5 Ways to Boost Team Productivity while Remote Working

As the COVID-19 crisis deepens, the world is going through a massive change. Employees across the world are doing work from home. It’s for the first time that remote working is happening at such a large scale. This has given rise to new complexities and compelled companies to innovate and rethink new ways of doing business. One of the biggest challenges that managers are currently facing is to monitor the daily routine of their subordinates and ensure that they remain productive. Let’s dive deep and discuss 5 ways to boost team productivity while remote working.

1. Formulate policies that apply equally to all

One of the biggest points of frustration for employees is to find that different rules apply to different employees. To boost team productivity, you must keep that in mind and formulate policies that apply equally to all. For example, you must make it very clear when a customer email should be answered – in a short span of 15 minutes or after 24 hours. Also, whenever you shoot a team mail, encrypt it with a password or ask for a digital signature that needs to be put before accessing/opening it. This instills a sense of responsibility in the employee’s minds and indicates that everyone in the team is treated equally.

Also Read: 5 Ways to Build a Strong Remote Working Team

2. Flexible working hours

It’s a matter of fact that some people are more productive during the wee hours of the morning and others late at night. To boost employee productivity while remote working, you should allow your team to work whenever they feel the most productive. You can create a small window of “necessary business hours” during which the entire team will have to log in but provide them the freedom to work as they like during other hours.

3. Insist on using appropriate communication tools

Remote working can go topsy-turvy if you lack an appropriate communication strategy. The following points will help you build a strong communication strategy:

• Video communication tools: It helps to conduct face-to-face video and brainstorming sessions with teams. For example Skype.
• Text-based communication tools: It helps send real-time messages to team members. For example WhatsApp.
• Collaboration tool: It enables geographically dispersed teams to work on the same project. For example Google docs.
• Data repositories: It allows teams to store, share, and access large amounts of data in the form of PDFs, pictures, audio, and video files. For example Google Drive.

4. Use performance management tools

While working from home, employees sometimes disregard their work. This is where performance management tools play their role. They enable managers to keep track of what the employee is currently working on and give a detailed description of what projects are nearing their end and what’s in the pipeline.

5. Give due credit to the efforts put in by the team

Remote working is a relatively new concept so managers may have to deal with a new kind of employee behavior. But it’s important to give credit where it is due. If you find anyone in your team going the extra mile, make sure that their efforts are noticed by the team as well. You can create a title such as “Remote working employee of the month” and send a chocolate box or a pizza to the deserving candidate.

Boosting team productivity is an essential element of remote working. If due care is not given, it can lead to employee dissatisfaction and resource misutilization. At Sage, we are home to world-class CRM, ERP and HRMS software that will make remote working a piece of cake, boost employee productivity, synchronize inter-departmental activities, and generate more profits. To know more about it, SMS SAGE to 56767. You can also write to us at sales@sagesoftware.co.in.

Disclaimer: All the information, views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and their respective web sources and in no way reflect the principles, views or objectives of Sage Software Solutions (P) Ltd.