According to research by Owl Labs, remote workers are quickly becoming more commonplace in the workforce, with 68% of global employees working from home at least once per month.
And they might even be giving office workers a run for their productivity. In fact, data from Sure Payroll found that 86% of workers prefer to work alone in order to “hit maximum productivity” and more than two-thirds of employers reported increased productivity among their telecommuters.
But, while working remotely certainly has its fair share of benefits (for more on this, check out our guide, The What, Why, and How of Building a High-Performance Remote Team), it isn't always easy. And it isn’t for everyone. There can be distractions that are just as disruptive as chatty office coworkers – pets, household chores, personal errands, TV, and noisy cafes, to name a few. And, for some, it can be difficult to manage your schedule when you're not working within the traditional parameters of an office.
So, how can you make sure that you're doing your part to maximize your employees’ productivity and set them up for success? Whether your company is just starting to think about offering remote options or you’ve been at it for years, these tips and tools can help your virtual team get the most out their workday.
It's essential for both the productivity of your remote employees and the function of your entire team that clear guidelines are set for what needs to be accomplished and how it's to be completed. Setting expectations on things like work hours and attendance requirements for meetings lets the employee know what is needed on their end to do their job successfully in a remote setting.
Another element of this is having defined and measurable goals. This further creates expectations of what's needed to be done, as well as a timeline that employees can work within. It also helps you keep track of their progress.
There are a couple of ways that we do this here at Outback:
You can also schedule weekly or bi-weekly check-ins with your remote team members to touch base on how they’re doing with their tasks. While you might keep in touch regularly on chat platforms (more to come on communication!), meetings with a specific agenda help reinforce set guidelines and expectations and gets everyone on the same page. Click here for more information on how to create a remote working policy.
If your remote employee has a slow computer, no access to the appropriate software required for their job, and can't clearly hear on a conference call, you're setting them up to fail. As an employer, it's your responsibility to make sure that your team is set up with the tools they need to succeed in their role. And, especially when working remotely, your employees’ productivity can depend greatly on reliable, good quality equipment. So, be sure to invest in the tools that your team needs to do their jobs, whether that be a laptop, telephone, or even an external hard drive.
For example, at Outback, we have a budget available for our full-time remote employees to acquire all the tools they require in order to ensure their designated workspace is as functional and conducive to their success as possible. Some other things to think about include:
Here are some other useful tools that can help your virtual team manage their tasks efficiently and stay organized:
Time management is an integral element to being productive in any working environment. But it’s particularly important in a remote setting because, with no coworkers to gauge themselves by, no manager on-site to check-in, and no punch clock, it’s up to the remote employee to build that structure and accountability for themselves – and up to you to support them.
Here are some tips on how to help keep your remote employees accountable:
Outback's own Practical Time Management is a great program that can provide both you with your remote employees with further practical tools to help enhance work rhythm, prioritize tasks, and align top priorities.
Another important tip for remote time management? Always make a to-do list. A tool like Todoist – a useful desktop to-do list app and organizer – will help remote workers keep track of deadlines and responsibilities. Read more about how to build out to-do lists in our article, Quick-Fix Tips for Common Leadership Productivity Killers.
It's simple: remote teams must have good communication strategies in order to survive and thrive.
When you're in an office, you can easily pop into someone's office to ask a quick question or huddle together with your coworker for a brainstorm. But, if you're not working face-to-face, you need to find effective ways to talk to your team in order to overcome roadblocks, avoid misunderstandings, and ensure everyone is aligned with their responsibilities.
Here are three useful methods of communication and tools that we use for our remote teams in a variety of departments:
Our learning program, CAP Feedback Module, can help your team further develop effective communication skills. CAP is an acronym for “clear,” “authentic,” and “productive” – qualities that are integral for building a culture of effective communication.
Check out our free downloadable guide, The What, Why, and How of Building a High-Performance Remote Team, for more on the modern remote workforce. For further support in employee engagement, just reach out to one of our Employee Engagement Consultants.