Technology is changing the business world in a lot of ways, especially when it comes to working practices. More businesses are starting to use remote workers because it reduces their costs and most employees work more effectively when working from home and setting their own schedule. But remote workers are only productive when managed properly and given the right tools. Communication is one of the biggest issues that business owners have when trying to use remote workers and it can have a serious impact on productivity if you are not communicating with your staff properly. But if you can get around the communication problems, you will find that your remote workers are very effective. These are the best ways to solve communication problems with your remote workers.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By GaudiLab
Choose Remote Workers Carefully
Picking the right people is very important because some people are well suited to working independently and some are not. Certain employees will communicate well and keep you in the loop about their progress, and come to you with any problems. But sometimes, you get those difficult employees that are not very motivated. It’s those employees that you will never hear from and they won’t be that effective when left to their own devices. If you choose the right people, it’s a lot easier to communicate with your remote team.
Invest In The Right Tools
There are so many great tools that you can use to improve communication with remote workers, so you need to invest a bit of money to give them everything that they need. The most important thing you need is a VoIP (voice over internet protocol) system. If you are unfamiliar with VoIP, you can read more here about the benefits. These systems allow you to make and receive calls through an internet connection, which means that your remote workers always have access to a business line. They’re also great for setting up video conferences so you can host meetings. You should also provide live chat software so people can stay in touch without filling up your email inbox with questions every day. There are some great project management tools out there as well, which are ideal for collaborating on projects and setting out clear work schedules.
Encourage Questions
When you are speaking with your remote employees, it’s important that you encourage them to ask questions. Things can easily get lost in translation, especially when you are not speaking face to face. That’s why your remote workers need to ask plenty of questions so they are crystal clear about what is expected of them and if they have any issues, you can give them guidance. It’s also important that you ask them questions to see if there are any improvements that you can make. If there is miscommunication at the start of a project, it will lead to big mistakes further down the line.
Meet Face To Face
Every so often, you should try to get remote workers together to meet face to face. This can be in the form of a meeting to discuss work, but you should also try to host social events and work outings. Building team morale is a lot harder with remote workers and planning social events will help with that.
As long as you can maintain good communication with your remote workers, they will be effective. But if that communication breaks down, that’s when you will have a big problem with productivity.
