7 Tips for Better Remote Workforce Management

Remote work has proven to be rewarding in terms of improving the productivity and quality of work of employees. However, because a lot of companies are still new to this setup, about 71% of companies worldwide are finding it challenging to adapt when it comes to remote workforce management.

Unlike the typical work structure, managing remote workers is fairly different especially when trying to maintain effective communication within the company. It is also more difficult to hire and onboard new employees and match their expectations with the company culture. As you move on with their employment, you will face unique challenges that you may never experience in a  traditional setup.

To help you manage your remote workforce better, we listed the best ways to overcome the challenges that you may face. Read on to know more.

Tip #1 Set a well-organized onboarding meeting for new employees.

If you want to lead a successful team, it is important to provide them with well-organized onboarding meetings right from the start. Tell them about your company guidelines and set boundaries that each employee should keep in mind. In these sessions, make sure to allocate time for your new hires to ask questions to avoid misunderstanding in the future.

Aside from that, it is very important to clarify priorities, milestones, key performance indicators, and your company goals. This will help in making sure that everyone in your team is walking in the same direction.

There are many ways to make your onboarding process more effective. For example, you can provide a virtual handbook explaining your company rules and regulations beforehand. It is also important to make presentations easier to understand and more appealing. More importantly, you should be able to instill your company culture right from the start.

Tip #2 Equip your employees.

Make sure employees have the technology they need to be successful, which may be more than just a mobile phone and laptop. For example, if you expect employees to attend virtual meetings, do they have an adequate camera? Have they been briefed beforehand to prepare for these requirements?

Even if you don’t have an extensive set of technology and collaborative tools available, you can equip employees to function effectively even while staying remote.  It’s always better to align and equip your team rather than assume that people follow the same standard procedures your company follows. 

Acknowledge that virtual communication is different from a physical meeting. It won’t be perfect — but should still be professional and respectful of others. Be mindful that virtual communication may be less comfortable for some,  so coach employees about when and how to escalate ineffective virtual exchanges. For example, if you haven’t settled an issue in six emails, the conversation may need to be elevated to a virtual meeting to get closure.

Tip # 3 Prioritize communication and accept feedback. 

Managers need to have healthy communication with their remote staff. Keeping communication open can help avoid misunderstandings when it comes to schedule, deadlines, and details. . It will also help in preventing and resolving work issues and address any inadequate resources needed to finish every project smoothly.

To do this, consider a communication tool that will work best for your team. For example, if your team is composed of diverse nationalities living in different countries, you might want to avoid phone calls and text messages, being mindful of the difference in time zones. Instead, focus on emails or use applications like Skype, Slack, Workplace, and others.

Set a rule for communication. For example, everyone should be online during their work schedule and they should check their emails first thing in the morning. This may vary depending on your company culture and how you want to build interaction with your team.

Tip #4 Provide a means to collaborate. 

Aside from communication, you should also prioritize collaboration when managing remote workers. Set a shared document that will track all the work activities of your team more effectively. There is also project management software that your company can use for collaboration like Asana, Slack, and ClickUp. If you want a more traditional one, you can also use spreadsheets for managing tasks.

Moreover, note that voicing out opinions and communicating face-to-face is important. So, make sure to set virtual video meetings that will help in conveying opinions and resolving issues better. Note that all people are different and while some employees are more comfortable conversing in emails, some people prefer speaking.

Tip # 5 Set clear remote work productivity standards.

Everyone knows how horrifying micromanagement can be. This is where KPIs and measurement would come in handy. Instead of checking what your employees are doing all the time, it is best to just set one-on-one check-ins with them, making sure that KPIs are being met and standard procedures on tasks are being followed. It is also best to look at output rather than the time they spent doing the task. This will help in building trust within your teams and allowing them to be comfortable with their work.

But, to make sure that everyone does work to the highest standard, set clear remote work  KPIs within your team. For example, all your employees should send a report about everything they finished within the day. You can also set their daily, weekly, and monthly key performance indicators to ensure that they are doing their work properly.

Tip #6 Celebrate success. 

Not everything should be neck-by-neck in the job and if you want to motivate your team better, it is best to hold celebrations for successful projects. You can also give some recognition and reward to those who excel and go beyond their KPIs. Meanwhile, don’t forget to give positive feedback to all team members to lift their spirits and boost their morale.

Tip # 7 Partner with Remotify.

We know that hiring the right people virtually and managing a remote team is more difficult than it may appear. That is why at Remotify, we aim to do the heavy lifting and handle the HR admin tasks, payroll management, and team engagement for you. We can also lend a hand in employee sourcing, background checks, and providing health benefits for your employees.

Our Employer of Record services will allow you to simplify your outsourcing and onboarding processes as we handle the complexities for you. Check out the EOR services that we offer here or schedule a call with us now!