Build a Trusting Relationship With Your Remote Workers

Trust matters at work. And when part of your team is working remotely—at home, in diverse locations or on the road—building trust can be more difficult because there are potentially fewer interactions and it’s easy to put those off-site employees out of mind because they’re not standing in your doorway demanding attention.

Trust in the workplace makes a difference in employee engagement. Author and researcher Paul Zak, writing for td.org, reports an enormous difference in employee performance working for organizations they trust. “They had 106 percent more energy at work, were 76 percent more engaged and said they were 50 percent more productive. High-trust companies had half the employee turnover of low-trust companies.”

Adam Hickman and Tonya Fredstrom report similar findings for gallup.com “When employees don’t trust organizational leadership, their chances of being engaged are one in 12. When trust is established, the chances of engagement skyrocket to better than one in two.”

If you’ve ever worked remotely, you know how easy it is to feel disconnected. A conversation with a colleague about an event or memo you knew nothing about can leave you feeling out of the loop. Over time, you get the sense that your work doesn’t matter much to anyone. When calls go unanswered and contact with the boss dwindles, you begin to feel isolated, disenchanted and eventually unengaged.

While a remote working arrangement is a 50/50 proposition with the employee taking equal responsibility for a successful relationship, a knowledgeable boss certainly helps. Many of the trust building techniques for off-site employees are the same as for those who work in the office. However, making time to stay connected is critical. Here are some trust musts:

1. Get to know your remote workers by talking with them often (daily)—Video conferencing and phone calls give you face-to-face time with an off-site employee. Because communication is so much more than the words, it’s important that you don’t rely only on email or texts.
2. Discuss expectations—Because you won’t be able to monitor a remote employee’s every move, it’s important to clarify what success looks like and to discuss goals. Also, always know what’s on the employee’s plate, and as they progress toward the goal, find out what tasks are challenging them.
3. Forget micromanaging—Once employees are trained, allow them to work in their own way to reach the agreed-upon goal. Nothing signals trust more than allowing some autonomy.
4. Discuss remote employees’ talents—Does your remote employee have unique skills and insight? Find out and put it to use. This allows the worker to job craft and sends the message that they’re part of something bigger.
5. Provide materials, equipment and information—Be sure to include off-site employees in meetings and announcements. Make sure they have the resources and access to information they need to do the work easily. If your team is spread out across time zones, use a calendar or schedule sharing tool so it’s easier track each other’s availability.
6. Be available and responsive—Communication with remote employees helps keep them from feeling isolated. Commit to a regular contact time and stick to it. When the employee contacts you, respond quickly. This signals that they and their work are important. Follow through on the things you say you’ll do.
7. Recognize excellence—When a remote employee reaches a goal, let your team know so you can all celebrate the achievement.

The New York Times reports a record 43 percent of employed Americans working (at least some of the time) remotely. Knowing how to foster trusting relationships with them is increasingly important.