Middle managers are the translators of the workplace. While CEOs and other members of the upper management team develop the vision for the organization, middle managers translate the vision into actionable steps employees can take to bring it to life by providing clarity, coaching, and correction where and when necessary.
However, the switch to remote work ushered in by the COVID-19 pandemic has made clarity, coaching, and correction much more difficult to deliver effectively. Consequently, middle managers who work with remote teams need additional support to be able to excel at the important role they play in the corporate environment.
What special challenges exist in the remote environment?
Navigating the new mechanics of communication is one of the biggest challenges middle managers face in the remote work environment. In a traditional workplace, middle managers have virtually unlimited opportunities for connecting with team members, but in a remote setting, those connections must be sought out via scheduled Zoom meetings or messages posted in Slack or other team communication apps.
The spontaneous and casual nature of communication that can be achieved in a traditional setting makes team building much easier, as managers can more easily read nonverbal communication cues from in-person interactions that happen in an in-office setting. On the other hand, in remote settings, nonverbal communication is virtually nonexistent and attempts at spontaneous exchanges suffer from the lag time that happens when people are away from their screen or focused on other activities.
Team management is another key responsibility of middle managers — one that is also more challenging in a remote environment. This includes monitoring the performance of both individuals and the team as a whole and providing the motivation and encouragement that drives the team to achieve goals.
Identifying potential issues before they cause problems is a key challenge for remote managers. Direct observation, which can confirm expectations are being met, is often not an option. Identifying employee frustration and other early signs of burnout is also challenging to spot with remote workers.
What tools and protocols can help the remote middle manager?
The majority of the tools middle managers will use to connect with remote teams will be digital, including project management apps, communication platforms, and tools that allow for remote collaboration. As such, organizations must ensure managers and their teams have access to these tools and are properly trained in how to use them optimally.
Just like in a traditional office setting, clearly communicating expectations is the key to maximizing the effectiveness of remote management tools. Teams should know how often managers expect teams to engage with platforms and how quickly they should respond to messages. If certain topics are inappropriate for certain channels - talking about your weekend plans in a project management tool, for example - managers should make that clear.
Taking steps to integrate remote work tools with communications platforms is another step organizations can take to empower better management of remote teams. For instance, connecting a collaboration tool like Google Docs with a messaging platform like Slack provides a channel for teams to know when comments or updates have been added to project files. Those types of integrations streamline and amplify critical communication, ensuring key messages are not lost in the ether that separates remote teams.
Supporting the work of the middle manager may also require adjusting corporate culture. For example, remote work demands a higher degree of personal accountability since remote environments typically provide more distractions and less distinct separation between work and personal life. Businesses that take steps to ingrain personal accountability into the culture will give middle managers a valuable tool for accomplishing their mission.
Placing a higher priority on feedback can be another culture shift that supports more effective management of remote teams. The communication challenges inherent to remote work settings can allow for misunderstandings to arise and go unnoticed for too long. Frequent feedback can be a tool for ensuring that teams are on the same page and expectations are understood.
As middle managers increase the frequency of feedback, they should also seek to highlight and celebrate positive efforts and outcomes as often as possible. Remote workers have reported feeling more isolated, making it difficult to see their efforts as valuable and purposeful. Making regular recognition and appreciation a part of the culture can boost engagement and cohesion in teams.
What role does upper management play in securing success?
Empowering middle managers becomes even more important in remote work settings. This involves providing them with clear communication on strategic goals and objectives as well as with the tools needed to pursue those goals and objectives in a remote setting.
Upper management must also avoid the temptation to micromanage in the remote work environment. The reduced visibility in remote settings - after all, workers and their activities can no longer be observed during a walk through the office - may trigger concerns that lead to excessive monitoring. If middle managers have established protocols for tracking progress and measuring productivity, upper managers should work with those protocols.
A remote team, like any other team, will thrive when its managers create a high-engagement, high-trust, and high-appreciation environment. To build and maintain that type of environment, remote managers must acknowledge the unique challenges remote work settings present and be empowered to take advantage of the tools and strategies that support effective remote work.
