Most of what you read about (and we write about) remote work is for employees: people who have a boss, who work for the organization that pays them, and do as they’re told in exchange for a steady paycheck. But as the world of work changes, more and more of our teammates may be contractors or temporary workers. Does employee engagement apply to them as well, since they’re not … [Read more...]
Recovering When Remote Work Goes Wrong
How do you go about fixing work that goes off the rails when you’re not face to face or you work on a remote team? We spend a lot of time around here giving out advice about how to make things work well. And, best as we can, we try to live up to our own high standards. Recently, I goofed. This seems like a good chance for a little radical honesty. The details don’t matter … [Read more...]
Sharing a Boss Doesn’t Make a Team
When we talk about remote work, we throw the word “team” around a lot. But do you have a real team, or just a bunch of people who all report to the same manager? The difference can matter a lot. A recent study on employee engagement by ADP and done by Marcus Buckingham among others, made the claim that those workers, virtual or not, who are part of a team are more engaged … [Read more...]
Create a Chain of Connection for Project Team Contractors
If you lead a remote project team, you probably worry that people aren’t feeling connected to the rest of the team. This is difficult enough when team members rely on each other for help, resources, and joint efforts. For many of us, the problem is made more complicated by the fact that some of these folks are contractors, and don’t technically work for you or your company. … [Read more...]
Does Your Remote Team Have the Technology to Succeed?
by Chuck Chapman, Content Strategy Coordinator The more things change, the more things stay the same. While technology changes rapidly and the work world becomes increasingly remote, the needs people have to be productive and successful team members have largely stayed the same. And even though project teams might be scattered across the globe, it's still the job of the … [Read more...]