The world has drastically changed since the pandemic hit. In the post-pandemic era, remote work seems like the new norm, and it is no longer considered a luxury. Currently, more than 70% of employers are navigating hybrid and remote work models for their businesses. 

Remote work has become a ubiquitous phenomenon for everyone because it offers unparalleled flexibility, increased job satisfaction, and access to a global talent pool. However, all that glitters is not gold, as with advantages, there are also disadvantages that are associated with working from home.

Employers need to adopt productivity metrics to ensure optimal performance and success in this remote work-from-home environment. There are cases in which employees find it difficult to stay productive with their work at home. 

Keep reading this article, as we are going to discuss essential productivity metrics you should track if you employ remote workers. 

Understanding Remote Work: Meaning and Impact 

Before diving into productivity metrics, let us first grasp the concept of remote work. Remote work refers to the practice of employees performing their duties outside the traditional office setting. It has gained momentum in recent years, accelerated by technological advancements and shifting attitudes toward work-life balance. 

Remote work tends to offer numerous benefits for both employees and employers. For businesses, it opens doors to a diverse talent pool, reduces operational costs, and enhances employee retention. 

On the other hand, remote workers experience increased job satisfaction, reduced commuting stress, and improved work-life integration. However, whatever the advantages, the success of remote work depends on effective management and the ability to measure productivity accurately. 

Productivity metrics to track when employing remote employees

Tracking productivity metrics is vital for businesses that employ remote workers. It enables managers to gain insights into their team’s performance, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to enhance productivity. By leveraging these metrics, businesses can make data-driven decisions that lead to improved efficiency and overall success. 

Here are some remote work productivity metrics that are crucial to the success of any business. 

• Start by creating a policy for measuring remote work and remote employee productivity

At the very basic level, productivity is a measure of output per unit of time, and while output is a good measure of productivity for a few employees, It is not the best for most employees. A better way to measure employee productivity is to measure business results or outcomes., in addition to the output.  

As an employer, when you start adding more business-oriented measures like customer satisfaction level, the number of increases in sales, or the increase in website visitors, you will get a better idea of your employee’s true productivity. 

Thus, the first step in measuring productivity is to create a policy that clearly lays out how you will complete the task. It will help you put in place the right tools and processes. 

Creating productivity policies will keep employees informed about how you will measure their work and productivity. This transparency will build trust with employees and help them prioritize their work. 

The employees will know exactly how you will measure their work and productivity. This transparency will build trust with employees and help them prioritize their work.

• Start defining the key performance Indicators (KPIs) for measuring the productivity of remote employees. 

One of the problems with measuring productivity is that different jobs have different metrics, so you cannot compare two employees who are working in two different fields. 

Your team may consist of content writers, sales executives who are doing sales, software developers, designers, and SEO engineers. Thus, it does not make any sense to measure all of them using the same productivity metrics. 

For Content writers, the Key performance indicator (KPI) would be the number of words written, and the number of blogs posted. For UX designers, the KPI can be the number of screens designed or the amount of user research done. 

By judging and testing the employee based on the tasks completed in his/ her field, you get an idea of how productive an employee is in his/ her field. 

Metrics for productivity: Employee Satisfaction 

While every business has metrics that they should be tracking in order to protect business needs and demands, as a manager, you also have to consider employee satisfaction regardless of whether an employee is working from the office or working from home. If your company has low employee satisfaction, then there are chances of you seeing less productivity and efficiency from your team. 

When you see your employees every day, it becomes a lot easier to find out how they are feeling about their work life, but it becomes harder to establish when working remotely. Therefore, it is crucial that you track remote work productivity through employee satisfaction and keep in touch with your team to ensure they are happy in their roles. 

Estimate completion time for each task 

It is advisable to track the output and the time taken to complete the tasks. But tracking productivity becomes useless when you don’t have a benchmark to compare it with. 

You set a baseline for employee productivity when you start estimating the time needed to complete each task. It is also possible that the estimate set is either too high or too low. The only way you make this process successful is by experimenting with the estimation time. 

When employees take more time to complete a task, you can check to see if your estimates were wrong or if the employee was slow. Use the lessons learned to improve the estimates for the next task. Using Estimates also creates a benchmark for you to compare employees doing the same job on the same team. 

Performance metrics for employees: Implement a Robust Reporting Structure 

Getting timely reports helps you stay on top of the work, identify potential problems, and take early action. The reporting structure you implement completely depends on your and your manager’s preferences. 

Few managers prefer an end-of-day report that lists the day’s progress, while others are happier with a weekly update. You need to keep the report format short and to the point. The weekly report should include the weekly timesheet, tasks completed, plans for the next week, and risks/ roadblocks faced while completing the tasks.

The goal of maintaining a daily, weekly, or monthly report is to keep both the employer and the employee informed of the employee’s performance. 

Closing thoughts

In conclusion, tracking productivity metrics is indispensable for businesses that employ remote employees. 

Embracing remote work’s potential requires a commitment to continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making. As you navigate the dynamic landscape of remote work, remember that productivity metrics serve as your compass, guiding your team toward success.