Gründe, warum Manager die Zukunft der Telearbeit fürchten
There are many reasons why managers fear the remote working future. In this blog post, we will outline the top 5 reasons why.
Many people believe that remote work is the future of employment. It offers many benefits for employees and employers. Some managers fear drawbacks. That’s why they might think twice before making the switch to a remote team.
Keep reading our blog and get to know why managers fear remote working.
Track time with zero effort to boost your productivity when working remotely
“When working remotely, it’s easy to still be at my laptop at 9pm, replying to emails while watching TV. Having a weekly goal set makes me more focused on making my work hours as productive as possible.” – Jenny Blackett, working remotely as a software engineer
5 Reasons why managers fear the remote working future
Managers have a lot to think about. They have to worry about deadlines, team productivity, stakeholders’ satisfaction, etc.
It’s no surprise that many managers worry about the future of remote work. They often think that it might affect the whole business.
Here are some of the reasons why managers fear the remote working future:
1) Control over their employees
Employees who work remotely are not in the same physical space as their managers.
This can make it difficult for managers to keep track of what their employees are doing. They might be concerned about how productive they are being.
Additionally, remote workers have more freedom in setting their schedules. They might take different breaks during the day.
This can lead to managers feeling like they do not have as much control over their employees as they would if they were working in an office together.
To eliminate this feeling, managers need to set clear expectations with their remote teams from the start.
They should establish a sound communication system. Then they can quickly check in on their team members and see how they are progressing with their work.
It might take some time for managers to get used to not having their employees in the same space. But there are ways to overcome this.
If you have a high performer in your team, you need to consider they don’t like micromanagement. Learn how to manage a high performer in our blog.
2) Communication will suffer without face-to-face interaction
This is one of the challenges of working remotely and it’s one of the main reasons why managers fear the remote working future is communication.
Managers worry that communication will suffer without face-to-face interaction. It might be challenging to build trust and a relationship with team members when you aren’t able to see them in person regularly.
Additionally, remote teams may have difficulty coordinating work schedules and deadlines.
This can lead to frustration on both sides. It might be difficult for managers to effectively communicate their expectations.
To overcome this obstacle, managers should regularly take video calls with their team members.
This will allow them to put a face to the name and build a better relationship with each team member. Also, they should encourage their team members to use chat or email.
3) Employee/team productivity
Another manager’s concern is that the employees’ productivity may drop.
They might think the team will get easily distracted when not in a traditional office setting. Household chores or errands, social media, or other time wasters – you name it.
Some employees might feel isolated and lonely when working remotely. It can lead to feeling unmotivated and unproductive.
There are several ways to ensure that the team spends its time wisely, for example, with a time-tracking app.
Time tracking isn’t about micromanagement. A time-tracking app helps managers see how much time the team spends on specific tasks and projects.
Several reasons explain why time tracking is important.
A good manager can use this information to identify areas where team members might be wasting time. It also helps managers see which employees are consistently meeting their deadlines and goals.
Another way to ensure that employees are productive is to set clear expectations from the start.
Employees should know what is expected of them and how their work will be evaluated. If they understand these things from the beginning, they’re more likely to meet or exceed the expectations.
Finally, regular check-ins with team members can help managers boost productivity levels.
By checking in regularly, managers can offer support and assistance when needed. This allows them to stay on top of things.
Read also: Ways to improve employee productivity
4) Team cohesion and collaboration
Another challenge of virtual teams that managers face when managing remote teams is team collaboration.
It can be challenging for team members to build relationships with each other. Especially when they aren’t working in the same physical space.
This can lead to a lack of trust and communication among team members, making it difficult to get work done.
Remote teams may have difficulty coordinating work schedules and deadlines if they aren’t able to meet in person to discuss the project at hand.
This can lead to frustration on both sides. It may be difficult for managers and employees to communicate their feelings, thoughts, and expectations.
There are some tactics to avoid this, such as:
- setting up regular video calls with team members,
- retrospective meetings (read our post to know the best remote retrospective ideas),
- team-building events, even if they’re online (cooking classes, yoga, sharing skill sessions, etc.).
5) Hard to manage projects
Another concern that managers have about remote teams is that it can be hard to manage projects and achieve deadlines.
When team members aren’t in the same physical space, sometimes it can be a bit of a headache to coordinate work schedules and deadlines.
That’s why managing the team and its time is crucial. Once again, to overcome these issues, teams should benefit from technology.
There are some tools and methods that allow to better plan and coordinate remote teams, for example:
- Zeitmanagement-Techniken
- prioritization: try the 4 quadrants of time management matrix
- Time Blocking Apps
- project management tools
The combination of these tools helps managers keep track of deadlines and assigned tasks.
Working from home apps and software
Get to know the best tools to boost the efficiency and productivity of your team.
Why do some managers hate remote work?
Our blog lists the 5 main reasons why some managers hate remote work.
These challenges and feelings are common for managers who have never tried remote management. However, it’s important to remember that these challenges can be overcome.
Any manager can successfully manage a remote team by using the right tools and methods and setting clear expectations from the start. Managers need to keep an open mind and be willing to adapt to this new way of working.
Do you have any tips for managing remote teams? Let us know!
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