Working from home is beneficial not only for companies but for employees as well. Companies can cut costs and employees can enjoy a stress-free environment while working.
However, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies. Like working in the traditional office setup, working remotely also has its cons. One of the challenges that both parties often face is the distractions that could affect the employees’ productivity.
Because employees work in the comfort of their homes, their beds might make them feel lazy to get up and work, their chores and other responsibilities at home could get in the way, the noise could keep them from focusing, and more.
While you have no control over these distractions, there are still ways how you can help your employees to stay productive. Here are some of them.
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Equip them with Tech and Productivity Tools
Just as how you would work in the office, you will also need software and tools even when you’re working remotely. Hence, one of the important things you need to do to help your employees stay productive while working from home is to provide them with tech and productivity tools. This way, managing tasks and communicating would be easier.
There are numerous tools that you can use these days. If you’re just starting out, you can use project management tracking apps like Airtable and Asana. You can also utilize auto text and messaging apps such as Microsoft Teams and Slack. If you need something for video conferencing, you can use apps like Google Hangouts or Zoom.
Some tools, on the other hand, don’t come for free at all. You’ll need to buy them or pay for added features. While they may require some fees, their features are more worth it as some of them can be tailored based on what your company really needs to improve your employees’ productivity even while working from home.
Do Daily Check-Ins
Since you and your employees will be working from home, this means your subordinates won’t have anyone to personally talk to in case they need help from their managers. This also means they will have more freedom, which can also affect their productivity.
To help them stay productive, one of the things you should consider doing is to establish daily check-ins. This will help you track their productivity. In case you’re missing important reports or projects, checking up on your employees will help you know their progress.
Doing so will also allow you to see if they need help. If they’re having a hard time with their tasks, checking in on them would be helpful. Additionally, this will help motivate them more, which can also impact their output positively.
Assign Tasks and Set Expectations
Working from home can be a new setup for many. Because of this, some people might feel overwhelmed and not be able to know what to do next. Hence, whether or not you’re yet to switch to remote work, assigning tasks and setting expectations is important.
When you assign tasks to your employees, it’s easier to organize everything, and you’ll know what outputs to expect. This will also keep them from getting lost, as they will know what to do next in case they’re done with their first task.
When you set expectations (and communicating them clearly), you’re also able to relieve pressure from your employees and help them be constantly available during work hours.
Communicate
Communication is vital for successful remote work, too. Through this, you will prevent miscommunication, you can ensure a smooth workflow, and track your employees’ productivity.
If you’re running an organization, make sure to try and connect with your employees from time to time. This will help you know if there’s anything that’s keeping them from giving their best at work. With clear communication, you can also identify how you can help your employees to improve.
Good communication isn’t only for your employees’ benefit. Apparently, it’s for you, too. Through this, you can make your expectations clear. This way, your employees’ output can meet your requirements.
Evaluate Your Measurements
It is true that it’s vital for you to track your remote workers’ productivity. However, you should also bear in mind that new ideas also need to be tested. It has to be relevant to your business and helpful for your employees at the same time.
So, if you’re trying to implement new rules and utilize new tools, make sure to take time to evaluate them too for a successful strategy when working remotely.
Many things can affect employee productivity. Hence, it’s vital to track them, so you’ll know how you can strategize better for your organization’s success.
