Be updated, subscribe to the OpenKM news

5 Ways to Increase Productivity in a Remote Setup

Written by Bernard San Juan on November 11, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everybody's lives in various ways. But one of its greatest effects is how it changed how people work worldwide.

Because of the pandemic, most companies were forced to transition into a remote setup to keep their employees safe from contracting the virus. Although this is a smart choice, managers have been having difficulty monitoring and increasing their remote employees' productivity. If you're one of these professionals, here are some ways to increase employee productivity in a remote setup.

Help Them Create a Great Work-From-Home Environment

To help make your remote team members more productive while working from home, you need to assist them in creating a dedicated workspace in their houses. This will allow them to have a quiet, distraction-free space where they can focus while working.

You can achieve this by giving your team members tips on establishing a great home office environment. Teach them to find the right place to set up their office, invest in the right furniture and office equipment, and create a daily routine that would help them get into the work mindset. You should also subsidize your remote employees for their expenses in creating a work-from-home setup. Having them use high-quality office equipment will keep them comfortable when working and, therefore, more productive.

Use a Reliable Document Management System

Part of being productive is being able to access the files and documents you need quickly and easily. This can be hard to achieve when working remotely, especially if you need to send paper documents to and from different people in your remote team.

To make things easier, invest in a reliable document management solution that would allow your team to scan, send, receive, and store documents electronically without having to leave their houses. This will also allow them to access the files they need in real-time with little to no interruptions, which will greatly affect their productivity.

Invest in Online Collaboration Tools

Working remotely can make it harder for team members to communicate and collaborate. Unlike when everyone's in the office, they can't just pop over to each other's desks and have a quick chat or ask questions from their colleagues. This is why it's important to invest in online collaboration tools, which will allow your remote team to work seamlessly together without having to meet face-to-face.

There are several tools that you can use for this purpose. Group messaging or chat apps, like Slack and Skype, are great for quick communication. You can also use video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom and Google Meet, to hold virtual meetings, presentations, and training sessions for SEO and other processes. These tools should help your team members stay on the same page while working on a project to increase their productivity.

Track Performance Instead of Hours

One of the reasons employees enjoy working from home is that they can fit their work around their schedules. They also have some flexibility to maintain a healthy work-life balance without sacrificing the quality of their outputs.

Nowadays, remote work is not strictly 9-5 anymore. So, you don't have to stress too much about the number of hours your employees are working. Instead, focus on tracking their performance to see if they're meeting their targets and deadlines. This way, you can identify which employees are slacking off and not pulling their weight and address the issue quickly.

Maintain Your Company Culture

Just because your employees are working from home doesn't mean they should feel isolated from the rest of the company. It's important to maintain your company culture even when everyone's not in the office.

You can do this by organizing regular social events, like virtual happy hours and team-building exercises. You should also provide your remote employees with mental and physical health support to ensure their well-being, especially when you cannot always meet face-to-face. This will help them feel like they're still part of the company and motivate them to be productive.

Increase Your Remote Employees' Productivity

Working from home has a lot of benefits, but it can also be challenging to stay productive. By following the tips above, you can create a great work-from-home environment for your employees and help them be more productive. Implement these changes in your company to see an increase in employee productivity and satisfaction.

Author Bio: Bernard San Juan III is the Managing Partner of Truelogic who comes from a successful career in online companies, where he played a critical role in building & managing workforce groups. He has redesigned the organization’s IT infrastructure to improve order processing and logistics. His skills include managing performance, managing costs, and training. He also manages overall sales, customer satisfaction, graphic design, copywriting, and training with first-line supervisors.