Businesses are now adopting remote work models due to a variety of factors, including the pandemic and the millennial desire for a better work-life balance. This trend in working has become the norm and has been extremely productive. It does however require careful implementation.
You must consider how to manage employees and keep your team united once you have built your remote team. For that, we share the top tips to implement for successful remote work.
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Invest in Employee Monitoring Software
Investing in employee screen monitoring software is a smart business decision that can pay off in many ways. Even though employees can have some negative opinions on tracking apps, if you go through all of them carefully, you’ll notice the benefits outweigh and cons. The app only records while it’s active, and employees don’t have to worry about their privacy. If they forget to turn it on at any point, they can often contact you and add the time manually.
Here are some of the benefits that employee monitoring apps offer:
- Boost productivity by ensuring that employees are working on tasks that are relevant to your business goals.
- Improve communication and collaboration among employees by giving you visibility into what everyone is working on.
- Increase security by recognizing patterns and preventing data breaches.
- Improve your company’s culture by increasing transparency and accountability.
Avoid Micromanaging
When you manage a remote team, it’s important to avoid micromanaging. This can be a challenge since you can’t always see what your team is doing. However, micromanaging will only lead to frustration and resentment from your team members.
Instead, trust your team and give them the freedom to work how they want. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t provide guidance and support, but you should avoid being overly controlling. If you find yourself controlling your employees, try to take a step back. Give your team members some space to breathe and trust that they’ll do their best work.
Collect Feedback
You have expectations from your remote team, but they go both ways. Occasionally, you should collect feedback from the team, and see whether you need to change something regarding your management. Don’t take feedback by heart. Instead, find ways to improve yourself and set up an example for your team.
There are a few different ways that you can go about collecting feedback from your remote team. The most important thing is to make sure that you are clear about what you need feedback on, and that you give your team members enough time to express their thoughts. To make the team more comfortable, conduct an anonymous online survey and encourage them to be honest and open.
Continuously Train Your Team
As a manager, it’s important to continuously train your team so that they are up-to-date on the latest information and best practices. Doing so will help them be more effective and efficient in their roles, and ultimately contribute to the success of your organization.
There are a number of ways you can go about training your team. You can have regular training sessions on specific topics, where you work as a team, or you can provide everyone with resources that can be accessed anytime. This could include an online learning portal or a library of e-books and articles that they can read at their own pace.
Whichever method you choose, it’s important that you make training a priority for your team. By doing so, you’ll ensure that they have the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in their roles.
Make Health and Well-Being a Priority
It’s no secret that working remotely can come with a whole host of challenges, both for employees and employers. One of the most important things to keep in mind when managing a remote team is employee health and well-being. Just because your employees are working from home, doesn’t give managers and owners the right to deny their sick leave. Sometimes taking a break is inevitable, and you need your employees at their best.
Equip Your Team
As more and more employees work remotely, it’s important to equip them with devices that will enable them to be productive outside of the office. Not all laptops are created equal, and some employees might have devices that won’t support certain software and apps. Equip your team with compatible devices and see how efficiency and productivity increase.
Bottom Line
Although there are challenges that come along with managing a remote team, there are also many benefits. By following the tips above, you can set your team up for success and ensure that everyone is on the same page. With proper communication and organization, your remote team can be just as productive, if not more so, than an in-office team.
