I have not met very many people who thrive when their job responsibilities are vague.  One of the keys to a successful remote workforce program is to clearly define the roles and responsibilities for all those involved.  This is true of any work relationship, but is really important when a worker is not located at a central office environment. 

One of the next major changes in the workplace will be a shift away from people working a set number of hours and considering their work done when the clock strikes 5:00 p.m., or some appointed time.  The emphasis will move towards completing "units of work", making it even more critical that these "units" are defined.  The shift will mean that remote employees will have increased flexibility in their schedules as long as they can manage their time effectively and get the assigned work done on schedule.

Defining the work and due dates is a responsibility shared by the remote employee and the supervisor.  Following are some tips to help any organization conquer this challenge.

1.   Create a "Roles & Responsibilities" matrix.  This spreadsheet document will have the major tasks down the far left column with the key roles, or individuals, across the top.  For each task, identify the role or person who has the "Primary" responsibility for this unit of work and place a "P" in that block.  If they have "Secondary" responsibility, or are involved in a significant way, place a "S" in that block.    (If you would like a sample "Roles & Responsibilities" matrix, email me at dreed@cccginc.com.)

2.   Define tasks.  The individual tasks must be defined with clarity, including the overall objective, resources needed, format of the finished product, and exact due date. (NEVER use a due date of ASAP!  This means different things to different people.  Always give an exact date AND time that the assignment should be completed.)

3. Assign tasks clearly.  One of the challenges faced by almost every organization is the way in which tasks are assigned.  The tendency of many leaders is to assign the same task to multiple people.  This is a bigger problem for remote employees as they do not usually casually visit with each other to determine if duplicate assignments have been made. 

Leaders should keep a running list of assignments including the summary of what was requested, to whom it was assigned, and when it is due.  Included in the more complicated tasks should be a schedule when the leader and worker will be checking in to verify the project is on the right track.

4. Track assignment status.  Develop a tool to track the progress of longer or more involved projects.  This should be visible to all team members, including those who work remotely.  (If you would like an example of a tracking sheet, send an email to dreed@cccginc.com and request "Tracking Sheet.")

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the person completing the task to budget their time and finish the work as requested, but the tools mentioned above can help improve communication between the leader and the team members. 

By David Reed, President of Remote Office Consulting, LLC 

 Quote

"Goals, it is said, are just wishes until they are written down.  Well-defined goals permit both the telecommuter and manager to have a clear understanding of expectations."
Telecommuting Advisor, Sept. 28, 2009