First, Let’s Define What is Remote Workforce

As the pandemic and lockdowns around the world hit, many international companies see a real solution in implementing a remote workforce, with all the challenges that being a fully remote company represents. There’s no exact number for a minimum number of employees, but the term remote workforce implies that there are several or more employees that work from a remote location.

A remote workforce is a group of collaborators in an organization or company who primarily work off-site from a location other than a traditional office. In many cases, companies weren’t prepared to act and evolve to a fully remote workforce in 2022.

Remote only can be defined as a company whose employees are fully remote; there’s no central office location, and every collaborator is 100% distributed. In some cases, these companies unite at retreats to build connectivity, a sense of belonging, and community.

Some synonyms can be: fully remote, fully distributed.

Managing a Remote Workforce – Best Practices

Remote work can be ultra-productive when done right. Here are some best practices for effectively managing remote workers:

1. Setting Up Clear Guidelines and Expectations
   In terms of working schedules, asynchronous work, performance, goals, and specific KPIs, you must set very clear objectives for each department. There’s no need to micromanage, but you don’t want to be fussy about the objectives to be met in order to succeed as a company. Setting goals needs to be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound, and everyone needs to be accountable.

   You can set goals with a framework named the ICE scoring model by Sean Ellis mentioned in Hacking Growth. You set Impact, Confidence, and Ease and establish a score in order to prioritize actions to move the entire organization towards a goal.

2. Setting Up Regular Reviews
   Team opportunities for growth can be set regularly but need to be separated from one-on-one meetings. Updates and daily work aim to hit constant targets as a team, but performance needs to be addressed one-on-one to review possible questions or specific concerns. Depending on each team, these can be set up daily, every other day, weekly, or bi-weekly depending on very specific needs.

3. Listen More, Talk Less
   Communication is bi-directional; truly listening requires time and patience. Invite feedback on all aspects of the remote work experience. Periodically check in with each member of your teams and share updates about how they are doing in general—not just project updates.

4. Invest in Tech
   Bring to the table the best software to communicate and collaborate. Dynamic, easy-to-use SaaS for meetings, sharing information, and organizing work on a daily basis can foster innovation and collaboration when people are not working side by side in the same location.

5. Trust Your Team
   Remote workforces and remote-first companies build upon trust. Performance increases when companies trust their employees and focus more on results than desk time. Hiring a responsible team that can pursue goals and commit to a vision is not an easy task; it requires communication, alignment, and trust to bring in top talent that delivers.

What are the Challenges of Managing a Remote Team?

The lack of physical presence and in-person interactions creates a sense of distancing, and you need to be aware of low morale, burnout, interpersonal conflicts, lack of communication, and miscommunication. Another set of challenges can be:

• Isolation
  Fostering a healthy and collaborative culture can be impacted by social isolation. When collaborators are not managing well alone and with clear objectives, things can derail and get out of control. Survey your collaborators constantly to stay close and listen to their needs.

• Distraction
  In their daily routine, remote workers might struggle with distractions—especially if they are working from home. These can include family and children, chores, home maintenance, street noise, and other sources of distraction. As a company, you can provide hardware, headsets, comfortable chairs, and office supplies to facilitate daily tasks. By expressing concern for your collaborators’ day-to-day lives, you show interest and engagement. Happy collaborators who are taken care of are more productive and demonstrate better performance.

• Communication
  Over-communication, miscommunication, and even leaving people out of important meetings can represent a challenge. You need to keep everyone involved in the loop regarding important projects. Teams need to be in constant communication to hit their goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I manage a remote workforce?
A: Managing a remote workforce requires effective communication, trust, and clear expectations. You can use project management tools like Asana, Trello, ClickUp, or Monday.com to keep track of tasks, schedule regular video conferences to check in with your team, and establish clear guidelines for how work should be done.

Q: How do I ensure the security of company data with a remote workforce?
A: To ensure the security of company data, you can implement security protocols such as password managers, two-factor authentication, and virtual private networks (VPNs). You can also establish clear data access policies and provide training on how to handle confidential information.

Q: What are the benefits of hiring a remote workforce?
A: The benefits of hiring a remote workforce include cost savings on office space, increased access to a wider pool of talent, improved work-life balance for employees, and higher productivity due to reduced distractions.

Conclusion

Managing a remote workforce sounds like a difficult task, but if done properly, you can benefit a lot from this new working model. Many companies have reported:

• Improvement to Productivity
• Reduced Equipment Costs
• Lower Employee Turnover
• Savings on Office/Space Rental
• Access to a Wider Talent Pool
• Fewer Staff Absences
• More Flexible Work Hours
• Improvements to Green Credentials
• A Healthier Workforce
• An International Workforce at any Scale

Hiring an international remote workforce is not an easy task; that’s why Emptor helps companies with reliable background checks. Book a free demo by clicking on the image.