Motivating Employees to Maintain Productivity while Working Remotely

Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, Effective Communication with Virtual Teams (23-slide PowerPoint presentation). The number of people working remotely has been increasing progressively across the globe. An employee benefits report narrates that around 60% companies in the US offer telecommuting opportunities. According to Upwork, freelancers and contractors have increased by 81% from 2014 to 2017. [read more]

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As a business owner, you need to do everything you can to ensure that your team operates as efficiently and productively as possible. With your team working seamlessly together towards the same goal, you will be able to generate more revenue to reinvest in your company and grow your business. Finding ways to motivate your employees will help your business to increase performance and generate larger profits going forward.  

Nowadays, more businesses are working remotely which can make motivating your employees a little more challenging. Without face-to-face contact, many employers fear that they will lose that connection that they had with their team when you are working in the same physical space. However, with the right strategies, tools and a little creativity, you can ensure that your team remains productive when working remotely. 

Let’s take a look at a few ways that you can motivate your employees to maintain productivity when working remotely. 

Keep Clear Lines of Communication

To maintain the rapport that you have established with your employees, you need to ensure that you stay in close communication. Be sure to outline clear expectations when it comes to communicating with your staff so that you are always up-to-date with the latest project developments. Rota software in the UK is proving popular with business owners to manage the working hours of employees, allowing for employees and employers to easily communicate regarding time worked, holidays and requested days off. Keeping everyone on the same page with all aspects of your business will ensure that your employees feel appreciated and part of the team at your company. Fostering a sense of belonging can help to keep your employees motivated and connected within your business. 

Acknowledge Accomplishments

If a team member lands a big account, you complete a project milestone or someone goes above and beyond for your company, be sure to acknowledge it publicly. While this is easy to do in a traditional office setting, when working remotely, it can be a little more difficult. Try hosting a mandatory video conference call with all of your employees, write a post on your business website or post about the achievements on your company’s social channels. Acknowledging your employee’s achievements will help them to stay motivated and driven to succeed in their roles in your company. 

Be Understanding and Flexible

While managing your remote team can be challenging, it’s important to remember that working remotely can be difficult for your team too. If your team is trying to juggle home life with work life, it can be difficult for them to fully commit to their work. Being understanding of the unique circumstances each of your team are dealing with and being flexible with the solutions you offer will show that you value the input and hard work of your team. Working in a positive environment, in a business that cares about its employees can be a high motivator. 

Trust Your Team to Perform

To manage a remote team successfully, you need to empower your employees and trust them to do their work. Micromanaging your team or checking in too frequently will result in your staff becoming frustrated. Learn to trust in your team and empower them to perform. When your staff sees that you trust them to get the best results possible and that you are there to support and help them when needed, they will work harder to achieve those goals. 

Motivate Your Employees to Perform at Their Very Best

Managing a remote team certainly comes with its fair share of challenges. While motivating your team to increase productivity might seem difficult in the beginning, with the right approach, you can ensure that you get the very best from your staff. Keep open lines of communication, listen to your team, show them that you value them and trust in their abilities. With this approach, you can ensure that your team will be motivated to perform at their very best when they are working remotely.

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