Your team, like everyone else’s right now, is working from home. We’ve discussed many facets of remote work, including establishing a culture of trust, building a virtual water cooler, and buoying team morale, but we haven’t touched on how to maintain a solid relationship with your boss while you and your team work remotely.

Sophaya’s Tip of the Day

You’ve established a communication protocol with your team. Now, you must do the same with your boss. If they are familiar with remote work, great! They’ll understand the need for structure, a communication strategy, and creating a chain of command for accountability. If they’re not, be patient.

Are they really working?

If your boss has never worked with remote employees, they might be suspicious and tend to micromanage. It’s your job to reassure them you know what you’re doing, and your team is working hard. Letting your manager know about the systems you have in place will help.

What’s the plan?

Tell your manager the tasks you’ve assigned and to whom. Explain the teams you’ve set up and how and when they meet (virtually). Describe the methods you use to check in with employees and how often. Be sure to give progress reports on projects so your boss understands you know what needs to happen and when.

Can we talk?

Set up a regular meeting with your manager to report on your team’s progress. When employees do well, let your boss know about it. If you’re concerned with a particular employee’s morale or work output, let your boss know about that, too. Discuss the plan you’ve established to help that employee catch up and keep them apprised of your team member’s progress.

The big message here is the importance of communication. Your team needs to hear assignments, deadlines, procedures, and praise. Your manager needs to hear the results of your team’s efforts and your short and long-term plans for them. When you, your team, and your boss speak on a regular basis, you’ll all be more efficient, confident, and productive.

To learn more about managing a remote workforce, join us for our RNI Remote Work Series: You sent them home to work remotely, NOW WHAT?