Most workers ‘feel more empowered by hands-off approach’
Face-to-face management is in decline as more managers choose to lead their teams remotely using texting and video calls to stay in touch, according to a new survey.
Research with 2,000 UK employees, by recruitment firm Reed, found that a third of staff are now supervised by remote managers at least once a week.
Of those workers 40 per cent say their levels of face-to-face contact have gone down in the last 12 months, while contact via technology such as smart phones and video conferencing had increased.
Results also showed that 80 per cent of remotely managed staff did not connect with their supervisor on a daily basis, while a fifth of these employees can work for more than a month without contacting their manager.
However, 84 per cent of employees said that this lack of communication – prompted by a ‘distance management’ approach – actually gave them more independence and made them feel empowered in their role.
More than half (62 per cent) of workers also said they preferred being managed in this hands off way as it gives them the freedom to get on with their work uninterrupted.
Tom Lovell, group managing director at Reed, said: “Remote management offers many employers more flexibility and workers are welcoming the opportunity to approach their own role in a more independent way.
“However, managers have had to adapt to remote working. Our survey shows 89 per cent use email, 84 per cent use telephone, and 48 per cent use text messaging to manage their teams.”
But he added: “When it comes to management style, some of the key attributes remain the same, with workers wanting clear targets and acknowledgement of good work, showing that it takes more than face-to-face contact to be a good manager.”