5 Hidden Benefits of Managing a Team Remotely

Available for Interviews:  Leni Rivera

Leni Rivera is a Workplace Experience specialist and author of the very first book in the industry, Workplace Experience. Her passion is creating work environments that enable employees to be both productive and happy, regardless of where that is. 

What Leni Rivera can say in an interview
The 5 Hidden Benefits of Managing Remotely:

Transitioning into the new normal of a remote work environment has been seamless for most workers coming out of the pandemic. In fact, in Gallup’s recent State of the Workforce study, 91% of American workers expressed the desire to continue to work remotely at least some of the time as their companies transition into this new normal.

At the same time, this transition has been notably more challenging for managers. Their traditional perceptions of managing people had to shift from looking over their shoulders to simply trusting that the work would be done. And while it may have taken some time to adjust to this new style of management, many have begun to see how the advantages of managing a team remotely have helped to overcome the difficulties of this transition. Here are a handful of those hidden benefits:

    1. Teams Can Be More Diverse
      • Because team interactions can now be done virtually, hiring team members from different backgrounds, locations, ethnicities, and ranges of ability are much more prevalent. This allows teams to become much more diverse, involving new fresh perspectives in projects and ideas.
    1. There Are Respectful Interruptions
      • Most managers are also being managed themselves and can appreciate the challenges those casual interruptions which were once regular occurrences in the office had on their focus on completing their tasks. The remote environment has pretty much put that to an end.
      • In addition, many bosses had the habit of walking up to a team member’s desk and either discussing a work problem or dishing out new instructions. These interactions, while beneficial for bosses, impacted worker productivity. In the remote world, however, these types of interactions can be managed through instant messaging apps or email, which allow workers (including managers) to finish their tasks before shifting their attention to a separate discussion.
    1. Focus Can Remain on the Results
      • In the new remote environment, managers are learning to shift from managing people to managing work. The questions they now ask are “what do you need to get this work done, and how can I help you accomplish it?” Their eye can stay focused on timelines and the delivery of quality results, rather than on what each person is doing.
      • In addition, performance evaluations, KPIs, and promotions can be centered on actual performance and the quality of work, rather than on how much time a person is seen at their desk working overtime, or how popular a person is with the bosses. This puts more focus on the delivery of quality work.
    1. Increased Levels of Trust Within Teams Lead to Better Team Performance
      • As managers have learned to trust their teams to deliver their work without having to keep an eye on them, they have also started to reap the rewards of a high-trust team environment. Team productivity and effectiveness have long been linked to high levels of trust, and managers are beginning to recognize this as one of the biggest hidden benefits of this remote work environment.
    1. The Positive Impact of Your Own Personal Space Is Experienced
      • One of the main benefits of working from home is that it is yours. Where we once covered our office desks with photos and gizmos to remind us of times of comfort and joy, we are now able to work in a place that is surrounded by it. So, when work is extra stressful, or a meeting didn’t go the way it was predicted, taking that step back into your own space, or simply taking a sip of that coffee that is made exactly how you like it, goes a long way to improving your mental health – making you more effective as a team leader as well.

 

Interview: Leni Rivera

Leni Rivera is a Workplace Experience specialist and author of its very first book in the industry. Her passion is creating work environments that enable employees to be both productive and happy, regardless of where that is.

With a 20-year career spanning three continents and in corporate leadership roles in Interior Design, Real Estate Development, and Global Workplace Services, Leni has the unique ability to understand the impact of a physical environment on employee behavior, and corporate cultures.
Today, as the world begins emerging from the pandemic and organizations start to rethink the future of their workplace, Leni is front and center helping leaders and peers develop a Workplace Experience that drives safety, flexibility, and productivity, allowing employees and businesses to continue to thrive.

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Jo Allison
Managing Editor
Director of Public Relations
MEDIA AMBASSADORS
Success In Media, Inc.
Jo@SuccessInMedia.com

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