How to Measure Employee Productivity in a Remote World

There is no denying that remote working is here to stay. Now that organizations have made the pivot and have implemented the needed security solution to support it, more companies are turning towards a remote or hybrid working model, with 56% of companies globally allowing their employees to work remotely. As a result, a new obstacle has surfaced: how do organizations measure employee productivity in a remote world?

Organizations worldwide have successfully paved the way for their digital transformation and are leveraging the hybrid and remote working models to maximize productivity and maintain a healthy work-life balance for all their employees. According to a Statista report, 57% of employees experienced increased productivity whilst working from home, a mutually beneficial outcome for businesses and employees alike.

However, a remote workforce often blurs transparency when it comes to measuring staff productivity. Where the solution has not yet become fully clear, organizations could turn towards a combination of new technologies and HR frameworks as a possibility. For example, modern technologies can offer organizations relevant information about their employees’ performance in accordance with the GDPR regulations.

Cloud Solutions to Support a Remote Workforce

Cloud applications and services allow organizations to support their remote employees, regardless of their geographical location. Real-time communication platforms have proven instrumental for facilitating real-time communication throughout an entire enterprise. Enhancing team collaboration and employee engagement without any barriers.

Remote employees will also require access to corporate content. One of the primary benefits of cloud computing is the increased accessibility it offers to employees regardless of where they choose to work from and the ability to work on documents offline if the need arises. Organizations need to prioritize cloud spending and the technology needed to secure it in order to support the new working model.

Leveraging HR Technology to Measure Employee Productivity

Cloud computing and remote working solutions have transformed the way many HR departments operate. Ironically, in an era of digital transformation, employee interactions delivered by HR processes still need to be human-centered and personalized for each staff member. Introducing new technologies should be aimed at creating a working environment and culture that focuses on personalization, motivation, recognition and the overall employee experience, which ultimately enhances employee well-being.

Michele Markey, HR Manager at SkillPath mentions that they have implemented technology to analyze and measure employee performance. This enables them to better manage employee goals and evaluate their individual progress annually.

The adoption of AI on some video communication software executes an analysis of employee reactions whilst in a conference call. The AI technology has the ability to examine verbal and non-verbal subtleties and provide feedback on employee satisfaction and well-being.

Once implemented, organizations need to work towards integrating all of the technologies they have adopted. Ensuring that all the aspects of your cloud solution work together and talks to each other, will aid in enhancing the overall employee experience.

Respecting Employee Privacy

This immediate need to monitor, track, and analyze employee productivity and engagement increases the risk of violating staff privacy and the laws that protect it. From a legal perspective, disclosing employee surveillance is the smartest tactic. As long as the monitoring takes place in the company workplace, on corporate devices, or over organizational networks, organizations have a wide range of technologies at their disposal to track employee productivity.

However, there is a need to clarify workplace guidelines and, consequently, improve employee understanding of how and when they may be monitored. Enhanced transparency about the current procedures in place to track employee activity is vital.

Looking to the Future

While some organizations still refuse to believe the trend that is The Great Resignation and insist that their employees head back to the office, Ladders opines that remote work is here to stay. According to their forecasts, 25% of all professional jobs will be remote by the end of 2022. With more than 50% of professionals reporting that productivity is the biggest advantage of remote working, it is unclear why so many companies are reluctant to adopt this new working model.

In this constantly pivoting landscape there is no set answer to the questions that remote culture has raised. However, technology continues to offer businesses to find a balance between privacy and measuring productivity in this virtual environment. Organizations who are able to maintain this balance will be able to stay one step ahead and reap the benefits of a fully remote and productive workforce.