In the wake of the coronavirus, working from home has become the new norm, and many companies now find themselves trying to get things done from a distance for the first time. While working remotely has its perks, including unlimited access to the fridge and getting to sleep in, some challenges come with this work style.

Productivity and staying connected are major concerns for most employers, and given the fact that some employees have never worked from the comfort of their own home before, they are pretty valid ones. Lucky for you, we’re going to be unveiling our top tips and tricks on how to manage remote employees in today’s blog!

Let Your Expectations Be Known

The best way to set your team up for success is to lay out your expectations from the get-go. Everyone has different ideas about what a “job well done” looks like, and your employees aren’t mind readers. In fact, it’s especially difficult for workers to know what you expect from them when working remotely since they have less context. Be explicit about your expectations around deadlines, the quality of work being produced, and overall transparency about time spent on specific tasks.

Establish A Workflow

Try to establish consistent and straightforward workflow habits amongst your team early on to minimize the potential for errors to be made and improve overall efficiency. This may take some trial and error, but once you’ve established what works and put it into practice, you’ll notice an immediate payoff.

Check-In From Time to Time

While it is essential to trust your employees are doing what they say they are, it’s also a good idea to check in on them from time to time. Regularly engaging with your workers through multiple channels will allow you to gauge how their projects are coming along and make them feel secure in their role in the company.

Make Use of Video Conferencing Services

Given the current circumstances, you might not have the opportunity to see your employees in person for a while, so take advantage of the next best thing – video conferences! Nothing beats face-to-face interactions (even virtual ones) and making use of communication software like Zoom, and Google Hangouts will keep your team connected and boost overall employee morale.

Prioritize Goals Over Daily Activity

Working from home every day takes some getting used to, and it’s unreasonable to expect even the most seasoned remote workers to sit at their desks for eight hours straight.  Instead of focusing on your remote workers’ every move, ask yourself whether or not goals are being accomplished. At the end of the day, accomplishment matters much more than activity.

While the current state of the world may not be ideal, as a leader, this is your opportunity to step up to the plate and make the most of a bad situation. You might even find that work from home days are something worth adopting once life goes back to normal!

Why Project Spaces

Project Spaces is a founder-friendly coworking community that has two open-concept workspaces in downtown Toronto. Our spaces are where business-savvy superstars who understand the roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship come together and build camaraderie. Take a look at our flexible membership programs if you’re looking to change up your workspace and give your hustle a home!

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