When we talk about being ‘overwhelmed’, it’s natural to think of our own experiences. We might recall stacks of paperwork or never-ending to-do lists plastered to our fridge doors. We might even remember that one time our child gave the neighbour’s cat a paint job! While these scenarios may be common, there are certain individuals who should never have to deal with excessive stress, such as pilots flying our planes, cashiers preparing our takeaway orders, and most importantly, our remote team members. As the benefits of having a remote workforce are undeniably advantageous, it’s crucial to learn how to manage them effectively. If you’re yet to realise the perks of having a remote team, we encourage you to take a break and read this article.
The benefits of having remote workers are numerous. You have access to a global talent pool and there’s no need to restrict yourself based on physical location or transportation issues. However, managers need to be mindful of the risk of overloading employees who are working remotely as they are not physically present. It’s crucial to identify what might cause team members to feel overwhelmed and recognise any warning signs. By taking proactive measures and preventing overloading or burnout, you can ensure your team remains productive. If you need additional support to ease the workload on existing staff, please do get in touch with us.
Impressively Complete Results
Delegating tasks can be challenging for some people, but for those who have younger siblings, it’s almost second nature. As managers in the digital age, it’s crucial to be aware of this. Sending out a list of tasks without any feedback or guidance can leave remote employees feeling perplexed. Without real-time monitoring, it’s easy to overload them with too many responsibilities. The consequences of this could be detrimental, so it’s essential to avoid this scenario.
The Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) at MIT conducted an analysis of remote work’s pros and cons for both employees and employers. Surprisingly, the study showed some negative outcomes when it came to the amount of work given to remote workers. Many individuals have experienced stress and feeling overwhelmed while working from home, causing some to desire a return to the conventional office setting. With the rise in the number of remote workers, it’s crucial for companies to manage their distributed workforce effectively.
To overcome this challenge, it’s crucial to track allocated tasks diligently, communicate frequently with team members, and make full use of project management capabilities. However, effective delegation is just one aspect of remote team success. For more guidance on providing efficient support for remote teams, please refer to the linked article.
Already Overwhelmed? Find the Solution Below.
Restaurant waiting staff are typically adept at keeping a close eye on their customers, always ready to spot when they’re enjoying the daily special. But for a pleasant dining encounter – for both the waiter and the guest – open communication is crucial. The same can be said for managers and their interaction with remote team members. Regular check-ins empower team productivity. With an open line of dialogue, even when an employee is feeling overworked, they can express their concerns. By providing employees with a safe space to discuss their workload, managers can gain a better understanding of how to manage their responsibilities effectively.
Keeping track of the tasks that employees are working on and the amount of time spent on them is an effective means of monitoring their progress. Business.com suggests various online tools, such as BaseCamp, iDoneThis, and Roadmap, for managers to manage projects. By utilising these applications, managers can gain insights into how much work is being performed by remote team members. This information then enables managers to make informed decisions about when to assign additional tasks.
Allowing employees to work remotely has been proven to be highly effective, as they appear to be more productive when compared to those working in the office. This could be due to the blending of personal and professional lives, with remote employees having everything they require to work effectively within arm’s reach. Nevertheless, this can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed. To mitigate this, it’s crucial to ensure that remote workers take regular breaks. Additionally, it’s imperative to remind employees that it is not expected of them to work during holidays or weekends to establish a healthier work-life balance with support from their employer.
Aware Managers Make Great Leaders.
Author Robert Louis Stevenson once said, “Sooner or later, everyone sits down to a meal of consequences”. This rings true, especially when making decisions in business. We must not underestimate the importance of regulating the amount of work we assign to remote teams and setting realistic deadlines for completion. To achieve our desired results, it’s necessary to undertake some “spring cleaning” and prioritise pressing tasks. As Steve Jobs once mentioned, it may be challenging to discern “all the things not to work on”, but doing so is crucial to achieving business objectives.
As remote working offers potential benefits, it is a manager’s responsibility to ensure that they create an environment that supports and motivates remote teams. This involves having regular meetings, ensuring tasks are distributed fairly, and promoting a healthy work-life balance. Failure to implement these measures may result in remote employees becoming demotivated and ceasing to work. At Works, we understand that managing remote teams can be daunting. Therefore, we have created an extensive resource to assist managers in successfully recruiting and managing remote teams. Managers should ensure that remote workers have the resources required to excel and avoid overburdening them. While managers may not have complete control over the outcome, taking steps to support remote teams is critical for long-term success.
Get in touch with us now and let’s set you on the path to recruiting remote workers.
