If you manage a deskless workforce, then you need to have the right strategies. While their are many benefits of going remote in today’s business world, it also comes with its fair share of challenges. So avoid common pitfalls of remote teams and use the four tips below to ensure more success and profit:
Use the Right Apps
Since you can’t just go up and talk to your employees and coworkers, communications apps are critical to managing a deskless workforce, and can help you tackle communication issues for deskbound workforces as well. Without them, you risk falling out of touch your team. Apps allow you to communicate the right objectives, at the right time, to the right members. You can also share a large variety of files, from videos, to text, to links, to cloud documents. So don’t try to cut corners when choosing the right apps for you. Analyze the pros and cons and pick the one that suits your needs the best.
Substitute In Person Meetings for Video Calls
Long gone are the days where you have to assemble everyone in one small conference room for a meeting. Not only is this costly, but is is inefficient. Luckily, if you don’t have a physical office, then you don’t have the pressure to do this. But that doesn’t mean you should ditch meetings altogether, face-to-face interactions still hold value. Schedule weekly, if not daily, video meetings to make sure everyone is clear on your objectives and allow them to raise issues.
Leverage Instant Chat
One of the biggest miracles of modern communication apps is the ability to be in instant communication with anyone else at the tap of a button. Whether your lead programmer is in Boston or Bali, you can send them messages or respond in seconds, and it has different connotations to email. Instant messages imply something closer to a verbal conversation that needs more urgency. Don’t overlook this vital feature, or the delay time could eat away at your project expenses.
Measure Results, Not “Time in Chair”
Great managers know how to manage their team. And in this new business world, that means focusing on the results. Simply looking at time sheets doesn’t give you the full picture of how productive someone is being. Numbers don’t lie, but do make sure you’re looking at the numbers that matter, as it can give you some insights on how your employees work.
When it comes to work in the modern age, you are on the cutting edge if you have already ditched desks and gone remote. However, that does not mean you are in the clear just yet. You still need to use the right tools and techniques to make sure projects get done on time in the most profitable manner possible – that also means recruiting some other businesses to help with other tasks (such as web design or marketing). So implement the tips above and have peace of mind that you’re on the right track.
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