Companies have a responsibility to concentrate their efforts on developing productivity protocols that take into consideration the efficiency of the work that the firm is getting as well as the health and happiness of the workers who are contributing to the productivity of the organization. When it comes to managing remote teams, this is the only method that can provide a successful atmosphere.

When supervising people working from a remote location or teams working from a remote location, you will encounter obstacles that would not be present if everyone was working from the office. The uncertainty that is brought about by the epidemic simply serves to further aggravate this situation.

Let’s take a look at the top ways that successful companies are enhancing the productivity of their remote workers and remote teams so that they can stay ahead of the competition.

Set up processes to help your teams operate with greater autonomy.

When everyone on a team is working from home, it may be difficult to replicate the dynamics of a traditional office setting. You may feel the need to keep tighter tabs on how your team is doing and how closely you monitor their progress. You definitely don’t want to make a mistake like that.

You have to have faith in your remote workers if you want your teams to be successful. You choose to work with the people on your team because you have faith in their talents. Give them the opportunity to demonstrate that. The degree to which workers feel satisfied with their jobs is directly proportional to the amount of autonomy that is granted to them while managing remote teams.

Create a procedure that is centered on objectives, deadlines, and updates rather than check in with them on a consistent basis. This prevents them from being sidetracked and lays out for them a route that is crystal clear in terms of what they are required to perform.

The more latitude and discretion they are given in their tasks, the higher their output and efficiency will be. This is due to the fact that they are able to work with a clear head since they are not concerned about someone keeping a continual eye on their progress.

Give them the right tools and equipment to succeed when working remotely.

Maintaining seamless work habits while also having access to the appropriate toolset is the single most valuable asset when it comes to managing remote teams. Technology is an essential component in the success of both individual remote workers and teams that work remotely.

Make it a point to teach your workers the most effective ways to use the various remote working solutions that your company has implemented. It is not just about the means of communication that you use, such as instant messaging (IM), email, video calls, etc. It is also about every instrument that the teams utilize in order to carry out their responsibilities.

It’s possible that some of these tools are used to monitor objectives, while others are utilized to provide feedback. Or ones that are utilized for communicating with customers and suppliers.  

Make a list of the tools that are necessary for your remote teams and make sure they have access to those resources. They will be able to become much more productive as a result of this, which will have a huge impact.

Ask your remote teams to have a dedicated workspace.

When one is employed in a position that allows for remote work, it is fairly simple to get into the routine of working from any room in the home. Although this may provide the impression of liberty, it really reduces the amount of work that can be accomplished. This is due to the fact that individuals are prone to getting distracted by the activities taking place around them.

They will feel more in control of how they organize and carry out their workday if they have an area that is solely devoted to that purpose. It assists in making a clear separation between the activities that take place in their personal lives and the jobs that they do.

Whether it is an entirely separate room or just a section set aside inside another, having a location that is solely devoted to work makes it easier to adhere to a schedule. You may provide them a stipend to set up a home office or aid them in any other manner that would assist them in having a workplace by offering to encourage its creation.

When managing remote teams, it is important to foster mental and physical separation since it has a significant impact on productivity and is something you should urge employees to do.

Encourage your remote employees to maintain their physical and mental well-being

Burnout is something that may happen to any employee, but it is more common for those who work remotely. It should be a priority for you to avoid doing that with your remote teams just as much as you would want to avoid doing it with your teams when they are in the office. Make sure that your staff are not overworking themselves, and urge them to keep a record of the amount of time they spend working. Using a timer application for Windows, such as TimeCamp, makes it simple to complete the task.

There are many different approaches you can take to motivate employees working remotely to take responsibility for their own health and safety. A workshop on mental health is an excellent way to get started with this. Your teams will be better able to handle their stress as well as any other challenges that are pulling them down as a result of this.

A fitness level competition inside the company is an excellent way to inspire employees to take better care of their bodies. They are able to collaborate and choose their collective weekly and monthly fitness objectives as a group. They will be able to more easily and consistently keep up with their objectives with the companionship and company of their coworkers.

Perhaps there is something else, such as subscriptions to a fitness center, that you can give away. It is imperative that you identify strategies that are successful for your teams and then institutionalize those practices.

It has a direct link to the level of productivity and performance that your remote workers are capable of, which is why it is important to look after their well-being. They are able to do their tasks more effectively, both intellectually and physically, to the extent that they feel better.

Make non-work interactions a part of the company culture.

The ability to maintain productivity when working remotely is useful to both individuals and businesses in terms of their expenses and overhead. However, if it is not adequately addressed, it has the potential to lessen the importance of the social component of working together. It is essential to maintain this social fabric since doing so assists in maintaining the cohesiveness of teams.

Employees have the opportunity to communicate with one another in a way that is less formal during activities such as chats at the water cooler, conversations while eating lunch, strolling by someone’s desk, and other similar activities. When working in an environment that allows for remote work, it is essential to preserve the culture of the firm.

Maintaining a good connection between all of the workers is made easier by holding weekly team socials and calls during which the employees are free to discuss any topic other than work. A wonderful technique to foster conversations that are not related to business is to host a virtual group lunch or have a Zoom hang after work. It’s also a lot of fun to host an online game night or movie night, just as you would if the teams were working from an office.

Outside of the confines of their jobs, workers may better connect with one another and get to know one another via participation in these activities.

These kinds of bonds bring teams closer together and are beneficial to them while they’re working. Teams consisting of members who are familiar with one another tend to have higher rates of productivity than those whose members are unfamiliar with one another.

Final note

The management of remote teams may provide a number of challenges at times. Nevertheless, conventional teams that are handled in the traditional manner and operate from physical office locations are much more productive than remote teams and personnel who are controlled remotely.

Everything boils down to identifying the factors that are or may be stifling production and addressing those factors before they become a problem. There is no performance that can compare to that of a remote employee or a remote team, provided that certain conditions are met.