Tips for Performance Management of Remote Workers

Successful performance management ensures that you reach your business goals, and collectively. A well-planned and effective performance management process will be the driving force behind engaging well with your workforce, and aligning them with your company culture, policies and objectives. Here we look at top tips for performance management of remote workers.

The shift to remote working presented challenges and/or new ways of working for almost every business area, and performance management is no exception. For many human resource departments, deciding how to measure the performance of staff that are largely dispersed has become somewhat of a HR headache.  

When sharing the same physical space as your employees, you can provide constructive feedback, motivate teams and enact leadership skills as and when is needed, but remote working makes it harder to have those all-important conversations – especially when a worker’s performance has fallen short. 

Here are our top tips to help you effectively manage the performance of your remote workforce:

Outline expectations and goals from the start

If you haven’t revisited objectives since the move to remote working, then it is important to outline what is expected to help your employees to perform better. By establishing clearly defined goals, you can determine whether your remote employee is meeting important KPIs.

Hold regular check-ins 

Supporting your employees’ mental health and wellbeing remains high on the agenda for many businesses post-pandemic. Research shows that 70-93% of all human communication is non-verbal, so with remote working removing that element altogether, holding wellbeing check-ins will help keep communication two-way. It will also provide a chance for an exchange of updates on progress and expectations and determine the next steps or actions needed if an employee is falling behind, for any reason, on their deadlines. 

Provide constant and constructive feedback 

Spending less time together in person can result in employees over-thinking your communication. Make sure you keep teams regularly in contact, with a flow of interaction ensuring no miscommunication occurs. When it comes to feedback, keeping it specific will help direct your remote workforce, and make sure any negative feedback is given directly and clearly to the person and not in group settings.

Celebrate Success

A fifth of remote workers report feeling they receive less recognition than when working in-office. It is also important to remember to reward and congratulate your employees on a job well done, and make sure to share this success across the team as you’re not together in the office.

Trust is key

With the lack of transparency sometimes created by remote working, it’s crucial trust exists within your team. If deadlines are missed, don’t assume someone isn’t working as hard as they’re at home – keeping communication regular and open means you can reach out and tackle the issue immediately.

To speak to a member of the hr inspire team today to discuss this issue, contact our expert HR team.