The Memorial Day holiday is behind us, signaling the start of summer. I hope you were able to enjoy some family time along with your favorite foods over the three-day weekend.
I am so thankful to everyone in all branches of the United States Armed Forces who currently protect our freedoms as Americans. I pay homage to those who have given their lives for us.
As we move into June, I wonder how you spent the month of May. For me, this past month was used to get the planning and financial juices flowing.
Here at Accent, we spend quite a bit of time with business planning and this includes thinking about the business of business, and the role that Information Technology plays in shaping the workplace.
Time to Bring Remote Workers Back to the Office – or Not?
Obviously, business planning and technology requirements have been front and center for a couple of months now as companies have had to pivot in response to the COVID-19 public health crisis.
I firmly believe that many of our customers will not bring their full workforce back to the office soon - and some maybe never.
Some employees and jobs are just made for the home-based office. Additionally, many companies have discovered that there are benefits to having a remote workforce. For example, less people in the office means you can decrease your physical footprint. This is a real financial advantage when real estate is so expensive.
Measuring Productivity When Employees Work from Home
I've had business owners ask me, “How do I know what my employees are doing if they work from home?”
This is a very simple question with a potentially difficult answer.
It may sound obvious, but for you to know what employees are doing, you need to have productivity metrics. You might call them Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), rocks, goals, or plans, and what they do is measure progress. Along with setting KPIs, you also need regular check in meetings to determine how they’re advancing and if adjustments are needed.
Related: Learn How To Make Sure Employees Are Productive While Working From Home
If you are having a tough time with setting the KPIs/rocks/goals, you’re not alone. It can be tough to get these set up for the company and get everyone onboard with it. Fortunately, there many programs to help business leaders do this, and to facilitate work on the business instead of in the business. I've tried a few of them and would be happy to share our experience.
At Accent, we use the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). EOS is simple in nature but takes a while to get honed in.
I can’t think of a better thing to focus on in June 2020 than setting realistic goals and figuring out the best way to get the most out of your workforce -- wherever they may be.
Let me know if I can help.
Marty
