The Regional rep has
left the building…
Scott Argo & Erin Chadwick
Georgia Regents University
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Georgia Regents University
ž Georgia’s Public Academic Health Center
ž Located in Augusta, Georgia
ž Formerly Georgia Health Sciences University and
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Augusta State University
Comprehensive Research University
2 Augusta Campuses
5 Remote Clinical Campuses throughout Georgia
Approximately 10,000 students
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Why Remote Employees?
 Presence
in specific territory
 Accessibility to potential students
 Cost effective solution to recruitment
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Before you Start…
 Make
sure you are up for the task of
managing remotely
 Passion
 Availability
 Patience
 Reliability
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Hiring: Rules for Success
 Surround
yourself with the very best
people
 Give them something meaningful and
challenging to do
 Keep them engaged
 Reward them
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The Hiring Process
 Establish
a screening committee
 Phone interview first
 Take your time
 Allow staff interaction
 Campus tour (training from the beginning)
 Lunch and learn
 Require a presentation
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Communicate Expectations
 Working hours
 Working location
 Technology & usage
 Performance objectives
 Physical home office space
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Provide the Right Tools
 Laptop/Docking
Station
 Tablets
 Phone
 Hotspot/Wi-Fi
 Office
Supplies
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Manager Tip #1
Integrate Employees
ž Encourage ownership
ž Share information
ž Define employees role
ž Say thank you
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Manager Tip #2
Communication is Key
ž Managers must work hard to ensure
that their employees do not feel isolated
ž Develop interpersonal communication
ž Use multiple avenues
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Manager Tip #3
Establish Trust and Respect
A
manager’s communication style sets
the tone for how the team will
communicate with each other
 People need reasons and explanations
behind actions; this conveys respect for
their thoughts and feelings
 Respect is earned, not demanded. Those
that demand respect actually destroy it

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Manager Tip # 4
Build a Team Culture
 Foster
inter-team communication
 Create partnerships amongst remote
employees for projects
 Form virtual water coolers and
opportunities for small talk, re-living past
successes, humor and experiences
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Manager Tip #5
Create Accountability
through Self Monitoring
 Clearly outline
goals
 Create responsibility
 Generate individual accountability with a
self-monitoring system

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Manager Tip #6
Training is Key
 The speed
at which you build competency
with employees is important due to costs
and limited visual interaction
 On-going mentoring and training is
critical to keep employees connected to
the organization
 Managers should think of each remote
employee’s development as a continuous
process
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Manager Tip #7
Handle Conflict Promptly
 Don’t
ignore employee performance
issues until a more convenient time (out
of sight, out of mind)
 Often there is no one that can pick up the
slack of a remote employee – fix it fast so
a gap does not develop
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Employee Tip # 1
Get Organized
 Demonstrate
outstanding organization
and attention to detail
 Each time you follow through on one of
your projects, you will gain more trust
and be included in higher-level ones

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Employee Tip #2
Check-In Frequently
 Remain
in touch…if you aren’t seen or
heard, you are not thought of for new
opportunities
 Use multiple forms of communication
such as Skype video conferencing and
instant messaging, and don’t be afraid to
pick up the phone
 Identify the best means of
communication
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Employee Tip # 3
Network
 Build
your soft skills by networking in
person and via social media with coworkers and other people in your
profession.
 Make time to go to your company’s
training programs and holiday parties
 Participate in as many networking events
and conferences as you can

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Employee Tip #4
Pace Your Work Day
 Without
formal meetings and lunch
breaks, you need to manage your own
schedule
 For every hour you work, take a 5-10
minute break. By doing this, you are
mimicking the natural pace of office life
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Employee Tip #5
Work in a Productive Space
 Your
dining-room table, the living room,
or your neighborhood Starbucks may do
the trick
 Use a variety of work settings to avoid
boredom; mix things up and get the
creative juices flowing
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Employee Tip #6
Use Collaboration Tools
 It
is important to show you are engaged
throughout the day
 By using tools such as Google Docs,
colleagues can see your real-time edits,
comments and projects
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Employee Tip #7
Communicate in a Timely Manner
 Make
replying to your managers’ e-mails
a high priority
 When you respond, be clear and concise.
The connections are not always clear
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 Contact
Information
Scott Argo
 sargo@gru.edu
 706-667-4095

Erin Chadwick
 echadwic@gru.edu
 404-809-8186

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