As 60% of the UK  is currently working from home, managers and companies are having to pivot fast to meet the new remote working norm. 

One of the issues around such a fast change is potential productivity drops. Remote working in and of itself is not to blame—in fact, studies have shown that employees who work remotely can be 20-25% more productive.

However, as you and your team get used to working remotely, there will be some teething problems that can impact productivity and communications. 

To avoid these, keep reading as we share with you some of the top productivity tips for remote teams. 

1. Instigate Daily Check-Ins

Depending on the nature of the work your team does, you might want to instigate a daily check-in. This can be via Slack, Zoom, or any other platform you use to communicate. 

A daily check gives everyone a chance to touch base and give a quick insight into how they are doing with their tasks and projects. It's an effective way to keep everyone on the same page in a work from home team. 

If daily check-ins are not necessary, you can also opt for longer time intervals between check-ins, such as once per week. 

2. Communicate Expectations

When setting up the parameters for your remote team, it's essential to communicate company expectations clearly. 

Make sure that everybody knows when they need to be available. If employees are expected to stick to standard office hours, this needs to be communicated. 

For those who have children at home (especially those being homeschooled), you will also need to discuss with them what the expectations are around attending virtual meetings. 

3. Encourage Employees to Create Schedules

One of the best tips for working at home productively is to have a schedule. Even if your team is not required to conform to a 9-5 schedule while working at home, encourage them to devise their own schedule and stick to it. 

Having a workable schedule in place is key to maximising productively and achieving deadlines. 

4. Provide Advice on Home Office Set-Ups

Another of the top productivity tips for those who work from home is to have an optimised home office set-up. 

To help your team be as productive as possible, give out some friendly advice on how they can maximise their at-home workspace. This could include things like:

• Finding a designated area (this can either be a room or a portion of a room)
• Decluttering and gearing it solely for work
• Decorating it to be an appealing area to be in
• Cutting out distractions as much as possible 

Bonus tip: To maximise focus levels, send out reminders to team members to take a break from their home office to get up, drink water, stretch, etc. 

5. Create a Connection Strategy

While remote working can boost productivity, it can also lead to loneliness. Which in turn is pinpointed to be a productivity killer. 

To keep loneliness at bay and productivity on high in your remote team, commit to creating a connection strategy. This could include things like matching people for virtual coffee breaks together or scheduling a team-wide Zoom lunch break. 

Leverage These Productivity Tips to Maximise Your Remote Team's Effectiveness and Happiness

Shifting to managing a remote workforce is not without its challenges. However, with these productivity tips, you will be well on the way to having a highly effective team under your remote wing. 

If you would like access to more resources on working from home, take a look at our downloadable working from home toolkit.