In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies are looking to hire more remote workers than ever before. But with that said, remote employees are humans too. In other words, they all have their personal lives outside of work too. And sometimes, the work life and personal life can get overwhelming at times, thus making them underperform in some of their daily tasks.
So, as an HR executive, you must be able to spot whether or not remote workers are doing okay in their work. In this article, we’ll talk about how you – the HR executive – can effectively manage remote workers that are underperforming, and get them back on track:
- Get To Know Your Remote Employees
Learning more about your remote workers can be a positive experience, since you’re getting to know them on a personal level, beside professional. Even if they’ve worked for you for a good while, it’s important to get to know them in the following ways:
- Their hopes and dreams
- Their favorite hobbies
- What they like about the remote job (so far)
- What they miss about working in-house
- What they would like to see happen in the future (Any future goals?)
- How they plan their work day (i.e their schedule, their setup, etc.)
Asking your remote workers these things can help you understand how they work, and how you can help them improve anything so that they can effectively meet deadlines.
- Investigate The Problem
In addition, you should investigate what’s really going on that could be hindering your remote employee’s ability to work. In other words, what can possibly be contributing your employee’s underachievement?
When doing so, you may want to consider these factors:
- What’s different about your remote employee’s current situation?
- What kind of things have entered your remote employee’s life?
- What’s more difficult for your employee?
- Are there any technical and or self-management issues that they have? If so, what kind?
And, if any emotions arise from your remote employee, learn to respect them, and help them with any solution(s) that they’ll be comfortable with. Just as long as they’re able to overcome their issues, you can help them by being empathetic towards them.
- Reevaluate Expectations
Also, take the time to reevaluate your expectations. Sometimes, remote workers might not be able to realistically meet some of your expectations; and that’s normal. If their style or approach doesn’t allow them to meet expectations, then talk to them about how both you and them can work things out, so that they can produce work in a timely manner. That should be a goal, because the last thing you want is your remote employees to underperform – or not be able to work at all.
- Help Them Improve
Next, be sure to support employees on their mission to improve in their remote work. As an HR personnel, be sure to ask questions that can help evaluate their own situations and, no matter the situation, get work done with ease.
Here are some great questions to ask remote employees:
- How are you liking the remote experience so far?
- How will this experience help you to do better in the future?
- What are things that you still need to work on?
Now, while it’s great to ask questions, just do let it turn into micromanaging.
- Keep In Touch
This last point is key.
Staying connected with remote workers can do wonders, because it helps them realize that they have a job to do. As their manager, you’ll need to stay in touch with them on a regular basis, so that they can stay motivated in their work. Remember: No employee wants to feel ignored. Show them that you care about them.
If necessary, have remote employees keep you posted on their progress (i.e. weekly, daily, etc.). Also, don’t just rely on emailing them; video chat with them every once in a while, so that they feel like they’re working for a real person.
Conclusion
These tips should help you – the HR personnel – to keep your remote workers on track and perform well in their work. While no one is perfect, you should still expect great things from your remote staff. Be firm, but don’t push too hard. By following these tips, you’ll soon effectively manage your remote workers to where they’re performing really well in their jobs.
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