With the current global pandemic, many organizations allow their employees to work remotely from home to curb the spread of corona. In as much as they want their employees to work remotely, they also want to ensure that they maintain or even improve the organization’s level of competency and productivity. The biggest huddle with such a situation is monitorization and supervision of employees since they are not in their usual work environment, and those who work from home are easily distracted by activities in the house such as children or minor house chores. Moreover, with network challenges and limited access to essential work files and tools, basic tasks may become harder to carry, especially when dealing with many employees.
With an excellent workforce management system, remote workforce management can be more straightforward, especially in the times we are in when the workforce is encouraged to operate from home. It may seem like a lot of work to come up with an efficient management system, however, few tips have proven to be essential for businesses whose employees are working from home.
Lay down clear guidelines and expectations from your employees
It is essential not to leave your employees guessing your expectation but also not micro imaging them. Having clear goals, work schedules, and performance tracking are vital for their performance regardless of location. They should read and understand their job descriptions and requirements to maximize and prioritize what is essential in their list of key performance indicators.
Related to Managing Your Business with Employees Working From Home:
Do regular check-ins
To track performance, it is best to create one-on-one and team avenues for checking in with you from time to time. This provides them with a platform to air their grievances, give updates, and hear their suggestions on how to improve their efficiency. Depending on the team culture and need, this could be daily, weekly, or after a few hours.
Allow multidirectional communication
Since you may be far from your team members or your employees, it is vital to have multidirectional communication. It is best to listen more and not just to hand updates or give instructions. It is essential to allow feedback from all remote workstations to know about the experience of the employees. You may also check in with them to understand how they are doing and not necessarily on work-related matters.
Maximize the usage of digital systems
When working remotely, it is vital to access at least if not all the digital tools and infrastructure. Thus, investing in technology is not a choice if you want your team to work effetely and efficiently from any location. The remote workers need to have dynamic and ready-to-use tools for information sharing, virtual meetings, and any other daily routine. These digital systems and infrastructure need to be accessed from the web and mobile devices.
Appreciate the employees and the effort they make
It is best to recognize good performance no matter how small it may look. It is essential to celebrate individual and team achievement. It boosts the morale and transforms the team’s attitude towards their jobs. It is best to have a motivated team, especially when working away from the usual location.
Teambuilding activities
Not working side by side can be very dull sometimes. Having a get-together outside work can is very important for the team. Activity such as virtual game nights and other outside work activities using a work platform can be fun and interactive, just like any other team-building activity. It is best to set a time for social interaction where no work issues will be discussed, where the employees will just be having fun.
Trust your employees
Trust is the most vital component in any business. As such, it is best to trust that your employees will do a good job no matter their location. When mistrusted or suspected of other engagements other than the designated work, the remote employees’ performance usually suffers.