January 28, 2016

8 ways to successfully lead your mobile workforce

For years now, office workers have been moving more and more mobile. It decrease the cost of doing business and can increase the productivity of the employees. In fact, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC), the U.S. mobile worker population is on track to grow from 96.2 million in 2015 to 105.4 million mobile workers in 2020. And by the end of the forecast period, IDC projects that mobile workers will account for nearly three quarters (72.3 percent) of the total U.S. workforce.

So we as companies need to use tools, like Office 365 and find more and more ways to lead that mobile workforce. Here are 8 great tips to think about and use with your workforce:

Manage results, not style- Focus on the quality of the work, whether deadlines are being met, whether they exhibit good decision-making skills, etc.
Encourage teamwork-Working at great distances can feel isolating, so make a point to encourage project work that allows team members to work together.
Communicate-Managers need to take the initiative to establish relationships with their teams. Weekly or bi-weekly status calls can often help you address upcoming projects, performance issues, etc. Yet, other times an instant message or email conversation (that may or may not be work related) might be the best way to stay in touch. Whatever your approach is, be clear in your communications.
Host web meetings (with video)-We use this all the time at our office. With everyone’s camera up and a shared view of your agenda, presentation, etc., your team can not only see each other—and put faces to names—but see the presenter’s desktop and get a clear picture of the information being addressed.
Give them the right technology-When researching your options, look for software that makes sharing files safe, secure and simple; works on a range of devices, including laptops and desktops, tablets and mobile phones; and gives your workers the power to work on the same documents simultaneously. This way, everyone will have access to the same tools, you can mitigate compatibility issues, and your collaborative efforts can flourish.
Give them a reason-Share the company’s vision and goals with your remote workforce and address how their work contributes to the success of the organization.
Be inclusive and provide praise-As you manage your team of remote workers, try to ensure that they have the same opportunities for training as others and receive the same, prompt praise for a job well done.
Encourage a work-life balance-When onboarding new remote workers, talk to them about setting a schedule that they can stick to and setting aside a space designated for work only. Then, at the end of the day, they can shut down their laptops and disconnect from work.