Seven Ways Remote Workplaces Can Maximize Efficiency

Here’s one of company leaders' biggest mistakes regarding remote work: assuming everything they do in an in-office work environment will translate well to a remote work environment.

Remote work has unique challenges to address, like how much harder it is to maintain team camaraderie and connection. Or how new skills are required from employees so they can navigate a digital workplace effectively.

Because remote work is etching a permanent place in companies worldwide, business leaders need to find solutions that help them streamline work processes and improve how their teams work together.

Let’s explore seven ways to maximize productivity and efficiency in remote workplaces.

Establish Goals and Expectations

If you have a bunch of remote employees doing their own thing, there’s no way your workflow will produce anything. They need clear guidance on what to do, when, how, and why.

Providing this guidance through clear goals and expectations will ensure your remote employees understand their roles and responsibilities. It’ll also help them grasp how vital their performance is to the company's overall success.

Establish broader business goals and smaller goals specific to each department and project. Furthermore, document the expectations you have for how your remote employees are to behave and work.

Your team and business will be much stronger when you all work toward the same outcome.

Implement Tools That Streamline Productivity

You can’t create an efficient remote workplace without technology. When you choose tech tools that accommodate the unique needs of your remote team and train them on effective use, remote work will be much easier.

The first step is o make onboarding easier. Services like Regpack specialize in streamlining and maximizing your onboarding process. After all, you want to make the best first impression possible on your new remote employees.

Remote monitoring and management (RMM) software like Domotz , for example, can track endpoints on multiple devices remotely to ensure they and your networks are functioning correctly. When issues arise, you’ll be notified immediately and given guidance on how to fix them so your team can continue working. You’ll also be able to keep all your data organized and accessible in one place.

Implementing tools that help your remote employees serve customers better is also integral. For example, invoice management and bookkeeping software like @Viably can help your team stay on top of client payments. Appointment setting and travel management tools can also ensure you connect with leads and get to them to close deals.

Implementing tools that streamline productivity facilitates effective communication and collaboration no matter the location of each employee.

Personalize Schedules, Roles, and Responsibilities

Flexibility is critical for maximizing efficiency in remote workplaces. Choosing when, how, and where they work convinced many remote workers to adopt this work structure and schedule in the first place.

Instead of trying to micromanage your remote employees, set up their schedules, define their roles, and map out their responsibilities based on who they are. They’ll be more motivated because they’re doing meaningful work when they're most productive.

Focus on outcomes rather than what you’re remote workers are doing to get those outcomes. Allow schedules to be adjusted whenever needed. And fill their workload with tasks they’re interested in and can excel at.

If you tailor their work to them, your remote employees will be more likely to produce at a high level.

Make Open Communication the Standard

If you want your remote workplace to be as efficient as possible, you must make open communication the standard. It’s easy for remote workers to end up pushed aside and neglected when there isn’t any real communication between coworkers and across teams.

Create a safe space for transparent communication by first developing personal relationships with your remote employees. The more comfortable they are with you, the more honest and forthcoming they’ll be.

Then, set communication expectations in your remote workplace. Document each person’s contact information and preferred communication methods. Ensure everyone knows the communication channels you use, why, and how to use them. Also, establish “work hours” so remote workers know when to contact you for real-time communication and immediate responses.

Open communication is the key to maximizing efficiency in a remote workplace.

Welcome Feedback

Maximizing efficiency in your remote workplace will look different than other remote teams. This is because your remote workers have unique wants and needs that must be considered if you want the workflow to go smoothly. Therefore, it’s best practice to ask them directly what they are.

Check in with your remote workers at least monthly for an in-depth conversation about how things are going and what you can do to improve their experience in your remote workplace. Once you collect feedback, organize it into a step-by-step plan so that you can implement it.

The more quality feedback you get from remote workers, the easier it’ll be to make changes that actually result in something better for your team.

Prioritize Socialization and Connection

Managing working relationships is one of the most challenging parts of leading a remote team. Not only is it difficult to facilitate a connection among coworkers, but it’s also hard to bridge the gap with upper management. Without solid relationships, your remote team won’t be as cohesive as it should.

It’s essential to prioritize socialization and connection in your remote workplace. Even if you have to go so far as to schedule socialization time in your team’s daily schedule, it’s critical to do so.

Always introduce new remote employees to the rest of the team. Host team-bonding events and activities. Ensure everyone participates in group meetings as well.

Working together is a breeze when your remote employees establish a bond with one another and upper management.

Honor Your Remote Employees

Sadly, many remote workers feel left out, undervalued, and underappreciated for their work. As a result, they don’t put their best foot forward, severely affecting the team's efficiency and productivity.

If you really want your remote workplace to thrive, recognize and celebrate your remote workers every chance you get. Whether you host employee appreciation events, shout them out in daily meetings, celebrate their milestones, or shower them with incentives and rewards, make sure your recognition efforts are genuine.

Honoring your remote employees is the difference between a fractured team and a well-oiled one.

Conclusion

Remote workplaces can maximize their efficiency in various ways. But these seven will get you well on your way to creating a work environment that supports and celebrates its remote workers.