How to Manage the Workload of Your Remote Teams

Remote teams are increasingly becoming the new norm.

This follows the evolution of remote work culture in 2020. Currently, many companies are looking for ways of implementing long-term working strategies for their home-based and hybrid teams. Unfortunately, proper resource management and workload allocation remain a major concern for global enterprises with teams working from home.

Most company managers are still trying to figure out how to manage employees in this not-so-new landscape. As companies continue trying to cope with distributing workload fairly, 80% of remote workers are overworked. Remote managers should consider the following tips when assigning work to remote teams:

1.   Assign priority tasks correctly

Even though business leaders and managers quickly coped with remote work environments, most employees found it very complicated. When several measures to contain the pandemic were announced, companies started using several software and tools to assign tasks to their remote employees. While these tools were effective, it became difficult for employees to identify the most crucial and priority tasks.

Employees don’t have many hours in a day, so managers should make sure that these hours are utilized correctly. Remote managers should clearly indicate projects that should be prioritized. You can include deadlines or integrate automatic reminders to keep your remote workforce on track.

The best solution to this is experimenting with a resource management solution. The tool allows remote managers to use different color codes for priority tasks, easily schedule tasks, and monitor progress.

2.   Distribute resources effectively

Your remote teams can only perform better if allocated the right resources. Fortunately, employees can unlock their preferred tools anytime they need them in the current hybrid work models. For instance, if you run a remote call center, your staff can have desk phones, call management software, and webcams for video conferences in their home offices.

While resource management and distribution are valuable for all businesses, it is particularly critical when empowering remote teams. Start by listing all the important equipment your remote employees require to work effectively at home or other remote locations. Resource optimization tools also help highlight additional tools required by your teams.

3.   Notify everyone of vital details

While some assets used by remote teams are required only on a need-basis, others should always be available. For instance, you can rent out virtual meeting hardware only when business leaders and remote teams want to discuss something important virtually. On the other hand, you cannot withhold important project details or tools required by remote teams to complete certain projects.

You should provide all the necessary information available about a project to help them recognize if they are better suited to handle the task or not. You can suggest that they volunteer for certain tasks based on individual knowledge and skills. This reduces the hassle of choosing the right employee to assign each project. It also fosters a proactive and initiative culture.

Endnote

Managing a remote team doesn’t have to be challenging. With the right mindset, software, and a clear plan of action, remote managers find it easy to deal with resource and workload allocation. Doing this correctly boots productivity and makes it easy for your employees to adapt to remote work models.