Tips for Managing Remote Teams Using Time Tracking Software
Businesses become more adaptable with each passing year. Companies are increasingly allowing their employees to work from home. According to Upwork, by 2028, roughly 78% of all teams will have at least one remote worker.
Furthermore, time tracking software provides real-time data that you can use to adjust your workflow. And, especially when managing remote teams, there isn’t much more important to a brand than productivity. Simply ask Gary Vaynerchuk:
”I stay in constant ‘audit mode.’ I’m always leveling up what’s most important and prioritizing it in real-time. I’m adjusting to the reality of my life at the moment I’m living it.”
It is impossible to make the types of adjustments that GaryVee discusses unless you have some data to begin with. This is where time tracking software comes into play.
What is a time tracking software?
Cloud-based time tracking software allows users to track billable and non-billable hours spent on projects and tasks. Automated features not only outperform manual time tracking in terms of efficiency, but also provide a level of accuracy that manual entry cannot.
When managing remote teams, one of the most important aspects of a successful relationship is time management. Payment processing becomes complicated when you don’t know how much time they actually spend working. Time tracking features that are automated provide invaluable insights into productivity. You can’t identify strengths or weaknesses unless you have these insights. As a result, your productivity can fluctuate, and you’ll be completely unaware of what’s causing the shift.
Without precise time tracking data, doubt grows and relationships suffer. We’ll go over some strategies you can use to help manage remote teams by using a time tracking tool with automated features in the sections below.
Set Clear Expectations:
One of the first things you should do is clearly define any guidelines and rules. If you want everyone to log in at 10 a.m. because that’s when your daily meeting is, it’s your responsibility to make sure they know. Otherwise, remote workers will log in at random times with little consistency or structure.
So, let your employees know exactly when they need to be present, whether it’s 10 minutes a day or an hour.
If employees work fixed hours, time tracking software with employee scheduling allows you to create clear schedules with relative ease.
Be Transparent:
One of the most difficult aspects of managing remote teams is not knowing what they are doing at any given time. Without the use of a tool designed to monitor activity, it is physically impossible to see what they are working on at all times.
With a time tracker, you’re able to monitor:
- Who’s working on what projects
- What they’re working on now
- How long do they spend on each project
Furthermore, because your employees know you can see what they’re doing, they’ll be more accountable for the work they do, which is extremely beneficial for anyone who manages remote teams. This also helps to boost productivity and morale by demonstrating to employees how important they are to your team.
Monitor Activity:
When managing remote teams, you may not always know what your remote workers are doing when they clock in, but you should always have some level of trust in your employees. Having a system in place, on the other hand, can give you the confidence to provide assistance whenever it is required.
For example, you may have recently noticed a decrease in their work output. However, without accurate data, it is impossible to determine what actions should be taken to assist them in succeeding.
And by having their time tracking and activity data, you can pinpoint where issues arise and address them accordingly.
Refrain From Micromanaging:
There is a fine line between monitoring and micromanaging your employees’ activities. It’s a good idea to use this data to analyze and improve time management by keeping track of your employees’ time. Trying to control every second of every day, on the other hand, is demoralizing. If you manage remote teams in this manner, your employees will be less productive, and company morale will suffer as a result.
Time tracking provides you with immense insight. But, it works best when used effectively and in a respective culture.
Track progress:
Project management software allows you to keep track of the progress of your various projects. These tools, however, are not the only types of software that can perform this function. You can track progress and analyze data with corresponding visual representations using time tracking software that also has project management functionality.
You can also track:
Performance – Productivity – RIO – Strengths & Weaknesses
Without tracking their work and knowing what they’re doing, it’s difficult to ensure they’re working on the right tasks — or working at all.
Process payroll:
Many managers of remote teams use spreadsheets or even paper and pen to track their employees’ hours. However, these manual methods have a number of flaws.
Issues can include:
- Human error: Everyone makes mistakes. It’s difficult for some employees to track their own time accurately when they have to interrupt their workflow to do so. And, even then, it takes tremendous time and effort that could be better spent. So, the timesheets you’re reviewing might not be accurate. Additionally, when calculating their timesheets, you might miscalculate or with handwritten ones, misinterpret. This can lead to you over or underpaying employees.
- Time-consuming: It takes time out of your day to manually calculate each timesheet. And that’s time you could use to scale your business instead of performing manual calculations.
- Dishonest employees: This flaw is an unfortunate reality. Some employees might provide false information on their spreadsheet or paper-based timesheets, and without effective time tracking and activity monitoring, you might not even know it’s happening.
However, by utilizing a proper time tracking software solution that includes payroll processing, you can eliminate almost all human errors, saving you time and money while also assisting you in identifying problem areas and dishonest employees.
Give feedback:
Discuss your findings with employees once you’ve analyzed all of their data. Being open and honest is essential when managing remote teams. You should provide them with both critical and positive feedback in a clear manner.
Also, keep in mind that you’re attempting to create a transparent workspace for your team members. So, invite them to provide feedback and inform them of what isn’t working or maybe impeding their success.
If there’s an issue, then they might have a suggestion for you that can help boost productivity all around.
Conclusion:
It is critical to be able to successfully manage remote teams, especially with so many workers entering the remote workforce each year. And with these suggestions, you’ll be able to manage your remote teams and increase productivity with time tracking software.
Do you use a time tracking system for your remote teams? Do you have any additional suggestions? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below!
