Flexible working continues to grow in popularity. Employees are increasingly demanding the option to work more flexibly, and employers are seeing several benefits in terms of greater productivity and better employee retention.
However, many managers are still getting to grips with it, and managing a flexible workforce can be a challenge.
How do you manage a team of employees who work different hours from different places or even different countries? You want to make sure they are happy and fulfilled so they work productively, but it’s not always easy.
We’ve put together this guide on how to manage flexible working so you can get the most out of your team.
You want to get off to a good start, and that means setting clear and reasonable expectations right from the beginning. The level of autonomy you give them depends on your relationship with your employees, but you should clarify:
Even when you set expectations at the start, you need to check that these are being met. If you feel that an employee is not sticking to the deal—perhaps they are not making themselves available at the agreed times—you will need to take action.
However, don’t assume that they are slacking off and taking advantage of the flexibility you are providing them with. Talk to them, tell them what you’ve noticed, and ask what’s going on.
It could be that some part of the flexible working arrangement is not working and you may need to tweak it—not just for them but for other employees.
Good communication will play a crucial role in making flexible work a success. Effective communication is essential at all times in the workplace, but it’s especially important if your employees are working remotely.
One option you might consider is to make sure you have one day in the office where everyone is present. It often helps when everyone in the team can see everyone else in person regularly, which can boost team morale. It can also encourage spontaneous meetings to discuss projects.
If you don’t have a day when everyone is in the office at the same time, you’ll have to make even more effort to ensure good communication across the organization. One way to do this is to hold weekly or monthly group meetings via video.
Set up a meeting room in the office with high-quality video conferencing displays and audio, then arrange a regular meetup with all team members remotely, ensuring everyone can join from wherever they are.
Make sure you invest in high-quality equipment because this will recreate the feeling that everyone is in the office and reduce the chances that tech problems will get in the way of communication.
Developing your own flexible work management system will often mean making use of dedicated software. There are plenty of software solutions available to help manage teams that are working flexibly, including:
Everyone in your team can access these tools from anywhere, and you can keep track of everything without missing out on important information.
You want to make things easy for your employees to ensure they can carry out their work to the high standards you expect.
If they are working remotely for some of the time, they must be able to work seamlessly. That means being able to use any software and equipment they need without issues. If you provide them with training, you’ll have fewer problems and ensure your team members can all work effectively from wherever they are.
Training may not only be required for the equipment and software your employees use, but also for ensuring a successful experience when team members are working remotely.
For example, you may have different managers and team leaders working under you, and some of them might have difficulty managing a remote team. Ensure they receive the training they need to monitor their teams effectively.
When managing a remote team, you may not always be aware of the problems individuals are facing and the challenges that are preventing them from working at their best.
So ask for feedback. Send a form to each employee to fill in once every few months and ask them how they are doing in general as well as for specific information on the things they like about working flexibly and the things that aren’t working.
Hold a face-to-face meeting once every few months, in person or via video chat, and get their honest feedback. Take this feedback into consideration, then make any changes you need to and keep improving.
Effective team management involves evaluating performance regularly. If your team works flexibly, this is even more important.
Evaluate each employee by focusing on their productivity and results. Make a note of times when they perform below expectations and bring these up in your next review. Use these regular evaluations to make changes for the better.
Flexible work can mean different things for different people. For some, it’s working different hours rather than a set nine to five; for others, it’s working remotely most of the time.
Some people may want a particular work schedule due to family commitments or for other reasons. If someone works best in the evening, you have to decide whether they should be allowed to work these hours or not.
Managing flexible working requests requires flexibility on your part. Try not to force your employees into working patterns that don’t work for them. The primary goal of flexible working is to enjoy better results from your team.
So be flexible. If an employee comes to you with a requirement for greater flexibility, don’t dismiss it out of hand. Finding the right balance can be an ongoing process, and offering complete freedom may be difficult, but try to be as flexible as you can.
Offering your employees greater flexibility is a winning formula to improve employee satisfaction and boost productivity. However, managing flexible workers is a challenge.
Whether you’re just starting out with your flexible work arrangements or your team has been working flexibly for a while and you want to make improvements, get started by following the tips in this guide.
Managing flexible work arrangements effectively brings many benefits, but remember that this is an ongoing process. So keep evaluating, keep getting feedback, and always be flexible to your employees’ needs.
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