Boosting Productivity in Remote Teams: Best Practices and Tools

In recent times, remote work has become increasingly popular. It started as a necessity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but now its appeal appears to extend even after. Employees and employers have both recognized that remote work has numerous benefits.

The top benefits are:

• Cost savings.
• Flexible schedules.
• Improved work-life balance

However, managing remote employees or a virtual team and getting exceptional results can be challenging. One should have the right approach and tools in place. This blog looks into some best practices to enhance productivity while managing remote employees. You could also use some tools to make the process smoother.

1. Emphasize High-Impact Work, Not Micromanagement

While managing remote employees, there should be an emphasis on delivering high-impact work on time. Micromanaging employees do not work in this scenario. One should empower them to take ownership of their tasks and deadlines.

As a supervisor or business owner, your role should be that of a guide. It should be about providing direction and support rather than constant oversight. This approach to managing remote employees makes team members feel trusted and valued. They remain more motivated and productive.

2. Embrace Asynchronous Communication

In a virtual team, real-time communication can lead to inefficiencies and distractions. Asynchronous communication, on the other hand, is more effective while managing remote employees.

In synchronous communication, all parties must be available at the same time for a conversation (like in a phone call or a face-to-face meeting). In an asynchronous discussion, the team members need not reply immediately. It allows them to engage at their convenience. It enables team members to work more independently and productively.

Some tools, such as project management platforms and messaging apps like Slack and Google Workspace, facilitate asynchronous communication. Employees can use these to reach out to each other without the pressure of responding immediately. Managing remote employees allows them to organize their time and tasks more efficiently.

3. Hire Employees Who Are Passionate About Their Work

You must hire the right people for your remote hiring to show results. Look for candidates who care about their work and are passionate about the projects they will be involved in. When employees are genuinely interested in their tasks, they understand the purpose of their work. They are more likely to be driven and committed to achieving results and productivity.

4. Provide Clear Specifications and Guidelines

While managing remote employees, there has to be clarity about all aspects of the project. Before starting a project, the team must discuss all specifications, guidelines, and expectations. They should be well-defined, and the timelines for every aspect should be set. If there are clear instructions, it can lead to clarity, and the workflow will not get derailed.

Team members should be encouraged to have open communication. Any questions or concerns should be addressed at once while managing remote employees so everyone is on the same page.

5. Manage Energy Levels, Not Just Time

In a remote work environment, giving employees the freedom to choose their working hours is best. It is more important to focus on managing energy levels rather than binding employees to rigid schedules. Individuals may be permitted flexible work hours if that would lead to greater productivity.

The different time zones should also be considered while scheduling work hours for the employees. Managing remote employees becomes easy when you give them flexibility. Team members can optimize their productivity and achieve better work-life balance.

6. Harness the Power of To-Do Lists and Productivity Apps

To-do lists have been a productivity tool for centuries. They remain as relevant as ever in a remote work setup. Encourage your team members to create daily to-do lists. It will help them stay organized and free up mental space for more creative and focused work.

Many productivity apps can streamline workflows and enhance communication among team members. Tools like Todoist, Trello, and Asana act as a second brain for managing tasks. Other apps, like RescueTime, provide insights into time usage, allowing employees to identify areas for improvement. Using such apps can make managing remote employees much more effortless.

Conclusion

Managing a virtual team and maintaining productivity may seem challenging to many at first, but when you have the right approach and tools, it becomes an enriching process. By emphasizing high-impact work, trusting your team members, and providing them with the necessary support and resources, it can become convenient and cost-effective for your business.

If you’re seeking expert assistance with recruitment process outsourcing and managing remote employees, look no further than RecruitNinjas. Whether you need help sourcing, hiring, or implementing best practices for remote work, RecruitNinjas is here to support your business’s success. Contact us today to discover how we can optimize your recruitment and remote team management processes.

This blog is inspired by the video, ‘Makers Series: How to Effectively Manage a Virtual Team’ by Jotform.