So-called productivity increases as high as 47% throughout the pandemic are one of the primary reasons why more companies than ever are considering work-from-home solutions as a long-term option right now. Unfortunately, as many managers are finding out the hard way, these productivity boosts aren’t a given. In fact, some companies have seen productivity dropping off a cliff.
In these instances, managers are having to think more realistically about why WFH productivity boosts haven’t been forthcoming and what they can do about it. Luckily, we’ve got you covered in both instances because that’s precisely what we’ll be considering in this article.
Reason 1: Your WFH tool stack is tumbling
WFH setups that require the coming together of countless company processes and priorities across often long distances require ample tools to make everyone’s lives easier. Without those right tools, time taken on chasing down data or team members alone can result in significant hours of lost productivity. Most obviously, overcoming this means implementing the right collaboration tools for smoother in-house processes. As data management becomes an ever-more pressing business focus, data integration should also be at the forefront of your stack, and should especially prioritize processes like reverse ETL which make it possible to focus on sending data to tools that make it more easily accessible and applicable for use by every single member of your team. In either instance, every tool should be implemented with flexibility, accessibility, and adaptability in mind.
Reason 2: Your remote presence is non-existent
During in-person working, even just time that you spend in your office acts as a constant reminder to your team not only that they’re accountable to you, but also that you’re there should they need you. Productivity almost always increases as a result. By comparison, managers who take too much of a backseat throughout remote setups can see employees slacking in terms of their hours and effort for the sheer reason that they no longer feel accountable or supported. Avoiding this comes solely down to finding new ways to make your presence known, including regular remote meetings, an always-on managerial chat function, and one-to-one reviews on primary projects.
Reason 3: Mental health needs some attention
While most studies pointed to WFH productivity increases throughout the pandemic, others highlighted a link between reduced productivity and those who reported mental health struggles off the back of things like workplace isolation. It, therefore, follows that WFH mental health also needs some attention to ensure productivity overall. Steps including virtual social events, access to resources including online counseling, and an ongoing focus on physical fitness (through online workout sessions, etc.) have all been proven to make a difference in this sense. And, they could well end up being your key to productivity at last.
WFH setups can seem difficult to navigate from the outside, especially if benefits like productivity aren’t immediately evident. Lucky for you, there are usually reasons for this being the case and, once you identify them, our increasingly WFH-poised world means that solutions should never be too far away.