Learning to boost employee productivity virtually can be challenging.
Did you know that remote employees are usually more effective than those working from the office? They spend less time commuting, and chit-chatting. They also have more freedom and flexibility to organize their space and time however they like! On the other hand, managers believe that home is the place of more distractions which may cause productivity to suffer. And some may be right about that!
The benefits of remote work outweigh the disadvantages. However, to achieve maximum efficiency and motivate your employees to give their best, you’ll need to put in some effort! Read on to find out how to boost employee productivity while they are working virtually.
1. Help employees set goals to boost employee productivity
Unclear tasks, pointless assignments, and boring to-dos can and will decrease your employees’ motivation, which will naturally affect productivity. You could try to delegate more interesting tasks. Let’s face it, not every task is going to be exciting and entertaining for your employees. So, instead of that, consider SMART goal setting. How will that help?
SMART goals will lead your employees in the right direction. They will have the ultimate goal which is measurable, time-bound, and specific enough to achieve. This will help them focus on achieving that goal. And observing the result of their work instead of solely completing task by task.
2. Use progress tracking tools to boost employee productivity
A lot of employers stick to the 8 or 9-hour workday. This kind of mindset puts pressure on the employees to be productive and effective at all times. It is simply not possible. On top of that, they require time tracking tools that only tire out the employees. These tools leave employees unmotivated and exhausted for new victories.
Instead of that, focus on your project management skills. Use tools that will track progress instead of hours spent doing the task. Project management tools will help you delegate tasks virtually, and monitor the process of completion. It’s not about the quantity, but the quality of done work!
3. Implement recognition programs to boost employee productivity
Each employee has their own pace of advancement and work. Some may be just a tad slower, while others don’t give their best. Perhaps all they need is a slight push in the right direction to become more productive. Keep employees engaged with recognition and reward programs, which might be the best solution for that.
If you want to nurture teamwork, create an internal competition between the teams and reward the best one. On top of that, you can always show appreciation and recognize your employees’ hard work. Sometimes positive feedback and praise are more than enough to motivate an employee to work harder and be more productive.
4. Build trust and positive culture to boost employee productivity
Companies shifted to remote work in times of crisis. They had to make virtual offices efficient and their teams running as fast as possible. Due to that, most of them forgot about the culture which caused mistrust and negativity. When you add stress and anxiety on top of that, you get a less productive workforce than you’ve expected. So, what can you do to improve the culture?
Rebranding and enhancing your values may seem like a lot of work. But even if you have to start from scratch, trustworthy employees thrive in a supportive environment. So, highlight your values and vision. Lead by example and encourage your employees to share their thoughts about the culture.
5. Work on internal communication to boost employee productivity
You can frequently see and hear people say that communication is key to a successful business. But how is that possible when you’re communicating with your employees all the time? And there is not even the slightest change in their productivity? Maybe you need to develop a new communication strategy that will help you achieve your goals.
If you’ve never built a communication strategy for a company, this may be a challenging task. Encouraging and showing appreciation in different ways is a great start. Nevertheless, you need to improve internal communication between managers and employees and within the team. Luckily, large companies already have success stories they are willing to share, so check out internal communication examples provided by the leaders in different fields.
6. Encourage work-life balance
When working from home, one of the biggest issues numerous employees face is separating jobs from private life. Constant interference between the two, usually most important, spheres of individuals’ life negatively affect productivity. You can’t make employees cut off their family or various distractions when they work from home. What you can do is encourage work-life balance.
You can show your employees that you respect them and their time by not calling or emailing them after working hours. In that way, you are providing them with enough time to spend with their families. On the other hand, they will show dedication and motivation to work once the workday begins.
Final thoughts
Productivity is one of the biggest struggles in the virtual world. Even though many may feel like home is the place where employees will be the least productive, the contrary is possible. Since they are in a comfortable and familiar environment, employees are usually ready to give their maximum at work. All you need to do is aim them in the right direction with these tips.