19 June 2015 | Jamie Harris
Managers require extra training to deal with managing staff remotely, according to research.
According to a survey from Regus, a flexible workspace provider, four in five organisations support flexible and remote working practices.
However, 68 per cent of respondents agreed that managers require specific training when managing remote team members.
More than four in five respondents believed that constant communication is important, and a similar figure advocate monthly face-to-face meetings.
Just over half of respondents to the survey believe that work activity should be tracked by IT systems. But the research indicated that employee output, rather than time spent working, should be the main tool to measure performance.
Richard Morris, UK CEO at Regus, said: "With its benefits to employers and workers, it's no wonder that businesses are increasingly offering remote working options to staff. However, the research findings emphasise the need for regular contact between managers and their team members, and the importance of measuring success by output."