19 July 2020
By Roger L. Kennedy
roger@TheCork.ie
Business News
Recent global events have seen a considerable spike in employees working from home instead of working from a desk in the office. For many employers, this is something entirely new and old processes need to be updated. Where working from home was once regarded as a privilege, it has now become a necessity. Your employees must be able to work just as effectively as they did when on-site, but how can you keep them on track when they are working from home?
Use time-tracking software
When working on-site, you may not have needed to track your employee hours or attendance. When working from home, using time and attendance systems Ireland can help you to track precisely what hours your staff are working. They will need to sign in when they start and log any breaks that they take throughout their shift. The software will keep them accountable, meaning they know they can’t get away with sleeping in, or clocking out early.
On top of that, using time-tracking software will make payroll easier. You may schedule employees to work irregular hours, according to the demands of your business, and it’s impossible to keep it all straight when everyone is working at home.
Assign tasks with firm deadlines
Rather than assigning your employees general and open-ended activities, make sure to set firm deadlines for each task. Even if the project or assignment isn’t imperative, setting a deadline will ensure your employees stay productive and are still working to their full capacity. Utilize software like Trello, where your employees can update their progress based on where they are at in a project or task. You will be able to easily see how everyone is doing and check-in with those who are falling behind.
The aim is to run as efficiently as you did when working in-house, and you will not have the capacity to monitor everything your staff are doing. Using project and task management software is a great way to do a quick scan, and make sure everyone is still doing their job.
Have daily check-ins
The rise of video conferencing software means that hosting virtual meetings is now accessible to everyone. Laptops, tablets, and smartphones all have cameras and microphones, allowing anyone to log onto a virtual meeting and engage with colleagues as if they were in person. Working from home can be isolating and doesn’t grant the sense of community you get from working on-site. By having daily virtual check-ins, you get the chance to touch base with your staff, discuss upcoming projects, relay any important information and just have a chat.
Zoom has become popular for video calls since the COVID19 situation began
Daily check-ins will also allow staff to address any concerns or struggles they may have working from home, allowing you to provide support where needed. They are another way to keep your team accountable to showing up on the meeting every day, giving them a sense of purpose.
Conclusion
Ultimately, there needs to be trust between employer and employee to ensure success when working from home. You can’t be checking in on your staff every minute of every day. Not only does that take up your valuable time, but it tells your employees you don’t trust them. Staff can be just as productive, and even more so when working from home and by using these strategies, you can help to support them.
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