Did you know that 40% or more of today’s workforce is remote? Although this movement to remote work has benefits for both companies and employees, it does remove some oversight. It also significantly reduces your engagement levels with your staff. Therefore, these are a few strategies you can use to keep your remote workers on track and productive.
Learn About Their Productivity
Your first task is to learn how you can tell whether your remote staff is productive. You want employees who are motivated, proactive and engaged. One method for tracking their productivity is through video conferences, and using a virtual office background can help them feel more like they are in the office.
You should discuss their goals and progress as well as company goals and visions. Ask about their frustrations and watch for helplessness and negativity, such as statements like, “That won’t work,” or victim mindsets.
Schedule Transparency
You should also have access to time trackers that monitor your employees’ work progress and process. They should be transparent about what they do every day, how long it takes them and when they complete specific tasks.
You also need to become transparent. Be open and honest about your expectations of each team member. Set boundaries and give them guidelines or processes they can follow to meet your expectations. Respond quickly to expectation questions.
Investing in Helpful Tools
While some tools, such as Zoom office backgrounds free, have little or no cost, others, such as automated onboarding, HR and collaboration software can be costly. However, invest in tools that improve productivity. Learn about the processes that you can automate, and give your staff access to information they may need so they can do their jobs better and more efficiently.
Communication channels, such as instant messaging and video conferencing software, are especially important, especially if they need to collaborate with others or have questions about their tasks. Project and time management software products are also valuable.
Encourage Personal and Professional Connections Through Communication
Remote work can become lonely, and many employees may not feel comfortable reaching out when they have questions or concerns. Therefore, make communication a regular occurrence. Whether you have weekly one-on-one meetings or daily group updates, expand the time you spend interacting with your staff.
Also, encourage your employees to connect with each other. This improves innovation, collaboration and productivity. You can set up times and places when they can meet up or create interactive games or competitions where they can learn more about each other. Focus on team building.
You should also provide regular feedback and consider a daily check-in process. This should give you a better understanding of how your employees feel and what they struggle with. Don’t forget to give them emotional support.
Acknowledging Hard Work
Don’t forget that your employees work hard, whether they are in the office or at home. Remember to praise their achievements and acknowledge their work. Encourage them to set goals and share their successes with the team. You can also build a rewards system that celebrates success.
Your remote workers want to do a good job, but the separation can be challenging. Therefore, brainstorm unique ideas that improve engagement, such as providing a Zoom background with logo that makes them feel like an integral part of the company.
