Communication Metrics for Telecommuting Managers and Employees
One of the most surprising unfortunate circumstances that we often uncover while conducting our Remote Manager and Employee Training classes, is managers’ and employees’ surprisingly different assumptions of their communication expectations and metrics.
The exercise we do challenges managers and employees to chart out their communication with their manager or direct report. In a graph we map out the timeframe vs. Who, What, When, Where, and How. This graph is meant to provide a visual example of what employees expect from their manager and themselves. For managers, it’s a tool that graph’s their communication with their employee. For employees, it is a tool that clearly states the expectations for their position as well as what to expect from their manager. What’s interesting however; is that we have never seen the two models look the same!
That means that in the classes we have done, we have never had managers and employee’s communication graphs mirror one another. What does this tell us? It tells us that not only are expectations not being set, but critical information is often times slipping through the cracks of corporate communication breakdown. While most would probably agree this is not an uncommon phenomenon, it is something that MUST be addressed when you have remote employees. Basic breakdowns in communication are often exacerbated in remote environments.
To battle this, we work with managers and employees to develop a communication graph that both parties understand. This works to hold the employee and manager more accountable to one another, and gives the manager a solid tool with which to build a communication metric. In addition, if management changes, this ensures continuity of expectations for employees. Employees feel more comfortable having their expectations clearly defined and managers have an easier way to measure employees’ communication frequencies.
For a copy of this tool or more information on Remote Work/Telecommuting training, please contact me below.
Brandon Dempsey
Brandon@suitecommute.com
1-888-878-4832
