General Questions

There should be no significant difference between managing the performance of a teleworker and managing the employee who works in the office. The process for managing the performance of all employees should include:

• Planning work and setting expectations,
• Monitoring performance,
• Developing employee skills,
• Appraising performance, and
• Recognizing employees for their accomplishments

In any work situation, planning work is the first step to managing performance. Supervisors and employees should clearly define what the employee is to accomplish. Of course, employee assignments should align with and support organizational goals. Planning for successful results requires supervisors and employees to first determine work unit goals and objectives, and then determine employee accomplishments that support those goals. Supervisors and employees can use employee performance plans as the tools to establish required accomplishments. If employees know what they are supposed to do, and how well they are supposed to do it, the supervisor has set the stage for successful performance – whether the employee works inside or outside the office.

In addition, certain work assignments can be easily accomplished by an employee telecommuting. Specifically, work assignments where the employee has access to the resources necessary to complete the work assignments; such as teleconferencing, computer hardware and software, files, and other resources; actually are best suited for teleworking. Managers should take these accommodations into consideration when establishing telework agreements with their employees.