A major concern of employers transitioning to remote arrangements is monitoring how employees spend their time. After all, getting distracted by non-work-related activities has been a persistent problem even when the whole team is in the same location.

The result? Trust issues that hurt your team’s collaboration efforts.

Time tracking is the obvious solution. Both office-based and home-based teams have been doing it for years. But if the concept is new for your company, it comes as no surprise if your workers greet it with suspicion. They may feel it’s unnecessary or even invasive of their privacy.

To keep their apprehension to a minimum, as well as to ensure the most accurate reports, you must implement it successfully. Bear in mind that the system itself isn’t inherently good or bad, so the outcome lies on how well you use it.

To help you get the best results and avoid mistakes when tracking your remote team’s activities, outlined below are rules you must live by.

12 Guidelines for Successful Time Tracking Implementation

Explain the necessity

Inform your employees:

• Why it’s necessary
• What the benefits are
• How it works
• How it’s good for them.

They must be aware of the expectations, rules, and requirements of the company in regards to time tracking. Include it in the orientation of the new hires as well.

Choose your tools

There are many kinds of time-tracking software available these days, such as Worksnaps, VeriClock, and Zoho Projects. While they share numerous features, they have unique functions as well.

Determine which tool suits your needs better, be it distraction management or scheduled screenshots.

Establish the rules

Your organisation needs to have a set of guidelines that everyone must adhere to. This is to ensure that the process is as smooth and efficient as possible.

For instance, you may ask them to log in 5 minutes before their shift or keep it on during breaks.

Track all activities

Gain greater insight on what’s taking up your workers’ time by tracking activities like email checking or reading industry news.

Finding out how much time your people spend on minor tasks will make it easier for them to balance their schedules and boost their productivity.

Let managers assign

Limit the number of people who can create tasks on the system. Only those who are responsible for projects (e.g. a project manager or team leader) should be allowed to do that.

Doing this guarantees that task names are consistent across different projects.

Pick an administrator

Appoint a point person to handle the implementation. Later on, they’ll serve as the subject matter expert when any of the staff experience problems with their system.

This person will also be responsible for checking that all are obeying the rules of monitoring their work.

Show the benefits

Explain to your employees the advantages of time tracking in detail. Make it clear that it’s beneficial not only for you but also for them.

It might be a good idea to introduce a reward system for increased productivity at the same time.

Refrain from micromanaging

While you have the opportunity to monitor every single detail of how team members are spending their work hours, don’t do it.

Provide them the tools but let them track and manage their own productivity. You can, however, still use the data gathered to make informed decisions about improving performance.

Discuss expected outcomes

Clearly define what results you’re expecting from your staff once the system has been rolled out. They must be obliged to justify any actions that deviate from the ideal image you’ve created.

Of course, check that your expectations are within reasonable bounds.

Help the HR

Time tracking tools are meant to eliminate the need for book-based recordings and get these documentations digital. Such software often a function where you can export data to Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets in the software.

With the correct configuration, the tool makes any HR department more efficient.

Integrate with apps

Make it convenient for your staff to include the use of a time tracker in their workflows. For example, don’t make them constantly switch from one program to another to create daily reports.

The best monitoring software tend to have project management integration.

Check in regularly

Installing software and training your team to use it is not the end of the implementation. It’s an ongoing process that involves you analysing the results and improving the system if need be.

As such, ask your employees how they’re finding the new tool and where things need improvement.

Building a Remote Team

With the outline we’ve shared above, we hope you’re able to successfully establish a time-tracking process in your organisation.

Those who are new to remote working may be apprehensive about having their every move monitored, however. To make implementation less of a hassle, consider hiring virtual professionals experienced in using time trackers.

We at Remote Workmate can help you find the right talent. Rest assured that you’ll only be endorsed applicants who meet your requirements.

And unlike freelancing sites where you do everything yourself, we handle all the heavy lifting for you, including screening and payroll.

We’ll also cut your employment costs by up to 70%, boost your productivity, win back your free time, and supercharge your bottom line.