American industries are less dependent on brick and mortar establishments and being tethered to desks than ever before, however with these additional freedoms comes a lot of uncharted territory for managers, and project managers. Managing an effective mobile workforce comes with finding the balance between flexibility and productivity, and understanding what tools are perfect to make your staff as effective, efficient, and productive as possible. According to Forbes, “The key is to relinquish control and instead focus on cultivating teamwork, creativity, responsiveness, and, ultimately, productivity.”
How to take your management tasks virtual:
- Engage with Virtual Meeting Platforms: Losing in person communication doesn’t have to hinder your business, or management capabilities in any way, virtual meeting platforms enable you to achieve that person-to-person interaction, and heightened levels of accountability from whatever distance is required. Platforms like Meeting Burner, UberConference, LogMeIn, and WebEx offer features like screen-sharing, chatting through the computer or phone, larger meeting and webinar capabilities, and organizing tools.
- Tools: In order to operate an effective mobile workforce employees need the right tools; reliable technology like new model smartphones, tablets, laptops, and pcs, mobile hotspots, in-home high-speed internet, reliable apps, and access to secure infrastructures. Hybrid, and private cloud computing platforms provide an optimal level of security, and enable employees to safely access confidential information remotely. Not only does cloud computing increase security, it greatly improves a company’s data storage capabilities as well.
- Reward: Just because your staff is out of sight, doesn’t mean they’re out of mind. According to Entrepreneur, “Every company needs a strategic reward system for employees that addresses these four areas: compensation, benefits, recognition, and appreciation.” Companies that provide small incentives benefit from low-cost actions that come with high returns. Forbes also stated, “There are already 1.3 billion people working remotely around the world, and 64% of people who aren’t want to be.” Allowing staff to work remotely is a reward in itself, and if it makes companies more productive, secure, flexible, and innovative, why wouldn’t they virtualize their operations?
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