Remote working culture is evolving day by day, and companies of all sizes are implementing it at their own levels. Well, this is not something that has been there since forever. The current pandemic situation has made this work from home culture even more widely used now.
Earlier, only a limited number of companies used to allow their employees to work from home and that too, not everyone and not on a regular basis. But, since March the workforce has been experiencing a major shift in the work culture like never before.
Though the initial remote wave was full of uncertainties, confusions, and communication issues for a lot of companies, especially the ones that are not well established or don’t have proper resources. But then eventually, many companies found the right software to put into their remote toolbox.
While Zoom, Slack, and Google Meet have been the savior for many, some companies have taken a step ahead and installed employee monitoring software to efficiently manage their remote employees and keep them on track.
It’s been about seven months since the widespread remote work has begun, and the time is pretty much enough to learn how to successfully manage remote employees. So let’s see what we should do and what we should not.
Is employee monitoring a good strategy?
Well, this topic is quite debatable, and there can be thousands of perceptions. But nobody can deny data. According to recent research, it is very much clear that using high-end technology to monitor employees lowers job satisfaction and increases job tension. And both these factors affect the turnover.
Overall the point is spying on employees is not a good idea as it leads to building distrust and employee disengagement. But then how to ensure that the remote employees are on track and how to build 2-way trust.
The answer is Data.
Data is a very powerful asset anyone can have in this digital world. In fact, today the entire world revolves around data. So, a data-driven approach to using employee tracking software is the best way to analyze the productivity of the employees. It helps you get easy and accessible insights into the metrics that are important and matters the most.
Using a data-driven approach also eliminates the need for tracking remote employees each and every move because you are not tracking the working hours but the actual output. Checking how close your employees are towards their goals is more important than checking how close they are to their desks.
When you use data to track employees’ performance, you will be able to clearly see the employees who stand out and are more likely to hit their goals. And in case you find any issues, you can easily validate your point with the help of data.
Automated data reduces the guesswork of the management and enables them to focus their energies on solving the problem and boost their employees’ growth.
So, now that you know about the importance of data, let’s have a look at some of the valuable tips that will help you establish and refine your remote management strategy.
1. Anything is better than nothing
Remember no one has a well-structured work process and a perfect stack of technology. There are always some improvements that need to be made. So, don’t waste your time thinking that one day everything will be perfect and then you will start. Do not let the flaws interrupt your process and get started with your data-driven management.
Just focus on your goals and start with the available resources. Initially, it might feel a bit messy but focus on what you can measure and simply move on. Do not stick to counting what you do not have.
2. Don’t go for all
Start with the top 2 metrics which are very important for your organization and which you can frequently and accurately measure. Then make sure that all the members of your team are focused and oriented with them. Don’t just try to cover everything at once, leave the long list of metrics for the business operations team or data analytics to measure.
If you are not sure about the 2 most important metrics that matter the most, then check with your executive team and determine them.
3. Understand the Inputs and Outputs
In every business role, there are some inputs and outputs. For example, if you’re from the sales department, then a customer contacting you for the product details is the input and the final output will be that of customers making a purchase which increases the revenue.
Though many people believe that output is the main thing, it is very important to understand that input is also as important as output for better performance. If you take longer to realize what is lagging and what is creating issues, then you might not be able to make things up. If the input will be right, you can easily get the ideal outputs.
4. Focus on 1:1 meetings
It is not important to have many meetings. Always focus on one on one meetings, it is much beneficial. Just have the consolidated data at your fingertips and let the other person know where he/she is lacking or how to be better. If you are following a data-driven path, you should know what you need to work on.
Wrapping Words
Remote employee monitoring is surely helpful for an organization, but only if it is executed in the right way. Employees should not feel that they are not being trusted and micro-monitored. Following a data-driven approach not only makes the employees comfortable while working but also reduces the burden of employers.
