Monitoring remote employees has become a major concern for many employers. The proliferation of modern technology means that many businesses are now run with little to no physical presence in the office.
This can make it difficult for managers to keep tabs on their workers’ progress. This is especially true when they are not located near one another, and while some companies have tried to solve this issue by providing workstations at home or allowing more freedom with the office dress code, there is still the need for some degree of monitoring.
For those looking into how their remote employees can be monitored without being physically present, here are tips you should follow:
To address these concerns about monitoring remote employees, here are seven ways to monitor them effectively:
1. Keep An Open Line Of Communication
While it is possible to stay in touch with remote employees through phone calls or email, it is not enough. Communication has become easier than ever before due to apps like Slack, which allows you to communicate with your team simultaneously. Using this app means that every member of the group gets important updates at the same time, while also allowing for more casual conversation when necessary.
2. Keep Track Of Their Time
When your employees are working remotely, you cannot rely on them to tell you what they are doing at any given moment. This is why it’s important to set up a way of tracking their time so you can get an accurate picture of how long projects take and determine whether anyone is slacking off.
3. Use Monitoring Software’s
Monitoring software is another way to keep remote workers in line. They allow employers to view their employees’ screens without having them notice. This can be useful for seeing what they are doing at the moment, but it is also necessary for checking previous activity to ensure that no one has been wasting time or visiting unproductive sites.
There are software tools that allow you to create a task list. They can be used by remote workers to determine how much time they spend doing certain projects and tasks. When the work is done, all that needs to be done is to add it back into the app and mark whether or not it was completed successfully. This way, employers will have a clear picture of their employees’ activity without them even noticing.
4. Establish a Set of Guidelines
In addition to keeping an open line of communication with your employees, it is also important you establish guidelines for them. In particular, what sort of activities are unacceptable while they are remote? Some things that may be considered inappropriate include visiting social networking sites and drinking alcohol, amongst others.
By establishing these boundaries in advance, not only do workers know better about the choices they make while working outside of the office but employers also have a clear idea of how they can keep their employees safe when they work from home.
5. Review Data Logs Regularly
Remote workers may use various devices for their job. To ensure everything goes smoothly, it is vital that employers closely monitor all activity via reports which detail precisely what each employee did during the workday.
This way, you can get a clear picture of their performances without having to be present. This is crucial when making decisions about hiring and firing employees. With this information, it is possible to determine who was responsible for any issues that may have arisen during the course of a project so this data can be used when conducting performance reviews or determining employee compensation.
6. Organize Meetings With Remote Employees
If you have remote employees, hold regular meetings with them to discuss their progress. This will help you get a clear idea of what they are working on and how it’s going. It is also an opportunity to address concerns or even praise them for a job well done, which can help boost morale while increasing productivity at the same time.
7. Create Tasks Lists & Monitor Time
By creating time logs for your employees, you can determine the tasks they are working on at any given moment. This is useful because it lets remote workers know that their employer is keeping an eye on them, which helps to reduce possible problems. It will also give employers a clear idea of what their employees are doing and how long it takes them to do it so there are no disputes about deadlines later on.
Employers should be aware that not everyone can work remotely: some people require more structure than others and may feel lost without someone constantly watching over their shoulders and monitoring what they do while they work. However, this type of arrangement is perfect for those who do best when allowed to themselves while still having support from supervisors.
It’s also important to note here that remote employees cannot spend all of their time on tasks related to work. As such, employers need to find a way to deal with workers taking breaks from working at home.
