Technological advancement has made it easier for individuals to work remotely. This new strategy also saves companies money because they don’t have to provide office space for their virtual workers. However, it can be more challenging to manage these at-home teams. Therefore, these are a few tips to help you.

Adopt Communication Tools

Much of your communication is done nonverbally when you are speaking with others face-to-face. However, when you are not in the same room or building, it can be more difficult to communicate effectively or often. Therefore, you should consider adopting a wide variety of communication tools. First, you should invest in high-quality video conferencing software. Also, utilize traditional phone and email communication, but include instant messaging applications that can help you get in touch right away.

Track Project Progress

Use your communication tools often to track what your employees are working on, where they are in the process and if they need any help. You can also adopt project management software that tracks your employees’ tasks in greater detail. This software also allows the rest of your team to see what tasks need to be completed and who is currently working on what part of the project.

Project management software also allows you to monitor your employees more effectively because you can track the time they spend on each task. This allows you the opportunity to reallocate assets or resources to help with especially difficult processes.

Build an Onboarding Process

It can be especially challenging to onboard remote employees. Therefore, you need a process. You want to introduce the company to the employee through an orientation. Provide training to help your staff succeed. You should also discuss your expectations of the employees and help them get their work environments set up. They should also be introduced to their team members, managers and key personnel on other teams that they may work in conjunction with. Don’t forget to provide them with every tool they need to succeed in their positions.

Monitor Employees’ Work Time

Working virtually has its own set of challenges, not the least of which are distractions. When working from home, your employees may be interrupted by children, chores or other distractions. Therefore, you need tools to monitor the time they are actually working. Some software tools actually help you monitor when your employees are working. They can also clock in and out each day or create logs that outline how they used their time.

You don’t want your employees to work too much or too little, so consider investing in time and attendance software to help you monitor their work time.

Managing remote workers can be challenging, but with the right tools and processes, you can create a highly efficient, effective virtual workforce.