Field Staff Management Tips

Managing field staff is essentially difficult because you can’t physically and constantly supervise them. If you want to ensure their productivity and satisfaction with their jobs, you need to be fully aware of their wants and needs as well as understand the unique nature of their jobs and how it impacts their behavior.

The Difference between Office Based and Field Staff
There are several things that your field staff does not have in common with your office-based employees and knowing each and every one of them is the best way to determine the most effective management style.

No Physical or Constant Supervision
There are two ways to look at this. The absence of supervision requires them to have the ability to make decisions on their own. Of course, the lack of supervision also means they have the freedom to procrastinate as they don’t have to worry about having a manager evaluating them while they work.

Manual Efforts
Field assignments are usually arduous in the physical sense. Field employees have to travel more than office-based employees do and though this may be exciting, it’s also exhausting. Workplace conditions will depend on their current destination.

How to Manage Field Staff Effectively
Now that you know what kind of situation your field staff has to face every day, you’ll be able to better determine which motivating factors would work best with them. To help you establish and maintain a good working relationship with your field staff, here are some tips you should consider.

Enforce Reasonable Deadlines.
There is basically no way for you to ensure that every minute they are at work is truly being spent productively, but if you enforce deadlines, you can at least be certain they will obtain the results you need when you need them. Be sure, however, that the deadlines are reasonable as a too-short deadline could place too much pressure on them and subsequently produce undesirable results.

Make Travel as Comfortable as Possible.
Your field staff, just like your office-based staff, is doing work on your behalf. Yes, you are paying them, but if you want them to become more productive and proactive toward their work, then you have to do your part as well by giving them the most comfortable means to travel.

Coordinate.
Your field staff is working out in the real world, where the rules may change any time. Make sure your communication lines with them stay open. Encourage them to coordinate with you. If there’s any way for you to make their work easier, they’ll also be motivated to work harder and produce better results for your company.

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