A third of workers in the UK are being managed remotely and many do not connect with their manager for a month or more, according to research by Reed. The recruitment agency surveyed more than 2,000 employees and found that eight in ten of those who are managed remotely do not make contact with their superiors on a daily basis. Forty per cent said the amount of face-to-face time they have with their boss has gone down in the last year, partly as a result of the growing prevalence of other forms of communication such as text messaging and video calls. The Reed research also found that this method of workforce management is largely popular, with 84 per cent of people who are managed remotely saying they are happy with the amount of contact they receive. Nearly two in three (62 per cent) respondents preferred bosses who give them the freedom to get on with their work without interruption. Other findings suggested that more than three-quarters (78 per cent) of workers like managers who make them feel comfortable – eight per cent more than in 2012 – and 71 per cent want their superiors to admit to making mistakes. Two-thirds (66 per cent) of people said they valued bosses who acknowledge their work. Tom Lovell, group managing director at Reed, pointed out that remote management offers more flexibility for many employees, providing a welcome opportunity for them to approach their work with more independence. He also noted that many managers are having to adapt to the method. "Our survey shows 89 per cent use email, 84 per cent use telephone, and 48 per cent use text messaging to manage their teams," said Mr Lovell. "When it comes to management style, some of the key attributes remain the same, with workers wanting clear targets and acknowledgement of good work, showing that it takes more than face-to-face contact to be a good manager." Reed is currently running a Manager of the Year competition, which will be open until November 18th.