Due to the advancements in technology, it’s now possible for many employees to work remotely. Technological advancements such as instant messaging, video conferencing, internet access, and secure information systems have facilitated remote work for employees. Many employees benefit from this setup, primarily due to the flexibility it offers in their work.
However, working remotely has its challenges. Many employees lack accountability and structure in a remote working environment. Without proper tools and policies, remote workers may experience isolation, decreased productivity, and lack of motivation.
This is why employees need to know how to properly embrace the future of flexible employment. In this article, we’ll talk more about how employees can foster an environment of remote work that promotes accountability and success.
Flexibility: Empowering Employees and Boosting Creativity
One key aspect of remote work is providing employees with flexibility. They are free to choose their own schedule and working environment. Whether they want to work from their home, a coffee shop, or a sharespace, it enables them to establish a balance between their work and personal life.
Flexible and remote work also gives birth to creativity. Many employees are able to find inspiration when they’re in different settings. Confinement in an office can cause stagnant performance. With remote work, employees can change their work environments, leading to more productive and creative performance.
Accountability: The Backbone of Remote Work
Despite the various benefits of remote work, employees must always take accountability. Accountability remains the backbone of remote work. Without it, the benefits can quickly turn into drawbacks. A strong sense of responsibility and communication is essential for a remote working environment to thrive.
How to Establish Flexibility and Accountability in Remote Work
We now know that flexibility and accountability should go hand-in-hand for remote work to thrive. Here are some tips to ensure both elements are embraced in a remote working environment:
- Establish Clear Goals and Objectives
Managing a remote team means establishing clear goals and objectives for each member. Before anything else, employees must know what is expected of them. They should know what goals they’re working towards to achieve. This helps guide them in their work so that they don’t end up doing work that doesn’t benefit the team.
When you’ve established your goals and objectives, remember to track them. Seeing where you’re at with certain goals makes it easier to plan your next steps. For instance, if you’re falling behind, you can adjust your goals so everyone can accomplish what’s on their plate.
- Embrace Open Communication
Every team member in a remote team must know how to properly communicate. They should also maintain open lines of communication with each other. These will help them accomplish different goals and objectives without going back and forth.
To ensure good communication, utilize different communication channels. For example, the team must agree on which instant messaging platform they should use. This helps consolidate all important information in one place. They don’t have to guess or figure out where they can reach certain team members.
- Utilize Project Management Tools
With remote employees working from different areas, keeping track of what everyone is doing can be difficult. This is where project management tools come in useful. A project management tool shows what everyone is doing or working on.
This can be extremely helpful for managers since you don’t have to check in with each employee individually. Instead, you can refer to the tool and see their progress. If the manager sees something erratic on the tool, that’s the only time they reach out to the said employee. Project management tools save a lot of time, making the team’s workflow more productive and efficient.
- Practice Empathy
Another important factor in remote work is empathy. Many remote teams have people working from different cultures and backgrounds. Without empathy, your team may have a difficult time working together. Messages and tasks may get lost in translation, affecting your team’s productivity.
One way to overcome this challenge is to invest in emotional intelligence training. This can show that team members understand each other’s perspectives. A team that considers each other’s background will work more harmoniously towards their goals.
- Encourage Continuous Learning
Lastly, a successful remote team encourages continuous learning. Accountable work environments, whether in-office or remote, have team members looking forward to improving their skillset. Successful remote teams continuously think of ways to improve their workflows and processes.
Continuous learning is essential in a remote working environment. It helps develop team members to become more productive and efficient. This, in turn, leads to better accountability and may even lead to better results from the team overall.
The Bottom Line
A successful remote working environment should balance flexibility and accountability well. With the right guidelines, remote teams can become more productive and efficient.
We’ve talked about different ways to promote accountability in a remote team. By following these tips, you can ensure that your remote team stays on track and achieves its goals.
