The popularity of remote work is rising fast.

Multiple research studies show that employees who are able to skip commuting and work away from the office, whether at home, a coffee shop or somewhere in between, are happier, more productive and less likely to jump ship.

But overseeing a team of remote employees doesn’t come naturally to many managers, who are accustomed to seeing their employees in the office at least a few days each week. Some even question how they can know if people working away from the office are really working.

“The first thing we teach leaders in that situation is management by objectives—how you can give people the benefit of the doubt by setting expectations upfront and having a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities and timelines,” said Mari Anne Snow, who honed her skills in virtual team leadership as an executive at State Street Corp., an international financial services company based in Boston.

As vice president of corporate services, Snow was responsible for designing and implementing programs promoting flexible work arrangements, global collaboration and virtual project teams for 27,000 employees worldwide.

Since leaving State Street, she has continued her mission to promote remote teams by founding companies that provide strategic direction and custom training to virtual teams and that design products for remote workers. 

Proponents of remote work see it as a viable way for companies to expand and diversify their talent pool, reduce overhead expenses, and respond to business demands in real time. Yet many remote teams fail to meet their objectives.