Ever feel like your team's work rhythm has dropped since working from home? If so, you're not alone. The challenge of working from home (WFH) is not just about internet connection, but also about work behavior and time management.
How to improve the discipline of WFH employees is an important issue that companies must find a solution for. Decreased discipline can have an impact on productivity and your business targets. Therefore, let's discuss strategies that are truly proven effective and realistic to implement!
How to Improve Employee Discipline WFH
When working from home, many distractions are difficult to control. The absence of direct monitoring also makes some employees complacent. As a result, working hours become infinitely flexible, but output is never completed.
For this reason, it is important for you as a company to understand how to improve the discipline of WFH employees thoroughly. Here are some strategies you can implement to keep your remote team's work rhythm optimal and disciplined:
1. Establish Clear and Realistic SOPs
Discipline will not be created without firm and easily understood ground rules. It is important for companies to set a specific SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for remote work.
This can include active working hours, reporting times, reporting methods, and daily and weekly expectations. Ensure the rules are realistic and flexible to avoid increasing the burden on employees. A good SOP serves as both a guide and a reminder of work responsibilities.
2. Create a Consistent Attendance System
Although not face-to-face, attendance still needs to be monitored. So, it is important to create a presence system that can be run remotely and agreed upon.
For example, by recording start and finish times independently, filling out daily attendance reports, or uploading work summaries regularly. Consistency in recording will help foster awareness of time and responsibility.
3. Implement a Results-Based Work Culture
Keeping a close eye on working hours is not effective in a WFH scheme. Instead of demanding long working hours, companies should shift to an output-based work system.
Use measurable targets, such as project completion, weekly achievements, or agreed performance indicators. When employees understand that their work is valued in real terms, they will be more motivated to be disciplined and responsible.
4. Conduct Regular Monitoring and Evaluation
Regular evaluation is important to keep discipline on track. Set a clear monitoring schedule (could be weekly or bi-weekly) to review attendance, productivity, and challenges faced.
Avoid an intimidating approach. Instead, use the evaluation as a moment of discussion and coaching. Employees will be more open and feel valued if the approach is supportive.
5. Build Open and Active Communication
Communication is key in remote teams. Employees must know where to go to ask questions, report, or discuss if they are experiencing work obstacles.
Make sure there are clear lines of communication between team members and superiors. Short daily or weekly meetings can help synchronize work rhythms and strengthen connections between teams. Smooth communication encourages employees to be more disciplined because they feel more emotionally connected.
6. Foster a Sense of Ownership
Discipline comes not only from supervision, but also from a sense of responsibility. So, it is important to encourage employees to have a sense of ownership towards their tasks.
Include them in setting targets or work plans, give them space to have their say, and appreciate even small achievements when employees feel that their work matters, they will find it easier to maintain discipline and integrity.
How to improve employee discipline WFH relies not only on technology, but also on a more humane management approach. Combine clear systems with open communication to keep your team productive, no matter where they work.
As an employer, you can also integrate technology-based solutions to help with this control. One of them is an application like iPresens, which supports digital presence, transparent data recording, and flexibility for various work teams.
