With many people working from home and the signs that remote working could become the norm, many managers are concerned about how they can monitor and manage their staff when they are not present in the office. Any decent manager or supervisor understands that there needs to be a balance. You cannot spend the entire day checking in, as this affects employee autonomy and can put them on edge.
But if you’re not experienced with monitoring staff while away from the office, you may not be sure where the line is. With this in mind, here is some advice on finding the balance for monitoring remote employees.
In the House
The fear that many managers have when allowing or being forced into allowing remote work is that their staff will take advantage, spend all day playing video games, or watch Netflix. This drives them to implement severe measures, such as check-in systems that ensure that they are at their home desk and working.
This is only useful for those using company laptops, systems, and software, and those who use personal laptops aren’t subjected to such scrutiny. Instead, it’s helpful to use office communication software like Slack or even Skype, as well as Google Teams or Zoom, to stay in touch and make sure everybody is on task.
On the Road
If you have a team that drives across the country for work, whether as a truck driver, delivery driver, or someone who meets clients at their factories or offices, you need to make sure they are on task when driving through cities and down highways.
GPS tracking software is a great way to do this, and it can also teach you the driving habits, while also being beneficial for how truck accidents differ, should your employee be involved in one. Through such analysis, you’re able to check up on them without the need to be in their ear always, while also being able to communicate over the system if need be to hear any issues they encounter.
Trust Them
The best way for you to find the balance when monitoring remote employees is to give them the trust that you would do at the office. The majority of your employees are professionals, and therefore they will be able to sit at the desk to get their work done on time.
However, you should also remember that they have lives to live. One of the benefits of remote working is that they can find greater flexibility. This means they should be able to head to the grocery store over lunch or even the gym. It also means they should be allowed half an hour to pick the kids up. As long as they don’t take advantage, you can ensure they are doing the right thing.
Like a Hawk
You want to keep an eye on your employees, but being too overbearing will cause stress and cause them to make mistakes. While you should do what you can to monitor your employees both at home and on the road, you should also trust that they can get on with their work efficiently while reaping the benefits and flexibility that remote working can offer.
