The American workplace is changing, with many employers supporting more flexible working arrangements. While studies show these arrangements can lead to increased productivity and higher morale for employees, they aren’t without challenges for managers. With some prior planning, proper technology and trust among all parties, a nontraditional working arrangement can be a positive experience for everyone. Business Report asked three professionals to share their experiences and advice on managing employees who work from home or on the road. —Emily Kern Hebert
Tommy Teepell
Chief marketing officer, Lamar Advertising Co.
First and foremost, it’s important to hire the right people. It is all about trust. Employees must be trustworthy, accountable and deliver value, whether they’re working from home or coming into the office.
If you have a good customer relationship management program, you have metrics at your fingertips to tell you what is going on. The truth is, you can achieve the same results much more simply: A quick call to the account executive at 8 a.m. from time to time (the less predictable the better) to ask them what they plan to do today will tell you a lot. The follow-up is to call in the evening and ask them to walk you through their day, so you can help them become more effective and determine if they are working on their plan.
I remember one manager who asked all his out-of-town AEs to call him between 4:30 and 5 p.m. and just leave a voicemail detailing the calls they made and how they ended. Before you blow this off as being a micromanager, listen to why he did this. He could tell if an AE had a good day or bad day by their tone. It helped him to give the AE a quick call to encourage them or ask how he could help. It also was relatively easy to determine who was making up their day as they left the voice mail.
It is all about trust, my friend.
Tommy LeJeune
Partner, Faulk & Winkler
We have several employees who work solely from home. When we first considered this culture change, it was important to develop a written, signed policy to ensure expectations were understood by both parties.
For instance, remote employees are required to have a dedicated, enclosed private office and pre-arranged child care. Each employee is to be available during designated core office hours. Remote employees are also required to have at least one year of service before this arrangement can be considered, since there is a high level of trust involved.
We use many cloud-based software programs and have a robust VPN connection, which creates flexibility and allows secure access to firm information. With these programs in place, the transition to remote is seamless, such as direct client call transfers to cellphones and desktop sharing for meetings.
Finally, we collectively set regular meetings and performance reviews. The key to a successful remote work policy is setting guidelines and plans for collaboration, as well as providing essential technology. Above all, the employee must be able to work independently and thrive in this type of nontraditional work environment.
Sonia Perez
President
, AT&T Louisiana
Managing employees who work from home or the road is often viewed as a challenge, but I view it as an opportunity to transform the way we do business. Our team spends a considerable amount of time out of the office taking AT&T’s products, services and messages across Louisiana. As a result, AT&T uses technology to support their ability to successfully mobilize their work life.
At AT&T, reliable technology is not a luxury, but a requirement. Our products, services and networks enable us to work anywhere and everywhere, from Shreveport to Houma and all points in between. I strongly believe that mobile and VPN (virtual private network) technologies allow remote employees to work better, be more productive and enjoy their jobs more.
Clear and consistent communication also is vital for managing on-the-go employees. Whether it is a face-to-face staff meeting or a meeting using Web-based technology, we regularly connect and collaborate with our management team no matter where they are located. Rapid advances in technology have evolved to a more mobile world and more flexible work environments. As a leader with employees in the field, I have embraced these advances to improve our customers’ experience across Louisiana because of greater employee productivity.
