Staying Positive as a Remote Manager

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Remote managers face a tough balance. On the one hand, these managers must ensure remote workers remain productive and efficient. Yet, remote managers must also maintain a positive outlook, so they can help workers achieve the best possible results.

Ultimately, it can be difficult for remote managers to stay positive. However, with the right approach to everyday activities, remote managers can alleviate stress, depression, and other common work-from-home issues — and help remote workers do the same.

Now, let's look at five tips to help you stay positive as a remote manager.

1. Keep the Lines of Communication Open

Encourage remote workers to keep in touch via email, video chat, and other communication methods. That way, these workers will have no trouble getting in touch with you if they have any concerns or questions.

Also, show empathy when you communicate with remote workers. Everyone is human and deserves to be treated as such. So, doing things like greeting your remote employees with a friendly "hello" at the start of their work shift or setting up daily check-ins can help you show your staff you care.

Give your remote workers a heads up about any major life changes as well. For instance, if you are moving, share details about your relocation with your remote employees. And, remain accessible to respond to any concerns or questions as your move gets underway.

2. Promote a Healthy Work-Life Balance

Provide your remote employees with myriad opportunities to get away from the hustle and bustle of work. Otherwise, your workers may be tempted to try to complete tasks around the clock. The result: an unhealthy work-life balance, along with various health problems.

Watch for signs of depression and fatigue among your remote workers, too. Employees who appear disinterested in work activities or have trouble concentrating on everyday tasks may be coping with depression and/or fatigue. They can also experience joint and/or muscle pain, a sore throat, and other physical symptoms.

Once again, communication is key, particularly when it comes to promoting a healthy work-life balance among your remote workforce. Let remote employees know to come forward if they feel overworked or stressed out. At this point, you can work with these employees to incorporate ways to cope with their work-from-home stresses, such as creating a routine and adhering to boundaries between work and personal life. Over time, you can ensure your remote workers can optimize their work-life balance.

3. Foster a Culture of Growth

Build and maintain a culture of growth. By promoting a growth mindset to your remote workforce, you can help your employees realize their full potential. And, in the long run, you and your remote staff will be well-equipped to maximize your productivity and efficiency.

It takes hard work and patience to foster a culture of growth. As part of your efforts, you should empower your remote workers. Give these employees opportunities to show what they can accomplish both as part of a team and on their own. Provide feedback along the way, and you can help your remote workers achieve outstanding results.

Of course, you need to set a positive example for your remote team. To do so, commit time, energy, and resources to perform your best. If you accomplish great things while working from home, your remote workers may be prone to do the same. Thus, you and your remote staff can thrive from any location, at any time.

4. Recognize and Celebrate Your Remote Workers

Acknowledge remote workers who contribute to your company's success from afar. Employee recognition can improve retention and satisfaction across your workforce. Plus, it shows your staff you value and appreciate their efforts.

There is no shortage of opportunities available to recognize and celebrate your remote workers. For example, you can honor a remote employee during a video meeting. Or, you can send out an email or meet with a remote employee one-on-one to commemorate their work.

Don't forget to reward remote workers regularly, either. You can provide these workers with extra time-off, gift cards, or other rewards to celebrate their accomplishments.

5. Prioritize Ongoing Improvement

Check the pulse of your remote workforce and learn from employees who work from home. If you engage with your remote employees, you can find out how they feel about their work. Next, you can explore ways to improve as a manager.

Oftentimes, it helps to schedule ongoing one-on-one and group meetings with your remote staff. These meetings let you find out how your remote workers feel at a given time. From here, you can collect feedback and insights from these employees and adjust your management style as needed.

You may want to conduct remote work surveys, too. You can then use these surveys to assess your performance as a manager and plan accordingly.

The Bottom Line on Staying Positive as a Remote Manager

Remote work will likely be a big part of the "new normal" for businesses during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. More companies than ever before have let employees work from home due to the crisis. Meanwhile, business managers have been forced to adjust how they work on the fly. And, they must continue to stay positive as they connect with remote workers in the months and years to come.

The aforementioned tips can help remote managers remain positive and help their employees succeed, regardless of setting. Use these tips, and you and your remote employees can consistently reap the benefits of a positive work experience. 

About the Author: Luke Smith is a writer and researcher turned blogger. Since finishing college he is trying his hand at being a freelance writer. He enjoys writing on a variety of topics but technology and business topics are his favorite. When he isn't writing you can find him traveling, hiking, or gaming.