How to Enhance Remote Workforce Productivity

By Guest Author | remote work | June 22, 2021

Before the pandemic, remote work has already been on the rise, with more businesses allowing employees to work from home. There are businesses that are fully remote as well, with more digital nomads traveling and communicating with their team from other countries! And as more people are working from home due to the pandemic and restrictions, remote work will be more popular even after things have gone back to a new normal.

This is why companies and organizations all around the world are looking for ways on how to enhance productivity when teams are working from different places. While productivity is a big challenge and won’t be smooth sailing, it is possible to keep all your employees productive.

That said, these are ways you can enhance your remote workforce productivity.

Schedule time and have face-to-face meetings

If your country permits it, it’s best to take the time out to meet with your remote workforce face-to-face, if possible. These meetings can be set every week, month, or even quarterly, depending on everyone’s availability.

After all, nothing can replace the benefits of face-to-face meetings, and doing these once in a while can help you and the team understand the different personalities, work habits, opinions, and perspectives of one another. This is crucial to work effectively and productively.

Have a warm together and enjoy teambuilding activities as you talk and get to know one another more. This would improve team morale and performance, which then impacts negatively in a positive way. Regardless of how big or small a team is, focus on teambuilding activities to create that sense of connectedness among one another. This would also give the opportunity to discuss the company culture, vision, and future with the team.

Besides fun activities, you should have regular face-to-face or virtual meetings for training. Employees should be knowledgeable about the organization they work with, the goals to accomplish, and the brand. Organize events for team members to understand the company’s core values further and train them regularly so they can grow with the company while keeping engaged.

Set boundaries

Team members that work from different locations would require boundaries so as to balance their work and personal life. The time difference may be a major issue, with work notifications or messages disturbing one’s personal schedule.

This is why you all need to discuss work schedules and set hours that work for everyone. Take note of when to call and text certain team members and follow through with their boundaries so they know they are understood and respected. This helps build positive relationships among the team and lessens the pressure, which then boosts their morale and works productivity.

Also, remember to respect cultural differences, such as ethics, language, and even the religious countries from different countries and cultures your team members work in. This will solve problems and lessen cultural misunderstandings. Respecting differences will also help connect you with your employees, having them feel better about the company and their line of work.

Send weekly updates and check in regularly

Provide weekly updates and gentle reminders to your team members to lessen any confusion they have regarding projects and workload. Such updates can mark the beginning or end of the workweek, so team members are on the same page. This lessens the tension and pressure of people as no one will be left out.

Furthermore, check in with your team members regularly to show that you care for them. Even just. A quick casual message asking how they are or what they need can have your employees feel valued, and you get to understand their lives more. This will help you provide what they need to work better, and they will have a better attitude at work to be more productive.

Work on teamwork and morale

Team members working remotely may feel disconnected or discouraged to work when there isn’t any communication among their colleagues. This can be tough to deal with!

It is also just as tough working on morale-building for your remote employees, as physical absence means fewer ideas for teambuilding activities to encourage motivation and collaboration.

You can try different approaches to give your employees the motivation to work. Provide remote team members with proper counselling, and if they are making mistakes, provide constructive criticism and training materials so they can catch up. You can even provide rewards and show gratitude, which boosts morale and productivity!

Invest in project management software and/or collaboration tools

With technology providing more and more useful tools for the business, you can find software made for the remote workforce. This will help increase team output and maintain food productivity levels among the remote workforces. You have the right workflow, everyone is on the same page, and establish specific goals, and it would prevent you from micromanaging everyone, which is disadvantageous for you and the employees.

There are various tools and software you can use, such as Itrezzo for easier syncing of calendars and contacts, Google Drive to share and manage documents, Zoom for virtual meetings, and many more!

You may also want to have a mobile CRM for the entire organization, which is a portable software that allows users to manage communication, data collection, reporting, scheduling, and much more. This improves the connection with you and remote employees, maintaining consistency and smooth workflow.

Wrapping It Up

There are different factors to consider when it comes to having a remote workforce, such as different time zones, work environments, and the like. Fortunately, you can still have a productive team with the right tools and strategies! As long as you continue being an effective leader that encourages employees to work better than to slack off, you can become a better boss while your teams work seamlessly.

Hopefully, these tips on how to enhance the remote workforce’s productivity helped you and your team out. Follow these tips and strategies now and help your business succeed!

Do you have questions or want to share your own tips for managing a remote workforce efficiently? Share them in the comments section below, your thoughts are much appreciated!