Managing a Satellite Staff

This article was written by David G. Javitch, Ph.D. of Entrepreneur.com

Mergers and acquisitions, plus flexible time and multiple work sites, have created the need for alternative work situations -- and in many cases, this means offsite teams. In the electronic age, employees at different sites can be connected by email, fax, telephone and Web conferencing.

Whether your employees are working at a different plant, factory, office building or simply from home, addressing the issue of satellite staffs is vital to your business' success.

What type of employee is best suited for off-site work?

Specifically, employees must be independent self-starters who do not need an on-site supervisor. They need to be assertive enough to speak up, state views and ask for assistance before situations become critical. In addition, they must be self-critical workers who can evaluate their own work and know when input from others is needed. They must voluntarily seek advice and counsel from others without fear of appearing inadequate, unconfident or unprofessional. And most importantly, they must be able to create their own work day and schedule without the structure of a formal, eight-hour day.

But what problems can arise in a satellite or home office? First, off-siters sometimes complain that they don't feel like part of the team, that an esprit de corps doesn't exist because of the physical separation between offices. Also, developing a rapport between supervisee and supervisor can be difficult since the latter isn't on-site.

As a result, it's easy for milestones and deadlines to go unmet. Unsupervised work can become distracted, off-course and less than optimal. A related issue is "out of sight, out of mind": An off-siter's work may not be considered or valued as highly as that of on-siters. And finally, without an externally imposed structured day, work performance can suffer.