First, encourage your team to have a set schedule for work. Then, if appropriate, you may wish to use project-management programs, such as Asana or monday.com, which let you assign and coordinate tasks from afar.

Next, when managing staff, there is no substitute for face-to-face contact. But until we can safely congregate again in groups, I recommend staying in touch regularly via email and text messages, always asking if the recipients understand all assignments and directions. Additionally, establish a regular time for catching up with each staffer via phone or video-chat services. For that, make sure every team member has tools such as Zoom, Facetime, or GoToMeeting.

Using those kinds of aids, arrange regular one-to-one and group calls with your crew not only to review work projects but also to simply touch base and share a laugh or some small talk. Of course, be conscious of respecting your team members' time, making sure the communications aren't overly long. By consistently connecting with your staff using these practices and technologies, you might find it's the next best thing to being there. E