there are
multiple remote employees working in
various locations or time zones.
Communication guidelines should be
shared with new hires as part of their
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onboarding process and may include such
things as: (1) how the team prefers to com-
municate — e-mail versus text message
versus chat versus phone versus video
conferencing; (2) when the team prefers
to communicate, regular meetings, certain
days or times (not forgetting to adjust for
different time zones); (3) expected e-mail,
or other communication turnaround
times; and (4) information on heads-down
days, if the organisation utilises them.
Communication is one area where the
resilience team can aid in increasing or
defining communications. Often, commu-
nication methods are outlined in business
resilience plans. Work with the resilience
team to ensure communication methods
and timelines are properly outlined in the
plan and understood by everyone within
the department.
Be sensitive to overworking and
overloading
This is about both good management and
good self-management.
As a manager, supervisor or leader, it is
important not to assign too much work or
to impose excessively tight deadlines on
employees. Be open to discussion with all
employees, regardless of where they work
from. If they feel like they are under too
much pressure, be prepared to adjust work
to make things a little easier for them.
As a remote employee, (1) set time
limits on how long you work without
a break; (2) make a conscious effort to
prevent work–life boundaries from blur-
ring by ensuring there is a clear divide
between work and non-work activities
— this should also take into consideration
where your work location is, to ensure
it is separate from your home life, such
as working from a dedicated office space
rather than the dining-room table; and
(3) take regular exercise — this could
be as simple as taking the dog for a
walk a few times a day — even if that

means borrowing one from a neighbour
or friend.
Trust your employees
While it is not possible to watch over
one’s employees when they work remotely
in the same way as one can if they are
working onsite, this does not mean they
are not getting the job done. If you cannot
trust them, ask yourself why you hired
them in the first place or what happened
that caused you to lose trust in them.
Organisations need to embrace trust.
Trust your employees and set up metrics to
hold them accountable. Working remotely
may entail having to work at times that
are more conducive to your personal pro-
ductivity and what works for your home
life. If having 9-to-5 office hours does
not make you productive, think about the
amount of unproductive time spent in the
office between meetings.
As a manager, supervisor or leader, it is
vital to have the utmost trust and confi-
dence that one’s employees will do the right
thing — and they will, if provided with a
supportive structure. Managers, supervi-
sors and leaders may be concerned and
even frustrated about losing the constant
visibility of their employees they once had,
but micromanagement is not the solution.
That results only in disengagement and
fatigue among already stressed employees.
Do not fixate on perceived performance
problems; lean on established performance
management systems if necessary.
Be organised and flexible
It is not always easy to manage a remote
workforce. With some roles — contact
centre employees, for example — it may
be more difficult to exercise flexibility.
However, this does not mean the answer
lies in micromanaging remote employees.
For example, if they have a set number
of hours to work in a five-day period, then,
if possible, allow them to structure their
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day in any way that suits them. Flexibility
is important not only for employees, but
also for managers, supervisors and leaders.
When it comes to collaborating with
remote employees, the key is to allow flex-
ible hours to keep consistency. Although
a concrete plan is necessary, it is essential
to adjust strategies as needed. Whether
employees choose to put in their hours in
the morning or evening should not matter
if the work gets completed and is of high
quality.
The big challenge is that every team
member will have a different home envi-
ronment. Some will have spouses and
children; some will not. Some will have
private home offices, while some will be
taking meetings from the closet, bedroom,
kitchen, living room or bathroom. Some
may be at Starbucks or their favourite coffee
house. Some may be experiencing chal-
lenges in their relationships. The important
thing is to be sympathetic to the unique
circumstances of each employee. Inside the
office or out, nothing is perfect — and this
is normal. However, if society can endure
global pandemics, social unrest, economic
downturns, fires, hurricanes, locusts and
meteors, then managing remote employees
sounds simple, does it not?
Equipping the team
‘Great leaders focus on equipping their
team. It is unfair to expect what you did
not equip.’3
When team members are working
remotely, they tend to lack access to the
full range of tools and equipment they
would have if working onsite. The tools
and equipment they will need will vary by
industry and their responsibilities.
Provide resources
No great battlefield commander sends
their troops into the fray without proper
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Tips for managing a remote workforce
training and resources. OK, that might
not be entirely correct, but you get the
general idea. Remote employees need
new laptops, decent Wi-Fi and modern
technologies such as multiple monitors,
external keyboards and mice, headsets and
webcams. This may mean shifting already
strained budgets towards crucial tools. Set
the team up for success.
This is another area where the resil-
ience team can help. Review the resource
requirements section of the resilience plan
to ensure that all employee needs are
accounted for, regardless of whether they
are remote or onsite. Consider what an
onsite employee would need to work from
a remote location.
Take advantage of technology
Make sure employees have the technology
they need to be successful, bearing in
mind that this may entail more than just
a mobile phone and laptop. If employees
are expected to attend virtual meetings, do
they have adequate cameras? Even in the
absence of extensive technology and col-
laboration tools, it is still possible to equip
employees to function effectively when
remote. But do not assume that people
know how to work with virtual commu-
nications or are comfortable in the virtual
environment.
By now, most office workers have been
forced down a path of digital transforma-
tion that would once have taken most
organisations months, if not years, to adopt.
Popular collaboration tools such as Zoom,
Google Meet and Microsoft Teams offer
simple but effective platforms for day-to-
day interactions, offering much more than
the limited capabilities of mobile phones
and text messaging.
Acknowledge that virtual commu-
nications are different and will not be
perfect but should still be professional and
respectful. Be mindful that they may be
less comfortable and effective for some,
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and coach employees on when and how to
escalate ineffective virtual exchanges. For
example, if an issue has not been settled
within six e-mails, the conversation may
need to shift to a virtual meeting to get
closure.
Encourage employees to be on camera
when using collaboration platforms — not
only does this allow the team to support
a ‘visual’ connection, but it also serves
to ensure the employee is engaged in the
discussion.
Remove obstacles
Remote employees may face a number
of unforeseen obstacles. These include
but are not limited to: (1) physical and
emotional isolation; (2) distractions at
home pulling them in multiple directions;
(3) children engaged in home-schooling;
and (4) Amazon ringing the doorbell
every hour.
On top of this, certain issues faced by
the organisation may be placing undue
pressure on remote employees. These may
include: (1) change; (2) new silos; (3) fear;
and (4) complexity. Managers, supervisors
and leaders are responsible for protecting
their employees so that they can focus on
their immediate responsibilities. Remove
as many obstacles as possible while still
supporting crucial business operations.
Other sections within this paper offer
solutions for removing such obstacles on
an employee-by-employee basis.
Ensure the proper tools are available and
accessible
As discussed, it is important to ensure
remote employees have easy access to all
the tools they need. To this end, managers,
supervisors and leaders may have to col-
laborate with employees to identify exactly
what is needed to ease remote working.
Remote employees need access to the
same things as onsite employees. This may
include but is not limited to: (1) policy

and procedure manuals, (2) presentation
templates and supplies, (3) mail supplies
and stationery, (4) applications and soft-
ware, and, if applicable, (5) corporate
credit card.
Most remote work can be conducted
with little more than a computer, internet
access, a phone and a headset. However,
there may be additional tools and resources
to help employees remain productive, such
as: (1) access to digital communication
tools and files; (2) a small printer or an
account at a local copy shop or mail
services centre, all with clearly commu-
nicated spending limits; (3) organisational
provided laptops; (4) reliable internet con-
nection, access to a co-working space or
personal hotspot; and (5) digital video-
conferencing tools like Zoom or Microsoft
Teams.
Provide a way to collaborate
E-mail alone is insufficient as a collabora-
tion tool. Remote workers benefit from
having a ‘richer’ technology experience,
such as video conferencing, which gives
participants many of the visual cues that
they would have if they were face-to-face.
Video conferencing has many advan-
tages, especially for smaller groups. For
example, visual cues allow for increased
‘mutual knowledge’ about co-workers and
help reduce the sense of isolation among
teams. Video is also particularly useful for
complex or sensitive conversations, as it
feels more personal than written or audio-
only communication.
However, video fatigue is a clear down-
side to using collaboration tools. Ensure
that remote employees have a balance
between on and off ‘screen time’. This
will ensure that remote employees are
less likely to be overwhelmed by video-
conference meetings.
There are other circumstances when
quick collaboration is more important
than visual detail. For these situations,
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supply mobile-enabled individual mes-
saging functionality, like Slack, Zoom or
Microsoft Teams, which can be used for
simpler, less formal conversations, as well
as time-sensitive communication.
Supplying a shared document, or repos-
itory, such as Microsoft SharePoint or
Teams, which tracks work activities is
a way managers, supervisors and leaders
can stay apprised of what their employees
are doing. It is a good exercise, even
when employees are onsite, and it helps
managers, supervisors and leaders refine
their expectations and responsibilities with
respect to employees. An added benefit
to this type of platform is that it supplies
system of record for the team’s docu-
mentation. In this respect, it is important
to collaborate with the resilience team
to ensure the location of vital records is
documented in the resilience plan.
It is also important that the team agree
on standards of acceptable behaviour for
virtual collaboration, such as how quickly
to respond to messages from colleagues. Is
it all right, for example, to send a quick
message to say ‘I will call you back’ if
you are focused deeply on something else
when a co-worker reaches out?
Making it work
‘If you really want something you can
figure out how to make it happen.’
(Cher)
Increased organisations with physical
locations are starting to build out their
remote teams. It is important for such
organisations to recognise that not all the
management challenges associated with
remote work are new. In fact, many of the
same principles associated with managing
an onsite team still hold true.
The key lies in finding the right balance
between onsite employees and remote
employees.
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Tips for managing a remote workforce
Weekly review meetings for all
Conduct review meetings where all team
members get to present what they are
currently working on and the issues they
are facing on at least a weekly basis. In
addition to such general meetings, man-
agers, supervisors and leaders should also
schedule one-on-one meetings. These
meetings should focus on the employee’s
issues and removing any obstacles that
might hinder their performance.
For remote employees, it may take a
little extra effort to recreate common
workplace water-cooler communication.
When there is a mix of offsite and onsite
employees, remote managers, supervisors
and leaders should seek team-building
opportunities to include everyone when-
ever possible.
It may seem artificial or cumbersome at
first, but it is worth encouraging remote
employees to maintain regular contact
with the team. What constitutes ‘regular
contact’ depends, of course, on the job
and the tasks that remote employees must
conduct.
Create a variety of touch points for
everyone
Create a variety of touch points with the
remote workforce to promote the flex-
ibility of social engagements with senior
staff and increase presence and visibility.
Create a buzz around them to encourage
and attract engagement. Align them
with key issues of interest to employees.
Consider also a more tailored approach to
work packages and rewards — this will be
of keen interest to staff.
Many workers feel isolated and diso-
riented in this new work reality. It is
therefore important to build connections
with employees.
Share positive feedback, open a fun
chat channel, or try and ‘grab coffee’
together— whatever helps support a
sense of normality and solidarity and
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reminds everyone they are not working
in isolation.
Good managers, supervisors and
leaders make themselves available to team
members. They go above and beyond
to keep an open-door policy for remote
employees, making themselves available
across multiple time zones and through
multiple channels of communication.
‘Localise’ employees
Treat the remote workforce as if it is local.
Invite remote workers to the facility at
least once a year. If that is not possible,
then make the effort to visit them by
holding a regional meeting near them. In
addition, let remote employees take part
in ‘local’ events such as charity functions
and team meetings via Zoom or Microsoft
Teams.
Humans are social animals and 100 per
cent remote/virtual work compromises
real engagement. One solution would be
to have a combination of remote and
onsite workdays. Get teams together phys-
ically using co-working spaces in locations
where there is no office. Planning small
cross-functional team meetings can also
help foster broader engagement beyond
the digital connections.
Organisations need to incorporate
culture and increase positive feedback and
social interactions. Remote work can be
exhausting. Managers, supervisors and
leaders need to incorporate celebrations
such as team wins and successes, and even
a degree of chit-chat to make the remote
workplace more like an office. Remote
employees will feel more excited to be
part of the team and productivity and
retention will also increase.
Managers, supervisors and leaders can
also build personal time into meetings,
allowing for 5–10 minutes at the begin-
ning or end of meetings for everyone to
give a personal update. The big upside of
using video conferencing for these ideas is

that it naturally leads to more impromptu,
unplanned conversations that can often
lead to some of the best ideas from team
members.
Focus on outcomes, not activity
This is widely known as a best practice for
increasing engagement and empowering
employees. Rather than micromanage
employees, define the goals and desired
results as clearly as possible, then allow
employees — who have the training and
resources to execute — to develop a
plan of execution, enhanced creativity and
ownership.
In the remote workforce, where many
people are juggling work and family com-
mitments in their own homes, enable
employees to complete their work however
is easiest and most productive for them.
The 9 am team meeting may have to go,
along with the lengthy approval process.
Schedule collaboration at mutually agree-
able times and lean on virtual tools
wherever possible. Flexibility empowers
teams to complete their assignments in
their own way.
As a manager, supervisor or leader, it is
important to stop paying attention to the
process and pay more attention to what
things are getting done. Talk to employees
about what work functions they need to
complete.
Encourage remote social interactions
One of the most essential steps a manager,
supervisor or leader can take is to structure
ways for employees to interact socially, that
is, to have informal conversations about
non-work topics, while working remotely.
This is true for all remote employees, but
particularly so for employees who have
recently transitioned to a fully remote
environment.
Such events include virtual happy hours,
pizza parties and recognition sessions. The
important thing is not to overdo it with
Jasgur
even more Zoom meetings but to carve
out time for non-work-related conversa-
tions and activities during meetings that
have already been scheduled. Then, on
occasion, plan for that happy hour or pizza
party.
The easiest way to set up some basic
social interaction is to leave some time
at the beginning of team calls just for
non-work items (eg ‘We are going to
spend the first few minutes just catching
up with each other. How was your
weekend?’). Other options include virtual
pizza parties, in which pizza is delivered to
all team members at the time of a video
conference, or virtual office parties, in
which party ‘care packages’ can be sent
in advance to be opened and enjoyed
simultaneously.
Another alternative is a virtual cooking
class. This is where a ‘host’ prepares the
dish right along with the employees in
a virtual setting. The recipe is sent out
in advance so that employees can gather
all the ingredients ahead of time of the
virtual cooking class. Just find a recipe
that is interesting, appeals to everyone
and is easy to prepare in the allotted
timeframe.
While these types of events may sound
artificial or contrived, experienced man-
agers, supervisors and leaders of remote
employees, as well as the employees them-
selves, report that virtual events help
reduce feelings of isolation and promote a
sense of belonging.
Continuous improvement
‘We cannot become what we want by
remaining where we are.’ (Max Dupree)
This section shows how to take what has
been built and carry it into the future to
make the remote workforce and organisa-
tion more successful to support current
and future business operations.
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Tips for managing a remote workforce
Mentor more than manage
The best managers, supervisors and leaders
mentor and coach more than manage.
They also understand the not-so-subtle
nuances and differences between the disci-
plines of leadership and management. Just
because the world is mired in volatility,
complexity and ambiguity, does not mean
we should stop developing our remote
workforce and ourselves. Sometimes this
requires outside help, new initiatives and
making the time.
Each of the topics previously discussed
in this paper fall into the category of
simple but not easy. They each need
time, attention and consistency. But your
remote workforce will thank you. The
organisation will benefit and the team will
be more equipped with the battle gear
necessary to navigate the murky waters of
change.
Managers, supervisors and leaders should
not have to look over their employees’
shoulders while they are onsite, and they
should not have to do it when they
are remote either. Regular one-on-one
check-ins help to avoid micromanaging,
while still making it possible to keep a
pulse on employees and provide them
with an opportunity to ensure feedback
goes both ways.
Where employees are communicating
clearly and meeting goals and deadlines,
they are being productive and doing their
jobs effectively.
Gather regular feedback
If moving to a remote model for the first
time, or even if it is an ongoing process,
gathering feedback is essential to ensure
that it is working well for employees, as
well as the organisation.
Establish transparent feedback rituals
with a clear focus on what is working
well. Establish small, continuous steps for
further development so that the remote
workforce finds sufficient motivation to
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make desired changes. These are impor-
tant rituals for interim assessments of how
the cooperation is succeeding and who
can supply especially appreciative feedback
on remote, real-time collaboration.
Feedback helps show weak points that
need adjusting or even things that are not
working at all. There are various ways
this can be accomplished: (1) one-on-
ones — if you are already having virtual
meetings with individual employees, use
them to ask if they feel current processes
work well; (2) polls — anonymous polls
or surveys can gather data on different
aspects of the remote work model; and
(3) workshops — if physical workshops
are viable, use them to troubleshoot any
potential or existing issues with the remote
work model.
Depending upon the employee and the
nature of their job, the level of interaction
may need to be adjusted. For example,
one employee may need a call once a
week while another employee may need
daily calls.
Keeping productive workflows in mind
and as much as schedules permit, man-
agers, supervisors and leaders should be
adaptable to employee needs and calendars.
Increase recognition
Effective recognition motivates the recip-
ient and serves as a strong signal to other
employees of behaviours they should
emulate. It does not need to be mon-
etary; consider public acknowledgment,
tokens of appreciation, development
opportunities and low-cost rewards. Take
this opportunity to supply development
opportunities for employees who may not
normally be recognised due to their work
location.
Given the lack of visibility in a remote
environment, improve monitoring tech-
niques and relationships with direct reports.
Use simple pulse surveys to ask specific
questions or track output to collect data

and find areas for recognition. By meeting
with employees virtually and asking what
barriers they have overcome or how their
peers have helped them, it is possible to
find elements to recognise and share the
accomplishments of teams and individuals.
Encourage innovation
Innovation and risk-taking are important
for employee engagement and organisa-
tional success. Even when an organisation
has constraints on new investments, man-
agers, supervisors and leaders can
emphasise the need and supply opportuni-
ties for incremental innovation or process
improvements.
Supply opportunities to share successes
and ways to improve on potential failures.
Try to highlight the value of employees
continuing to scale their activities and
ensure that any risks are worthwhile.
Remember to listen
The most successful managers, supervisors
and leaders are good listeners, communicate
trust and respect, enquire about workload,
progress without micromanaging and err
on the side of over-communicating.
Surveys are an often-underutilised
tool. A monthly or quarterly employee
net promoter score (an indicator of how
likely an employee would be to promote
their organisation to other job seekers),
for example, can be useful, along with
surveys for a deeper dive into employee
sentiments.
If managers, supervisors and leaders
are asking for feedback from employees,
something needs to be done about it. In
short, if employees are speaking, managers,
supervisors and leaders should be listening.
Celebrate success
Celebrating a milestone like an anniver-
sary, a birthday or an impressive set of
grades is a nice feeling, but it is even
better when someone else notices our
Jasgur
achievements and makes the effort to
acknowledge them.
Celebrating achievement within the
workplace can boost confidence and increase
motivation. Showing appreciation can also
boost the organisation’s reputation, improve
retention and help attract top talent.
Managers, supervisors and leaders
should also look for opportunities to cele-
brate the same work milestones that would
be celebrated onsite. Employees just might
have to switch out their high-five for a
virtual elbow bump.
So, how does one acknowledge and
applaud success? Here are nine options, all
of which can be tailored to a team’s spe-
cific needs; (1) just say it; (2) share success
stories;(3) pay it forward; (4) give a gift; (5)
get together socially; (6) organise a team day
out; (7) offer extra holidays; (8) set up a hall
of fame; and (9) have an awards ceremony.
RESILIENCE FOR A REMOTE
WORKFORCE
Planning activities for remote workers
When creating your resilience plans be
sure to include steps, activities or processes
that account for the remote workforce as
well as the onsite employees.
The response and recovery steps for
onsite employees may be different from
those of the remote workforce. For
example, in the scenario of loss of primary
work location, the onsite employee will
simply move to an alternative site, whether
that be a home office or a workforce
recovery location. What about the remote
worker who is already working from a
home office — where are they to go?
Consider that there may be other issues
at play for the remote workforce, for
example, has something happened to their
home? Is their focus really on completing
business tasks? Ensure that plans account
for an alternative location for the remote
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Tips for managing a remote workforce
workforce so that they can continue to
meet business needs, while addressing any
personal issues that may arise.
All managers, supervisors and leaders
who have a remote workforce should
collaborate with their resilience team to
ensure that department-level resilience
plans account for the remote workforce
regardless of the disruption type.
In addition to planning for an alternative
work location, also consider redundancies
for power, internet connection and voice
communications.
Enabling remote workforce
preparedness
If not already in place, encourage remote
workers to create a personal or family pre-
paredness plan for their home office. This
would be like creating a shelter-in-place
plan for onsite workers. To aid in the crea-
tion of such plans, resources are available
from such organisations as Ready.gov (in
the USA), Get Prepared (in Canada) and
Preparing for Emergencies (in the UK).
Alternatively, simply search Google for
‘personal preparedness resources’ within
the regional area in question.
Tests and exercises for a remote
workforce
When testing resilience plans, be sure
to include remote employees in those
activities. As remote employees will have
different response procedures from those
working onsite, it is important to ensure
Page 358
that the designed procedures work as they
should in case of a disruption. This will
not only increase the inclusion that remote
workers need to be successful but will also
ensure that all plans consider the needs and
environment of both remote and onsite
employees.
CONCLUSION
This paper has discussed five steps for
the successful management of a remote
workforce, including some of the down-
sides of being a remote employee, as
well as resilience considerations for remote
employees. These principles are designed
to be adapted to specific organisations,
teams and employees, and where necessary
should be adjusted to ensure all employees
are treated equally and with the respect
they deserve.
References
(1) Yuen, L. (November 2018), ‘Take care
of you employees and they will take
care of business. It’s as simple as that
— Richard Branson’, The Life Lesson,
available at http://thelifelesson.com/
take-care-of-your-employees-and-
they-will-take-care-of-your-business/
(accessed August 2022).
(2) AZ Quotes, ‘Morris Lapidus’, available
at https://www.azquotes.com/
quote/1122462 (accessed August 2022).
(3) AZ Quotes, ‘Chris Hogan’, available
at https://www.azquotes.com/
quote/1427662 (accessed August 2022).
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