Performance appraisals for telecommuters

As the pages of a calendar dwindle, so comes the end of the fiscal year for many organizations, as tax season approaches and companies gear up to implement strategy in the first quarter of a new year. From a managerial perspective, the end of December can mark a period when it makes sense to evaluate the performance of employees. For a standard office, entrepreneurs might find clearer metrics for determining how successful an employee has been than those in a virtual operation. Here are some tips for translating the time-tested performance review into your firm of telecommuters:

1. Connect the dots between your employees. When interviewing a subordinate in a review, get a clear sense of the relationships he or she has managed to cultivate with other members on your team. Strong virtual offices promote collaboration and a team mentality despite the physical distance between desks. Give strong marks to employees who dive into office culture and teamwork. 

2. Look for square pegs in round holes. Not everyone is cut out for telecommuting: It requires a high degree of self-starting and organization, which doesn't suit some professionals, no matter how brilliant and competent they are otherwise. If an employee doesn't gel with the structure of your company, give constructive criticism with a timeline for implementation. If he or she fails to meet your expectations, consider looking for alternatives. 

3. Remember that success is a two-way street. As a virtual office manager, you should be continuously reviewing the systems in place to facilitate communication and productivity among your employees. If they've fallen short in a given area, it could be that you need an update. For example, professionals diverted by tedious administrative tasks might indicate that you should explore virtual office assistants to relieve the burden. 

To conduct performance reviews in person, check out On Point Executive Center's meeting spaces in Tampa.