The remote-working employee could be here to stay, and Labor Solutions is glad to see this increased flexibility in working situations! There are some inherent challenges with having employees scattered throughout various locations. Management, in particular, can be difficult when your team is out of sight.
Managing a Remote Team
Labor Solutions understands that plenty of businesses are hesitant to maintain a remote workforce out of concerns for productivity. The key to maintaining adequate output is effective management of remote workers – and this means communication is vital.
The first thing to do is to establish what technology you’ll be using both for getting work done and for keeping in touch. Then, get creative! It’s easy to feel isolated when working from home, so you could establish a video chat room for when employees just need to see another face while taking a break. Have a daily Zoom meeting, make a weekly update video for your team, or distribute digital awards for work well done. Use your imagination!
While you’re on top of communicating with your team, make sure to share your vision for what success means when working remotely. Don’t leave people in limbo, wondering if they’re meeting expectations.
Finally, be understanding about what it really means to work from home. Keep a sense of humor when it comes to interruptions from kids, pets, or spouses. Be flexible about unexpected bumps in the road, like technical difficulties, household emergencies, and other unforeseen delays. Encourage employees to unplug at the end of the day and enjoy some off-time while disconnected from the computer and phone.
Labor Solutions Can Help
If you’re still feeling a little out-of-control of your remote employees, let Labor Solutions lend a hand. We can help you get some temporary workers online to get things caught up, and we’ll provide the support you need to make sure productivity doesn’t suffer while you figure out your best strategy moving forward.
