Managing Offsite Employees

How You Will Benefit

The workforce is changing rapidly. An increasing
number of employees work offsite, by choice (theirs
or their employer’s) or by necessity. A few years ago,
34 million Americans worked remotely at least
occasionally, and that number is expected to jump to
63 million by the middle of this decade. Some of your
employees may work at home, in close proximity to
the onsite team. Others may be scattered around the
country or the globe. Given the increasingly global
nature of today’s organizations—as well as
improvements in technology that facilitate virtual
collaboration and a workforce that insists on more
flexibility and independence—this trend is likely to
keep gaining momentum.
By improving your ability to manage offsite
employees, you will empower yourself in many ways.
You will increase your ability to recruit, hire, and
retain the right employees for a job. You will help
ensure that your team is cohesive and productive.
You will know how to avoid costly, time‐consuming
problems and help your team meet its goals. As Dave
Ross, cofounder of workplace solutions firm The Vaya
Group, explains, skillful managers of remote
employees “can build camaraderie, create a more
positive work environment, and encourage stronger
business performance regardless of distance.”