How to Motivate Workers working away from office

Developments in technology now enable many people to work from home or in a dispersed team. In addition, flatter organizational structures mean that even larger organizations have local offices employing just a few people. These arrangements bring benefits, such as flexible working hours, but there are serious implications for motivation.

Working away from the office

For many employees, not working in an office is a dream. For the employer it can mean lower office costs and also better productivity, as staff don't have to spend time commuting to work.

However, the reality can be less appealing. If you work from home, you can feel isolated, making it hard to stay motivated. Individuals miss the buzz of the office, the companionship of colleagues, and the sparking of ideas when they meet other people. In an office, for example, when something goes wrong, you can turn to a colleague who will help you put the problem in perspective.

Recruiting the right candidate

If a job role will be dispersed or home-based, you should look for certain characteristics at the recruitment stage. If someone lacks self-discipline, cannot manage their time well, or appears to need close supervision, they are unlikely to be suitable. You will need to instill loyalty to ensure they are motivated and focused on the goals to be achieved. At the interview, ensure the candidate is prepared for the working environment. At home this means having room for equipment and a quiet environment. For a dispersed team member, it is the lack of direct supervision and support.

Keeping home workers motivated

A crucial aspect of motivating home workers is to take proactive steps to ensure they have everything they need to work effectively. Agree on targets and time scales and monitor them regularly to check that they are on track. Organize regular visits to the main office, such as monthly team meetings, and arrange one-to-one meetings to catch up on progress and to spot any problems before they become too serious. Make sure home- and locally based workers are kept up to date with any new developments, and remain in regular contact - not just by e-mail.

Exercise trust

Trust your home workers or dispersed teams. While you need to know the work is being done, you won't motivate people by checking up on them all the time.

Providing support

To keep your dispersed workers motivated, make sure they feel connected to and supported by the organization as a whole. Arrange a thorough induction at your main office and ensure your home workers meet the people they will be e-mailing and speaking to on the phone. You may also need to arrange briefing sessions on working from home. It is particularly important to ensure dispersed teams have all the equipment they need to work effectively. It may be tempting to provide more senior people in head office with the most reliable and expensive IT equipment, but for remote team members, any breakdown is likely to be highly frustrating and time consuming. A comfortable working environment is just as important when working from home or in a small local office.

Depending on the structure, encourage people working near each other to meet up to discuss work. Include home workers and locally based teams in social activities if possible. Look and listen for any signs of stress. Set out precise procedures on who to contact if things go wrong. Make sure "out of sight" is not "out of mind".