The world has changed drastically in the past couple of years after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. One of the major changes has been the shift to remote work. Once seen as an occasional perk, remote work has now become a new normal for many businesses around the world. With this shift, companies have had to quickly adapt their processes to fit this new way of working.
Remote work has enabled businesses to stay connected and statistics show that 48% of employees have kept working remotely even after the pandemic. The main reason why this working style has been embraced so greatly is that it has provided employees with increased flexibility and autonomy in how they manage their time and workloads.
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However, even with all this, there is one hurdle that employers and team leaders must tackle and that is to motivate your remote workers and improve their productivity.
Even though you’re not able to walk over to an employee’s desk and check in on them, there are certain tactics you can use to make sure your team members stay productive while working from home. Below, we share the best strategies to improve your remote team’s productivity in 2023.
Implement A Reliable Employee Monitoring Software
Many managers keep an eye on employees to make sure they are always on the right track., But, there is no need for them to feel pressured and feel like someone is breathing down their necks.
Managers and business owners have a variety of tools they can use to keep track of what their remote employees are up to. With the help of top-quality monitoring software for employees, you can be sure that your remote employees are performing their duties.
You should not look at this software as micromanaging because it has a myriad of benefits that are making the job easier for both managers and remote team members.
Some of the most common benefits include:
- Assigning tasks to the right team members. This software will help you determine what each employee excels at and then help you assign tasks and projects accordingly. You can assign tasks fairly by taking into consideration how long someone takes to complete a particular task.
- Enhanced communication. Employees who work remotely can feel cut off from their organization. This software has features that allow you to communicate and provide feedback, so they know they are always up-to-date.
- Improved project management. Your employees can track their progress and manage their tasks as they move from project to project with the right solution. You can also use automation to assign tasks and projects based on employee satisfaction.
This type of employee monitoring software allows you to track time and monitor productivity in real time. It also provides actionable data so you can ensure that everyone on your remote team is performing their duties as they should.
Create A Great Remote Work Environment
Many companies make significant investments in their offices so that employees can be motivated to work and feel welcome.
Home offices should not be any different. If you’re looking to maximize their productivity, your remote employees should have the right equipment and a space where they can easily switch to a working mindset.
Encourage your employees to be innovative and teach them how to create a good home office environment, remove unnecessary distractions, and get organized. This will improve their ability to deliver projects on time.
Most importantly, you should subsidize and invest in your employees’ home offices. For example, why not purchase a standing desk converter or a second monitor? This will not only make your employees more productive but also show them that you care about them, which will increase employee loyalty.
Define Expectations Early On
If you want to ensure increased productivity in your remote team members, then you should set expectations early and be honest with them. Don’t overload them with work they cannot complete during office hours.
Make goal-setting collaborative, taking into consideration your opinions and those of your remote team. Open a conversation and see how much they are realistically capable of achieving and then set some goals.
You can do this, for example, by listing out the tasks at the beginning of each quarter. Establish a deadline to finish the tasks, so that the responsibilities are equally distributed amongst your remote employees.
Address Burnout and Exhaustion
Burnout is a serious issue that you should discuss with your employees. There are many reasons why remote workers can experience burnout and exhaustion. Some people are overworked, others feel isolated and some simply can’t adjust to working at home.
You should keep an eye on your employees if they are at high risk of burnout. Burnout may result in serious consequences for individuals’ mental health and lead to a drastic drop in productivity. For this reason, you should strive for low-stress levels to see increased productivity.
Encourage your employees, whether they are at work or not, to open up to you. Supporting your employees emotionally is essential to their mental health.
Be sure to keep in constant and consistent communication with them, praise their achievements, but also make sure they know that there is life beyond work. Tell them not to work outside of their designated working hours, and to spend as much time as possible socializing during their free time.
Celebrate Success Virtually
Even when you’re not physically together, you can still celebrate wins together with your remote employees. It’s important to celebrate your team’s successes from time to time to keep them motivated and boost their morale. Virtual success meetings can be held every two weeks or once a month to celebrate project milestones and clients’ appreciation.
Make sure you don’t forget to thank your team for their hard work. For example, you can send a simple email of appreciation or post a message in the group chat. Let others know who has done a great job. It will also serve as a source of inspiration for others and lead to enhanced business results.
Final Thoughts
As more and more companies adopt fully remote structures, many leaders feel like they have little control over their team’s work routines and level of motivation. However, there are effective ways to increase productivity even if you cannot keep track of your employees or know exactly what they are doing.
With the strategies highlighted in this article, you can build a team of productive and happy remote employees who’ll deliver consistent results in 2023.
