A Widely-Scattered Staff, But A Close-Knit Workforce

You may have offices and departments in a wide large number of locations – perhaps to take advantage of local markets, perhaps to be closer to raw materials, perhaps for purposes of image, perhaps to save money. What can you do to make sure that a widely distributed workforce communicate and operate as cohesively as one based all in the same room?

We live in a world where conventional business models aren't necessarily the norm. There are still many companies who maintain a small staff, operating out of a single office, and supplying goods and services to individuals or other businesses in their local community. Companies whose business concerns only the work that they do within this limited area and market. Many issues that arise within this business model can be straightforwardly addressed, as all staff can be consulted face-to-face, and all clients and suppliers are easily contacted. Potential and actual problems are frequently visible, tangible, and solutions can be developed on the spot, their impacts measured in plain sight.

But this might not be your business model. Your customers and suppliers might be spread all over the world, your operations might cover many different geographical regions and types of work. You may have offices and departments in a wide large number of locations - perhaps to take advantage of local markets, perhaps to be closer to raw materials, perhaps for purposes of image, perhaps to save money. If this is the case, the staff who need to deal with a particular issue might not be at hand when it arises. What can you do to make sure that a widely distributed workforce communicate and operate as cohesively as one based all in the same room?

There many scenarios where this question could prove to be very important. A construction company building new homes across the country will need to react to changes in the economic climate, which will impact upon the financial viability of current and future building projects. A successful store may have taken over rivals in other countries, and needs to ensure that the different parts work together to produce a profitable whole. An insurer may have staff travelling to different locations to meet clients every day, and need to keep them as informed as the rest of the team. There are countless other situations where concerns about managing a remote workforce will need to be addressed, successfully and rapidly.

When your staff and colleagues are not all present in a single workplace, however widely they may be scattered, it's all the more important to have a framework of roles and responsibilities that everyone understands and can keep to. Of course, modern communications make it easier to present distant workers with tasks as and when they appear, but this is no substitute for ensuring that all concerned know in advance where they stand, and what they are expected to do. After all, as easy as it is to communicate with distant staff nowadays, it is still far simpler and more efficient to not have to communicate at all, to know that remote workers are ready and able to carry out their appointed role as intended.

Of course, some communication will always be necessary. To this end, potential problems for the future can be easily avoided by planning for the future. With a comprehensive communication plan, all team members should know in advance how to stay in touch, and on what matters they will need consult with management or colleagues. You can greatly ease the implementation of this plan by identifying technology requirements, and also ascertaining whether any individuals may need further training to make the most of communications technology.

Laying down a framework of roles and responsibilities of team members, and providing them with the means both to communicate and to act alone - whichever may be needed for each situation - helps to guarantee that your organisation is able to operate a remote team with a high level of efficiency and productivity. But day-to-day activities will still throw up a range of specific problems that you have to address within framework. This is where your early planning and arranging can prove to be such a help.

You can use these management tools that you developed and adapted to your team to resolve any issues that may arise, safe in the knowledge that those you are working with will understand their position, will be aware of what is expected of them, and will be in a position to consult with yourself and other members of the team as and when they need to. With a comprehensive and thoroughly prepared system for remote management, you can ensure that your team trust you and each other to carry the task through to an effective completion.

Establishing such a system can be of great benefit to your organisation, allowing you to make the most of opportunities in whatever circumstances they appear. Short training courses are available to help you get up to speed with the skills and knowledge needed to bring these advantages to your company, and you can look forward to a future where working remotely offers, not an obstacle or a concern, but a real chance for advancing the development of your enterprise, your staff, and yourself.