5 Things to Do Immediately if You’re Now a Virtual Manager
“We like to give people the freedom to work where they want, safe in the knowledge that they have the drive and expertise to perform excellently, whether they [are] at their desk or in their kitchen. Yours truly has never worked out of an office, and never will,” wrote Richard Branson on his views of letting Virgin employees work outside the office. But while Branson has long adapted into this philosophy, many other companies are rushing to join him among heightened Covid-19 concerns. And many managers are now faced with a completely new challenge — managing virtual reports.
Managing remote employees requires a different set of practices. It requires everyone on the team to prioritize connection, collaboration, and reinforce performance standards. And as people inherently look to their manager for guidance, the actions you choose to take in this position will likely determine whether your team is successful.
Managers shouldn’t assume that simply continuing past practices will continue to bring the same results. New challenges and changing obstacles require adapting our tactics. The dangers of sticking to old practices, working hard at what you’ve always done, and failing miserably are very real in this situation.
So while there’s no one way for managing virtual employees — just as there’s no…
