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Working from home. As a manager, do you support it for your team? How to measure the performance of team members who works from home.?

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Question added by Salauddin Mohammad , Sr. Manager, Software Development , Aspen Technology Inc
Date Posted: 2014/07/23

i'd say it totally depends on company policies aka how performance is tracked. 

 

However, from my standpoint as long as the <work-from-home> employee completes his tasks, files proper reports on time and is reachable on the phone/email/chat and isn't away from his desk for more than5 mins at a stretch during a work day; all is good.

 

Another factor should be taken into consideration; how much do you trust yoour team-mate.

> Has he/she consistently demonstrated abilities to work alone without much supervision to deliver required results?

> Does the employee concerned network well with the team irrespective of the communication medium he/she uses?

> does he/she respond to queries or come forward to assist other members of the team proactively OR do you as his manager have to align him to the task at hand before he/she agrees to assist?

 

If you're answer to any of the above questions is NO, go ahead stop his work from home activities. 

 

Last but not the least is a factor which cannot be categorized above; does his/her job role require working at different intervals during a24 hrs cycle or does he/she needs to respond to requests at odd hours. If yes, he/she needs some flexibility to work from outside the office rather than rush to the office for every small tasks or assignment.

Deva Gnanam Jayaseelan
by Deva Gnanam Jayaseelan , Lead SSE , MS

It depends. Being working as dev technical manager, i recommend working from home as we noticed a lot of good improvements in the org. First my team is scattered across the globe.

(1) increased in productivity (2) reduced attrition (3) maintain their work life balance (4) reduce travel time and it's cost associated to the company (4) WebEx/Microsoft Live Meeting, Lync helped team to talk to implement agile practices and reduced travel costs. (5) work with ease.

 

But you need to have a strong infrastructure to implement and support this.

Raafat Sallam
by Raafat Sallam , Organizational Development and Training Consultant , Training Centers, Marketing Organizations.

It depends on the type of work.

i.e., if it is possible to work remotely or on location.

I have not worked till yet in this format.

Muhammad Masood
by Muhammad Masood , Regional Director Sales , TCS (Pvt) Ltd

Well it all depends upon the business nature. If you can monitor the performance through MIS, you can get good results but if you business needs your presence, it would be a compromise.

 

For example, if you are an IT solution providing company, or you are managing a sales team where only number matters, you can opt for this management style but if you are managing a production team or you have to work on qualitative factors, you cannot manage it remotely.

waleed munshi
by waleed munshi , Director Of Programmes and Projects Management , ministry of housing

through results or goal indicators.

Mohammed Thiab
by Mohammed Thiab , Founder / Chief Consultant , MV Consulting

Yes for certain jobs and in specific and clear conditions/circumstances .. under the "management by objective" theme where the focus would be on achievements and results

This is depend upon the job nature. There are few jobs which will not allow to work from home there must be working environment to establish to get 100% out put from employees. But few categories of jobs has been proven that working from home is most productive.

 

The best practice to get best results from working from home employees is to set KPIs for them, assign daily targets and weekly reports about entire work progress. Interacting with them more friendly so that they feel not to fool the management but get appropriate approvals for leave or off hours.

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