Dos and Don’ts of Managing Remote Employees

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, many companies have shifted their operations to full-time work-at-home. Although working from home is a massive convenience to most employees, it burdens the project managers as they have to put in extra effort to keep track of their team. Since the first time companies implemented teleworking, employees have found a way to slack off and deliver lesser-quality work than when companies didn't implement it. It could be that some employees find it hard to adjust to these working conditions and prefer the professional setting of an office to work efficiently. Regardless of the reason, when employees do not work at their full potential, it directly impacts the employer and the company. Therefore, remote workforce management becomes a necessity. However, managing a remote workforce is not easy, especially when the team is present in different locations. Moreover, it may upset the employees if the management repeatedly pinpoints their mistakes and shortcomings. Thus, the perfect solution to this problem is project management software that helps you keep track of teams. Make no mistake,  we are not against remote work or telework. In fact, it has a promising future thanks to technological advancements in workforce productivity. However, there are some basic human behavioral issues that must be addressed for a comprehensive remote working policy to succeed. However, installing such software is also not as easy as it sounds, as one must be careful to maintain professionalism. There are some things that are acceptable with remote workforce management and some that aren't. So let's look at the dos and don'ts of project management from the employer's end.

Remote Workforce Management on Large Scale Projects - Do's and Don'ts

The employer or management head must keep a few things in mind to make ethical use of attendance tracking, task scheduling, and project management tools.

The Right Way to Manage Remote Projects

Time tracking and other forms of remote workforce management are pretty common as the management needs to ensure that the employees are working during their company time. So, the right way to do this includes:

• Set expectations upfront

  Maintaining employee-management trust is crucial. So, if you plan to install any software in their systems to track their performance, make sure that they are aware of it. Doing so is also beneficial to the company as employees tend to become responsible when they know that they can be held accountable.

• Trust your employees

  Installing project management software does not solve everything; other things should also be considered. The most important one is to trust your employees. Tracking them is completely fine and legal, but you must not bother them every now and then as it will somehow disturb them, and they will be unable to concentrate on their tasks.

• Keep communication open

  Before installing employee performance review software, communicate with the employees. Make sure they understand its importance and be calm if they initially oppose it. Ensure them that their boundaries will be respected, and there will be no tracking outside of company hours. Maintain communication when necessary, such as when clocking in and out or when some essential information is to be relayed.

• Tell them the benefits of the software

  Similar to being straightforward and keeping open communication, telling them how their teleworking performance will be monitored will help them be more receptive to the idea. Also, convey how they can benefit from this new management technique. Some common benefits include stored information, such as when they put in overtime and want to have that on record. Attendance tracking provides proof that they have been abiding by the company's regulations. Thus, it is beneficial to both parties if records are maintained regularly.

Things to Avoid When Managing Employees Remote Projects

As mentioned above, some employees may not react well to the change, transitioning from not being monitored to being monitored during all working hours. Thus, the points listed below should be avoided so as to not offend any employee.

• Do not hide things

  If the management has decided to go forward with installing tracking software, the employees should be informed beforehand. Do not do this discreetly and breach their privacy as if they get to know about it; later on, the management will be in hot water. Most importantly, it is not allowed to any company to install software for employee scheduling on an employee's personal devices.

• Do not micromanage

  Remote workforce management tools provide managers and employers with the ability to track every move of the employees. However, manager should not expect from them to be available at any time of the day. Avoid micromanaging them during work hours and focus more on the output. As long as the remote project team delivers work on time, they should not bother over little things.

• Do not hold back on appreciation

  Remote working may cause some employees to lose morale as they may feel cooped up in their homes. The employer and the management can help to combat this issue by praising the employee's hard work and dedication. Thus, make sure not to hold back on words of appreciation and encouragement when someone performs well. On the other hand, be polite when an employee's work is not up to par and convey your issues with respect.

So, that sums it up for the dos and don'ts. Now, let's look at the advantages of working remotely and how they emphasize with the right tools.

How the Right Tool Can Help a Company Amplify Teleworking Results

The most significant advantage of working remotely is that employees get to do tasks from the comfort of their homes. However, this working arrangement may misplace some important data as the whole team is scattered and may lack proper communication. All issues that restrict the management from getting proper details about the progress of important projects combat with great software like Coexsys. It has various features for enterprises, so you no longer have to reach out to every employee to receive updates. Thus, the team’s efficiency will become much better. So, what are you waiting for? Improve the productivity and communication amongst your remote teams with the help of Coexsys Project Cloud Project management time tracking today!

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