Over the years, working from remote locations has revolutionized the traditional work environment in the United States. Currently, 12.7% of full-time employees work from home, demonstrating the rising use of remote work settings.
With the growing advanced technologies and changes in the behavior and roles in the work environment, a large percentage of managers are given the responsibility to manage the remote workforce.
Though remote work undeniably has the benefits of increased flexibility and access to a global talent pool, it has its fair share of drawbacks as well. From struggling with communication to maintaining team cohesion, it is clear that remote managers must find some new strategies to optimize their remote workforce for success and productivity.
No doubt, businesses across the board are relying on remote teams to maintain productivity and adapt to the ever-changing work landscape.
However, managing a remote workforce can present unique challenges. This is where remote worker tracking software comes into play.
In this post, we will explore some of the most common challenges of managing remote workers along with some ideas on how to successfully engage their workforce while they operate from home or virtually from any location.
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Available for up to 5 users
Premium for $99/month for the first 20 users (with free trial period)
Available on iOS, Android and Web
The Rise of Remote Work
Over the past few years, the global working arrangement has changed quite dramatically as a result of the rise in remote working.
It isn’t just a fad either, it’s a complete reshaping of the way businesses think and approach managing a workforce. You no longer have to be tied up within the walls of your office – now you can work pretty much anywhere in the world. Whether that be plain and simple, at home, or in a series of remote places throughout the world.
This shift is not only a convenience but also a strategic move for businesses looking to respond to the changing needs of the modern worker.
In a report, 63% of the workers believe remote work is the most important aspect of their job, ahead of income (61%), flexible scheduling (55%), work-life boundaries (54%), and having a good boss (48%). Employers who embrace remote possibilities enjoy several advantages.
One of the biggest is the increased flexibility inherent to remote work. Without the physical space requirements of an office, you free your employees from commuting and make way for a more adaptable and agile workforce. It also boosts a sense of empowerment and ownership, as workdays are managed more on employee terms than a set 9-5 schedule.
Another significant advantage of allowing employees to work away from the office is an increment in productivity. Without being bothered by noise from your colleagues and, phones ringing, it's easy to get more work done in less time.
Studies show that remote workers work more hours than in-house workers and have an increase in productivity; an increase in productivity means that you have more money in your pocket and your employer sees your dedication so, you’re likely to be highly promoted.
Challenges of Managing a Remote Workforce
Managing a remote workforce comes with a unique set of challenges that require creative solutions as businesses adopt the remote work paradigm they have to deal with a range of hurdles. From making operations flawless to making sure the employees are always happy.
Let’s dig into the top challenges they face and how remote working tracking software is the thread that sews it all.
Compliance and Safety Requirements
Remote work introduces complexities to ensuring compliance with regulations specific to your industry. From data protection regulations to Occupational Safety and Health standards, companies need to comply with these legal requirements.
Solution: Safety and compliance in remote workplaces are largely propped up by remote work tracking software.
With real-time visibility into remote workers’ locations and activities, remote work tracking software allows your company to ensure compliance with regulations even if employees aren’t all working out of a centralized office.
Productivity and Performance Monitoring
According to Monster research, 69% of remote employees report burnout, demonstrating that this issue exists even in remote work settings.
The challenge of managing remote teams is the visibility gap that normally occurs between managers and employees. Traditional methods of monitoring performance don't translate well into a remote work experience.
Solution: The visibility gap is bridged by utilizing remote work tracking software that accurately tracks and measures remote worker productivity. This is done by managing performance through metrics like task completion rates, and the amount of time spent on assignments by the managers.
Communication and Collaboration
Lack of proximity kicks communication down a notch. This leads to misunderstanding and inefficiency. Closing the gap between those remote teams and management is must for a healthier work to be done.
Solution: One of the main benefits of remote worker tracking software is a notable increase in collaboration and project management. Most computer tracking software includes centralized communication channels and task assignment capabilities. With clearly defined communication protocols and real-time updates on projects, whether team members are located in the same office or in different parts of the world, their ability to work together is not compromised in the least.
Data Security and Privacy Concerns
A decentralized workforce comes with an inherent risk in that regard. Companies need to ensure their intellectual property and other industrial secrets remain safe from the risk of being hacked.
Solution: Remote working tracking software is built with these risks in mind, ensuring the strictest of security measures are put in place while still protecting employee information.
With granular control over data access and encryption protocols, software suits can find a happy medium between being dependable to the employer and not crossing the line for staff.
Addressing Bussiness Owner’s Pain Point
With the shift to a remote workforce comes a vast number of operations and efficiency dilemmas that business operators need to address. Below are some of the pain points business operators face when managing remote workers
- Ensuring standardization of our operations over a widely dispersed workforce is both cumbersome and critical. The diverse locations and working environments our teams are dispersed over is a sure recipe for various work habits, but also inconsistent methods and outputs.
- It becomes more difficult to monitor the progress and completion of tasks when working remotely than when working in a co-located setting. Without being able to watch and see first-hand what things are being like in real time for your group members, you proficiently cannot tell exactly where your players are on a particular project and what could be causing them to slow or derail the project.
- To drive business success, maintaining alignment with the objectives and requirements of the business is a must, however, this becomes complicated when teams span across timezones where keeping people aligned is a tough nut to crack.
Remote Worker Monitoring Tools: An Overview
Time Tracking Software
Time tracking software helps firms to properly track the hours worked by remote personnel.
It tracks time spent on various jobs and projects, providing information on productivity and resource allocation.
These tools frequently include timesheets, timers, and activity logs, which enable managers to track billable hours, evaluate work patterns, and find areas for improvement.
Activity Monitoring Software
Employees are 7% more productive when they know they are being monitored, resulting in higher profitability.
Activity tracking software allows you to see what your remote employees are doing on their computers. It collects screenshots, records keystrokes, and monitors program activity to provide a complete picture of employee productivity.
With capabilities like ideal time tracking and browser blocking, these technologies help managers reduce distractions and improve attention among remote staff.
Project Management Software
Project management software acts as a consolidated platform for planning, executing, and tracking projects remotely. It simplifies job assignment, communication, and progress monitoring, simplifying project operations among distributed teams.
These tools frequently include features such as task boards, Gantt charts, and milestone tracking, allowing managers to successfully manage project timeframes and assign resources.
Key Features of Remote Worker Tracking Software
Comprehensive Reporting
A successful remote monitoring system should have powerful reporting features, allowing managers to gain deep insights into remote workers' actions and performance. Customizable reports and analytics dashboards facilitate data-driven decision-making and performance evaluation.
Remote Access and Control
Remote access and control tools enable managers to solve difficulties and give real-time support to team members. Screen sharing, remote desktop control, and file transfer capabilities enable seamless collaboration and assistance.
Integration Capabilities:
Integration with current tools and systems is critical for ensuring smooth workflow management. A successful remote monitoring system should be compatible with common productivity tools, communication platforms, and project management software, enabling interoperability and data synchronization.
Security and Compliance Features
Security and compliance features are critical in protecting sensitive corporate data and meeting regulatory standards. Encryption techniques, access restrictions, and audit trails all assist to reduce security risks and protect data privacy in remote work situations.
Xenia- Revolutionizing the Remote Workforce Management
60% of companies with remote staff use monitoring tools to track productivity and activity.
Another 17% are contemplating it.
Xenia is a technology-driven operational efficiency platform for frontline teams that are focused on optimal performance levels and business scalability altogether.
The platform provides the complete package to successfully manage a remote contact center workforce.
It is an incredibly powerful and comprehensive tool that assists in the day-to-day running of remote teams. No other software can beat the breadth and depth of features that help provide the efficiencies and consistency of managing remote staff.
With its intuitive user interface and uncompromising functionality, Xenia is the ultimate remote workforce manager.
Why Does It Stand Out?
Tailored solutions for specific industry challenges
From facility management to manufacturing, Xenia provides specialized solutions to meet the demands of various industries, assuring maximum performance and compliance.
User-friendly Interface
Xenia is a user-friendly interface that makes remote workforce management easier for both employees and managers. Xenia's straightforward navigation and user-friendly features guarantee seamless adoption and integration into current workflows.
Robust data security measures
With advanced data encryption mechanisms and tight access controls, Xenia protects sensitive information from illegal access or breaches, building user confidence in data privacy and security.
Key Features and Benefits of Xenia
- Customizable Task and Operations Templates: Xenia provides customizable task and operations templates that are adapted to a variety of industrial requirements. Whether it's scheduling maintenance chores or managing inventory, Xenia offers templates that are easily customizable to meet unique needs, simplifying operations and increasing productivity.
- Real-time Tracking and Reporting Features: Offers real-time tracking and reporting capabilities that improve productivity monitoring. Managers may analyze staff actions, monitor job progress, and produce detailed reports to get insight into performance indicators and identify areas for improvement.
- Integrated Communication Tools: Integrated communication capabilities enable easy cooperation among distant teams. Whether it's instant messaging, file sharing, or video conferencing, Xenia guarantees that team members can interact and contribute in real-time, building a feeling of connection and cooperation.
- Compliance Tracking: Incorporates compliance tracking elements to guarantee that remote workers follow regulatory guidelines. From safety practices to industry-specific requirements, Xenia assists businesses in remaining compliant and mitigating the risks associated with noncompliance, protecting both people and the organization.
Best Practices for Implementing Xenia or Any Remote Worker Tracking Software
To successfully implement Xenia or any remote worker tracking software into current operations, businesses should adhere to best practices.
- Thoroughly train employees so that they are comfortable and knowledgeable with the remote worker tracking software's features and functions.
- Communicate with employees to alleviate privacy concerns by explaining the intent and usage of the remote worker tracking software as a productivity and compliance tool – not an employee management tool.
- Obtain feedback from employees to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to optimize use and adoption.
Wrapping it Up
Given this backdrop, it’s not surprising that many businesses are realizing the need to invest in technology to better enable a new way of working – to drive efficiencies within their organization, to make their workforce more productive, and to help them stay compliant.
Here's where remote worker tracking software comes in! Remote worker tracking software can provide you with real-time insights, streamlined communication, and increased accountability. A survey of organizations with remote employees revealed that 60% currently utilize monitoring tools to check their employees' productivity and activity.
So, remote work tracking is a way forward for businesses to explore new possibilities, without denting team members’ performance levels.
Of course, since there’s a multitude of different software options available right now, each solution paints a different picture for business owners. If it’s your first time using a remote work tracking app, tool or a program, we recommend going on a trialling spree through free account sign-ups.
This’ll give you a fair idea of whatever sticks - and that too, without compromising your current budget.
Good luck!
Unify Team Operations, Maintenance and Safety Compliance with Xenia
Xenia unifies daily operations, maintenance management and quality assurance to help ensure teams and facilities are effective and efficient.
Our customers love Xenia's robust use cases including:
Operational Execution
✔️ Checklists & SOPs
Create checklists, SOPs, Inspections and Data Logs to power accountability, training and staff clarity on every task.
💪 Team Task Management
Assign work digitally to defeat pencil whipping and disorganized teams. Complete tasks, chat with teams on any device, track time, collect photos, and ensure high quality work.
📆 Recurring Tasks
Create recurring schedules for daily opening and closings, performance review meetings, inspections, cleanings and more.
📲 Chats & Announcements
Centralize team communications with in task chats, one-on-one chats, team messages and company wide announcements
📊 Team Performance Reporting
Use Xenia's analytics dashboards to view staff work reports. Filter by asset, location, category or due date and export the report in PDF or Excel
Maintenance Management
🛠️ Work Orders
Create work orders with associated team, asset, location, priority, category and due date. View live progress reports on each work order, chat with teams, and review resulting template submission, images and notes to improve operations.
🧰 Preventive Maintenance
Create a preventive maintenance calendar to ensure asset uptime is not compromised. Attach images, templates, videos and notes to every task and assign to a team or individual for completion.
📲 QR Codes
Generate and attach QR codes to equipment and facility locations to enable fast and accurate inspections and data logs.
⚙️ Work Order Requests
Receive, approve and assign work order requests from tenants, regular customers and vendors. Enable requesters to submit, track, and communicate with your team, without access to operations templates or unrelated work orders.
📁 Equipment Work History
View work history for every asset and sub asset in Xenia. Review performance data and enable corrective actions to improve your operation.
Safety Compliance & Quality Assurance
👍 Concrete Brand Standards
Put your brand standards in a clear and operational checklist to be attached to work assignments.
🔎 Smart Inspection Workflows
Xenia's operations template builder has built in conditional logic into each step. This allows you to trigger actions based on a form response such as creating a corrective action on a failed inspection step, sending a notification to management for out of range meter readings, and much more.
✨ Corrective Actions
Operationalize inspections with fast work order assignment arising from a failed inspection step. All corrective data is stored in the checklist submission for auditing and accountability.
📋 Analytics and Reports
View live dashboard summaries of tasks, employee performance, template submissions and more. Filter, organize and export compliance reports to PDF and Excel formats to simplify compliance management.
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