Despite the pandemic subsiding, it looks like remote work is here to stay.
Many staffing firms have successfully transitioned to remote or hybrid operating models and have no intention of departing from them.
But the new norm of remote work is creating angst for staffing managers who prefer having everyone under one roof.
Are you monitoring the activity of your remote workers from your desk?
Maybe you’ve been burned in the past by employees you caught at the mall when they were supposed to be working. Whatever your reason, the anxiety is real when you see low activity.
Since spying on employees isn’t the best use of your time and it makes employees feel micro-managed, here’s how to adjust your mindset to effectively lead remote teams.
Never forget that while activity is important, the best barometer of productivity will always be your employee’s results.
Fortunately results are easy to measure in the staffing business. Bottom line, if your producers are meeting or exceeding their goals you can relax.
Just because your remote worker’s activity appears low it doesn’t mean she’s not working.
In fact surveys conducted since the pandemic validate that remote workers tend to work more hours and be more productive than when in the office.
Your employees have administrative work outside of just client and candidate contact that is critical to producing results.
Of course, inspecting what you expect is important to good leadership – just remember to seek to understand before letting your anxiety win.
Recently a client expressed concern because a new sales rep working from home whose activity is critical to a successful ramp-up had made only one call all morning. The owner later learned the employee was working on a service agreement for a new client who needed several positions filled asap. It turns out the one call she made that morning resulted in closing a deal.
Adjust your leadership mindset and you’ll thrive as a leader of high-performance teams in this new world of remote work.
