Companies around the world are adapting to new work trends and remote working is the new norm for some companies.

Currently, 70% of workers work full-time from home, partly in some parts of the world. Although it proves to be a successful work module, there are some difficulties in managing and motivating remote groups of employees.

Given the unpredictability of things, many companies need to devise a definitive method of dealing with everyday problems while running a business remotely. Additionally, they need to find new and innovative ways to keep their employees motivated and focused in the face of ever-changing work trends.

How do you keep your employees focused remotely?

In order to keep your employees focused and motivated even in a remote setup, you, as a manager, have to give them the tools they need to create a conducive work environment and keep them productive.

It’s no secret that employee motivation can have a significant impact on business success, and even more so in a remote setup where you are not physically present in the same office.

We’ve listed some of the most important tools and techniques to help keep your team on track to be more productive and motivated while working remotely.

Make the most of digital tools

If you’re a small business, you may be able to keep track of what project each individual is working on and what stage the project is currently at.

However, when you are dealing with a large number of people and multiple projects at the same time, it can be difficult to keep track of everyone’s progress.

A great way to streamline your projects and keep track of deadlines is to use the various project management tools available online. Most of this software is cloud based and doesn’t require you and your team to be in the same place to use it.

These tools can help track deadlines, review what projects are currently underway, and review each team member’s contribution and progress to success. These tools also enable transparent communication and coordination between teams so that everyone is on the same page on projects.

Check out this list of helpful productivity tools and software for remote teams.

Have a determined mindset and goals

The only way to grow a business is to clearly understand your goals. Otherwise, you often feel that you don’t know which way your company is headed. Especially in a remote business, it’s important to set business goals so everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.

In addition, it is crucial to instill a growth mentality in your employees that inspires them to develop professionally and to contribute to the growth of the company.

Implement employee reward programs

Remote working can often make employees feel that their hard work is not being recognized, causing them to lose motivation as they think their efforts are not being valued.

Implementing an employee recognition program will not only make them feel that their efforts are being recognized and rewarded, but will also make them feel valued, happier, and more productive.

Another significant risk with remote workers is that they often leave their jobs because it is difficult to feel part of a team while working from home. But when they applaud their achievements, they feel seen and want to contribute more to their success.

Trust is the key

Managers can often keep an eye on their employees in the office by doing small office rounds and chatting with different teams. However, these midday check-ins are not possible in a remote work environment. Hence, it is common for business owners and managers to micromanage their employees.

Instead, we recommend trusting your employees to manage their work and letting them come up to you when they need your help. You hire remote workers for a reason and you need to trust them to deliver the results you want without constant supervision.

Instead of micromanaging them, try to build a solid relationship with them. Inquire about her family and her life outside of work. When your reps feel they can get in touch with you, they will be less reluctant to reach out to you with questions or ask for your help when needed.

Invest time in communication

Working with people in the same office space makes it easy to understand their characters, personalities and body language. Hence, it is easier to communicate with them. However, in a remote office, you need to put extra effort into understanding your co-workers without having to spend time with them physically.

If possible, schedule group and one-to-one video conferences to ensure a clear channel of communication, as written communication can sometimes get lost in translation. There are also plenty of free video conferencing software available such as Skype, Zoom, and Google Meet.

If possible, during these meetings try to get everyone to watch their videos as it will help you build a better relationship when you see someone and try to understand your team better through non-verbal cues.

We also recommend allowing some time for non-work-related discussions in these meetings. Even better, schedule a weekly / monthly meeting where your remote team can unite outside of work.

Take into account the opinions of your employees

You want to create a comfortable working environment for your virtual workforce in the long term. It is therefore also important to take your employees’ opinions into account when making decisions about work culture.

Encourage your employees to reach out to you with their ideas, opinions, and feedback at any time. Also, make it clear to them that they can communicate with you about any issues they may face.

Suppose they feel uncomfortable discussing these things with you openly. If so, there are many private and public survey tools available online that you can use to gather feedback on how you can improve the quality of work for your team.

This not only makes your employees feel valued, but creating a work environment in which they feel comfortable will increase their productivity.

Perform performance reviews

Regular performance reviews are beneficial to your people and the growth of the business. A quarterly or semi-annual review of their progress can help you understand where they are doing and where they need improvement.

Having this information on hand can steer your people in the right direction. For example, if they lack some skills, you can invest in their training. Or if there is an area of ​​their job that they are perfect at, you can trust them with more responsibility in that area.

This helps them to use their time in the company more efficiently and effectively.

Give constructive feedback

As mentioned earlier, performance reviews are important.

However, when managing remote workers, you need to know how to convey feedback without hurting the feelings of your coworkers.

While feedback is critical to improving the quality of their work, if not delivered correctly it can make your employees feel undervalued and unmotivated to get better results.

Instead of focusing on the negatives, try to point out areas where they did well. And instead of blaming them for the things they didn’t do, work together to create a strategic plan for how they can improve in those areas.

Also, let them know that you appreciate them when they do a good job, as it makes them feel like they care about their job.

Create meaningfulness

Try to create meaning in your employees’ minds to make them feel like they are working towards a bigger goal. Try to communicate the company’s values ​​and the positive impact its work has had on the world.

Include these topics in regular communication with your team so that the message of corporate values ​​is instilled in them and reflected in their work ethic.

“You’re not building a business. You build people and then people build the business. “

Remote working is the future, and the sooner companies adapt, the better. It is important to remember that motivating your employees is a process that cannot happen overnight. Implement these simple but effective steps into your leadership style and you will see positive results.

If you’d like to hire a virtual assistant for your team, contact us at Wishup by clicking here or email us at [email protected]