How to Review Remote Employees
With the dynamics of the workforce rapidly shifting, companies need to consider modifying their practices to reflect different work arrangements.
Development plans. As an organization, you need to ensure your managers are establishing clear development plans for their employees – remote or not. We're not talking about a template you pull off the Internet and say, “use this!” You need to provide them with a clear picture of how they can progress within the company despite working from home. Perhaps additional training online or offline or certifications will help them get ahead. Maybe you want them to improve their communication skills. The key to making any development plan successful is to set clear goals.
Goal setting. When you set goals for an employee, they must be aligned with your actual departmental and corporate goals. For example, if there is a focus on increasing diversity in your company, what do you expect your recruiter to accomplish toward that goal? It could be establishing three new relationships/contacts with strategic partners to widen your pool of candidates. There has to be a measurable way to assess the employee’s progress against the goals you set for them. There should be two types of goals: one long-term and typically several short-term goals. For example:
Long-term (encompasses a time period): “Over the next [month, six weeks, quarter], Jane will obtain the skills needed to advance to the next level.”
Short-term (refers to an event or action): “After X training, Jane will be able to [upsell two accounts, write a paragraph of code, log into all software, create a business plan].”
For remote employees, you have the opportunity to think more broadly about measurable goals. Since the employees are not stuck in an office, you can leverage their location. Are there conferences or events in their area where there are marketing opportunities for the company? Are there local professional development opportunities? Perhaps they have easier access to meet with clients or partners in person to create long-term, sustainable relationships.
Regular meetings. Make sure you establish a regular check-in schedule with your remote employees; put it on the calendar and stick to it. It’s best if it can be in person, but if not, it should be over video or phone. With set goals, you can easily review the employee’s progress against them each month. It will allow you to see where guidance might be needed and utilize cross training if necessary. This also allows both the employer and employee to see the direction of their development towards the larger goal. Consistent monthly check-ins are critical to help set the stage for performance reviews and eliminate surprises.
Annual in-person review. When it comes to remote employees, should performance reviews be structured differently than for office-based employees? While the hard skill requirements of a remote and traditional employee are the same, the soft skills will differ. In an office, an employee who needs someone directing them can succeed. However, a remote employee will not succeed if they need to be told what to do. They must be disciplined and proactive. Some people are motivated by others and need to be around peers in order to get their work done. An effective remote employee is self-motivated. How can you measure and reward the skills that are unique to your remote staff?
In the annual review, include specific examples of how the remote employee has demonstrated self-discipline and drive and how that’s contributed to the success of the team and company. How have they made your job as a manager easier? Remote employees often end up working longer hours because they do not commute. Factor in all of the unique skills and circumstances of your remote employees and reward them accordingly.
Alternatively, if the remote employee has not been successful during the review period, provide specific examples to demonstrate why. Be specific or it will be hard, if not impossible, for them to improve. During each following monthly check-in you should review with the employee how they are doing and what’s working and what isn’t. Honest feedback goes a long way to help your employees work better, which in turn makes your job easier.
Photo credit: Josh Duke