A growing number of employees today work remotely. This is possible as a result of advancements in technology. The benefits are many for both employee and employer. Employers can spend less money as they have less people that need space in the office. Employees that work remotely are often more productive; they spend less time commuting, and they have the flexibility to adjust their work around their life rather than working 9 hours straight, which can cause burnout.
Remote Worker Challenges
One worry that many employers have when deciding to hire remote workers is, how can they monitor the volume of work they do? How do they know they are really working and not just playing games on their computer all day long?
Employers can deal with this dilemma by setting reasonable deadlines for their remote employees and expecting these workers to meet them. What should matter for employers is that work is done in timely manner. It shouldn’t matter if workers finish their tasks from midnight to four in the morning.
Setting Remote Worker Deadlines
This is most likely the simplest way to monitor your remote workers. Employers may decide that a specific amount of work needs to be completed by Friday. Another way would be to set up weekly or bi-weekly meetings via phone or video chat. To resolve any feelings of detachment some employers may ask that a remote worker spend one day a week in the workplace. This can help keep everyone on course and informed.
Off-Site Not a Permanent Condition
Working remotely requires personal discipline and good time-management skills. People who are chronic procrastinators may not perform best remotely. If employees aren’t hitting deadlines, or are turning in sub-par work then off-site working doesn’t have to be a permanent privilege. For remote working to be a success there need to be trust between the employee and the employer. To preserve this trust the employee needs to hit their deadlines and the employer needs to be focused on the results.
