How to Manage a Remote Workforce

How to Manage a Remote Workforce

Almost a year has passed since the world of work was shifted to working from home. There have been many pro’s and con’s to working from home. Some businesses have found that they can still work effectively remotely and not have the overhead costs of an office. However, other businesses have found that their employees are more productive and focused in the office as it separates their work and life. With WFH here to stay, a lot of people have been asking the question, how do I manage a remote workforce successfully?  

• Set Expectations  
• Boundaries  
• Offer Help  
• Remote Work Tools 
• Regular Catch Ups and Engagement 
• Communication Skills 
• Communication Platforms 
• Encouragement 
• Virtual Training 

Set Expectations  

Whether you’re working remotely or working in an office, it’s important to set expectations for your team so they know what you expect from them. Take into consideration work hours, availability, deadlines, responding quickly, etc. By outlining all of these points at the start, will set your team off successfully.  

Boundaries  

As employees are working from home, it’s important to set boundaries to separate their work life from their time to relax and unwind. Work with your employees to discuss work schedules. Take into consideration time zones if some employees are working abroad as you don’t want to disturb them when they’re off shift. 

Offer Help  

In any business, problems will arise, whether that’s with a customer, an employee, a project, therefore it’s important for your staff to know that you’re only a message away and will still be there to help them if need be. Stress the importance of communicating with yourself or team members to help them resolve their issues. 

Remote Work Tools  

Take advantage of tools to keep your business running efficiently. Utilise platforms to communicate with your team, keep track of tasks and productivity, manage documents, share up-to-date information, and manage tasks. Some examples of tools you could use are Slack, Trello, AttendanceBot, OfficeAmp. 

Regular Catch Ups and Engagement 

Work closely with team members. Schedule regular meetings with your team members to keep up to date on tasks and it allows for human interaction with each other. When working from home, it’s super important to keep human interaction in your daily schedule.  

Communication Skills  

As you aren’t working in an office, employees won’t be able to work as closely with each other on projects. They can’t just pop in their office for a quick discussion. In order to make sure tasks still get completed efficiently, make sure all staff respond quickly and concisely. Make sure each team member’s communication skills are up to scratch to save confusion. 

Communication Platforms 

Set up communication platforms with your employees. Ensure that you’re using a safe and secure platform as you’ll be discussing business-related topics. Take advantage of Slack, Teams, and Zoom to communicate with employees.  

Encouragement 

Be sure to make the effort to encourage, congratulate and reward employees on tasks. As you’re not in the office, you can’t just walk past their office and praise your employees. Make a conscious effort to motivate, encourage and support your team members as this will make them feel valued.  

Virtual Training 

Just because you’re not working in an office, doesn’t mean you should fall short on delivering staff training. Make sure staff undergo regular training. With staff working from home, there’s an increased risk of cyber threats, therefore ensure they undergo security awareness training so they know how to identify any early signs of breaches and how to work safely. 

Conclusion… 

The past year has changed the world of work forever… Although some businesses may return to the office, remote working is definitely here to stay. Take on board these useful points in order to manage your remote workforce successfully.