Today’s team leaders and workforce managers face a far more complex set of challenges than their predecessors did. Just a few years ago, the vast majority of companies still relied entirely on in-person workforces, and remote work was reserved for unusual circumstances and niche markets. The pandemic changed all that, encouraging employers to offer more flexible options and even sending entire companies online, sometimes permanently. While hybrid and online-only workforces have plenty of benefits, this approach also creates certain problems. More specifically, it makes it harder to create a work atmosphere that encourages employee productivity. Read on to find out how managers can improve productivity and foster collaboration in the digital age.
Take Advantage of Available Tools
There’s no need to keep relying on generalized tools like emailing and conference calls to help hybrid and remote teams collaborate. These days, there are far more effective options. Business owners, managers, and team leaders can find employee performance software that makes it easy to understand and track employee behavior and improve productivity rates.
Set Employees Up for Success
All employees, whether they’re working remotely or in person at the office, should be set up for success. In most cases, that requires a combination of making sure all of the team members working on a project are on the same page and providing everyone with access to the same resources. It’s important to set up periodic meetings that include both in-person and remote workers to check on everyone’s progress and ensure that no one is getting left behind.
Help Workers Avoid Burnout
One of the major downsides to working from home is that it tends to blur the lines between an employee’s work and his or her home life, making remote workers more prone to burnout. Project managers can help their teams avoid this problem by encouraging remote workers to stick to schedules that don’t push them past a traditional 40-hour workweek. It can also help to use project management software that logs hours and informs team leaders if some people are taking on too much responsibility. That way, project managers can step in before burnout becomes a problem.
Create a Culture of Collaboration
In today’s digital world, it’s perfectly possible for all workers to contribute equally from wherever they are. Creating a culture of collaboration that prioritizes equity instead of creating hierarchies will help all of the team members feel more empowered and involved. Fostering collaboration between all team members can help workers feel more empowered and make the entire team more productive.
Start Creating Positive Change
If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that doing nothing in response to a drop in employee productivity will only foster more complacency. Business owners, managers, HR professionals, and team leaders can all do their part to create positive change in the workplace by following the advice above. Don’t forget to ask for employees’ feedback on the proposed or recently implemented changes. Workers, themselves, are often a valuable resource when it comes to figuring out how to create positive change.
