Remote and hybrid working is here to stay. Many companies have offered employees remote positions permanently even after everything went back to normal post-pandemic. According to a survey, almost 50% of Australians would consider working remotely on a permanent basis.
As remote working is on the rise, organisations and HRs need to implement remote workforce management to improve communication, increase productivity, and manage the organisation efficiently. If organisations can manage their employees properly, remote work can yield the same result as in-office work.
Let’s discuss a few ideas to manage employees remotely, common challenges of remote working, and addressing their concerns.
Common Challenges of Remote Working
The idea of working remotely sounds exciting to most individuals. The liberty to work in pyjamas, no hectic commute, getting that extra five minutes of sleep, all the joy that remote working brings. But it comes with its own sets of challenges which employees face only when they start working. Ask any remote worker, and they’ll agree.
1. Poor Time Management
Working from home means nobody is watching over your shoulder to keep track of your activities. If you do not have a 9-to-5, it is impossible to stick to a schedule.
Individuals often spend time on Instagram, start watching videos on the next tab or get carried away in family chores. This disrupts the work-life balance.
2. Overworking
When is a reasonable time to stop working when you’re working from home? Since you’re working from home, there’s no place to return to after turning off the laptop. Individuals keep working on small tasks throughout the day and take on more work, thinking they can squeeze in some work just before bedtime or early in the morning.
3. Distractions
Somebody ringing the doorbell, your children returning from school, running a quick errand to the grocery store; distractions are common when you work from home. This disrupts the quality of work, and individuals have a hard time focusing on work.
Practices for Better Management of Remote Workforce
It will take some time for individuals to adjust to remote workforce management. They will face several challenges along the way.
But once they discover how to go about it, the road is only upwards.
1. Communicate Pro-actively and Frequently
Remote workers have to put in extra work to maintain connections. There should be one-on-one calls, team huddles, workshops, instant messaging, and video conferences to keep all employees feeling equal and included. Every employee should be able to reach out to someone if they face any problems, be aware of what is expected of them, and maintain professionalism.
2. Trust Employees in their Work
Building task in a remote workplace is challenging. When you assign tasks to employees in a remote setting, you should be able to trust them. In case you have doubts, remind yourself why you hired the individual in the first place.
3. Establish Feedback and Assessment
Feedback is essential, and it is a two-way communication process. Employee feedbacks are crucial to make them understand where they lack, how their performance has been, and how they can work on their shortcomings.
Takeaway
Various workforce management solutions are available today. Whether you are a small business or a big business, this software can track employee tasks, manage working hours and offer other benefits to run the organisation smoothly.
When employees do not have any complaints, then productivity tends to go up, and the workplace seems like a happier place. To support remote work successfully, both the employees and the employers have to adopt some new changes. You must collaborate, communicate openly, and maintain a work-life balance to enjoy remote work.
Danish Ali is a Blogger of Digital Marketer at M.Steel industry. Where he has spent 4+ years growing client accounts. With 5+ years of experience in public relations and marketing, He loves talking about content creation, SEO, and blogging.