Although typically remote employees are more productive and responsible than desk employees, sometimes people who are lazy or like to procrastinate might look for remote jobs too.
If you build a team with expert developers and while everyone is productive but one of the team members tends to procrastinate, the entire team will suffer.
Often managers and CEOs become confused when it comes to encouraging their remote teams. While desk job employees have a physical interaction with the manager on a daily basis, it is different with remote team members.
If you are a facing this problem with your team and aspire to increase their productivity, here are a few practical suggestions for you. Let’s dive in:
A two-year study done by researchers at Stanford University found that people who worked from home showed a significant increase in productivity.”
Stop micromanaging
When managers keep on micromanaging everything like deciding the tasks, setting deadlines and taking all the responsibility in their own hands, employees become discouraged to take a lead and their work suffers.
Do not make your team members depend on you for everything, instead train them to take control of their work and deadlines.
Help them in becoming independent, which will also make them responsible professionals. When employees feel they are trusted by the manager/CEO, their work productivity improves considerably.
Make them feel part of the organization
Desk job employees meet their colleagues, go to the office and have meetings with the manager on a regular basis. This instill a sense of belonging and community in them but for remote employees, it is different.
They work from different regions of the world and at most, have video calls with their team members and manager about work.
When employees do not feel included or like a part of the organization, their work suffers. Being the manager, it is your responsibility to make them feel an integral part of the team and company.
Have non-work-related chats with them, build cordial relationships with remote team members so that they feel a part of the company.
Teach time management
Time management is a big hindrance in the productivity of both remote and desk job employees. While desk job employees still have to follow a certain time schedule, remote employees have flexible hours.
They might sleep in the morning and do all of the assigned tasks at night. Sometimes the flexibility can also make employees lazy or distracted at work.
Instead of focusing entirely on the tasks, they might be doing two/three things at the same time that compromises the quality of their work.
Encourage your remote team members to make a schedule for themselves and follow it regularly. Ask them to have a dedicated home office or a room where they only work without any distractions of family or television.
Reporting
It is crucial that your team members know they are accountable for their actions work submitted. While you don’t set deadlines for them, don’t forget to keep tabs on their progress. It keeps the team members in check and enables you to always know what is happening within the team.
Ask them to send you brief reports on what they did in a day or a week. Layout a very simple report template, make the process as easy as possible.
This will instill a sense of responsibility in them and even the lazy employees will work more proactively when they know reports have to be submitted to the manager.
Share Company’s Vision
There is no doubt that every employee is working because they need to pay their bills and save money but employees tend to be more active when their work has some meaning in the real world.
Here is where you come. As a manager, it is important you share the company’s vision with them every now and then. How the company sees itself in the future, the current projects of the company and the community work the company is doing.
Always be genuine with your team members and you will see how they feel more inclined towards giving you the best of their abilities work.
Hire remote developer from Zepto Systems
Countless studies prove that hiring remote employees are a win-win situation for companies. Less operational costs and more work done. If you are looking to outsource your development projects or hire a developer on project basis, look no further than Zepto Systems. Hire a remote developer today from Zepto Systems and make your life easier!