The reports and statistics on remote working keep changing. Some say increased productivity, and some reveal decreased performance. There is no consistency in analytics due to the differing needs of the companies and the ways a strategy is formed and executed. But for the past few months, no company had the choice of deciding its working model, and all the employees had to work remotely. But slowly, businesses are opening up their office premises, and the employees are requested to come to the office. Though this is not the case for all companies, a few do because each company has its own path, and the working model is decided upon that.  

The isolation, though showed good results in the beginning, might be affecting the employees’ performance negatively.   

Source: Primed to Perform, by Lindsay McGregor and Neel Doshi  

A Harvard Business Review report asserts that, given the current situation, the play and purpose, which are the interaction with the employees and the impact created on the overall business, are missing, and so the productivity and employee morale are diminishing, at least it is not what it used to be. Today, to win the game of uncertainty, to weather any storm, and to rise above the competitors, one has to form strategies that can keep the employees and the employers together.  

Adopting a continuous performance management system shows amazing results, no matter where the employees work from. Some of the features of an effective and trailblazing continuous performance management framework include the following.  

• Goals management (OKR, SMART goals)  
• Continuous check-ins   
• Regular team meetings to review goals and progress  
• 360 degree feedback  
• Rewards and recognition  
• Custom reports and analytics on every team member’s performance  
• Training programs and development plans  

In these features, continuous check-in is an absolute must-have for companies to establish a good rapport between the managers and the employees. This methodology also helps to motivate employees, especially in this remote working scenario.   

Here are a few reasons why Continuous check-in is the key to motivate remote workers to reach their goals.   

The Communication is Effective Between the Manager and the Team Member  

Through continuous check-ins, the managers get an opportunity to know more about their team members and their aspirations. The employees, even while working from anywhere, will feel secured and cherished as they know that their managers care for them. Effective communication is necessary to build high-performing teams with great teamwork. The goals will not be miscommunicated, and everyone in the team knows where they are going and what they’re trying to accomplish. This, in turn, will help the business to thrive as the company objectives to individual goals are all aligned.   

For continuous check-ins to successfully motivate, proper leadership training should be provided to managers. The managers should learn to be open-minded and receptive to feedback as much as the employees are. Even if the employees develop a defensive attitude while receiving developmental feedback, the manager should be capable of guiding them in the right direction.  

The Chances of Failure are Lower  

Continuous check-ins are not sessions to update the status of the project, but they are more to discuss professional growth, personal concerns, and challenges in the work-life. If the managers and team members do it right and resolve the hindrances, the morale of the team members will be increased multifold. The continuous check-ins strengthen the manager-employee relations, and thus, even if the employees confront any trouble staying on track in a project, they can approach the manager easily and get a solution to complete the work successfully.   

For example, in times of yearly performance discussions, the employees, if they have any doubts about the work, will hesitate to ask the managers thinking that this might affect their performance ratings or the managers might judge their capabilities negatively. But with a performance management system, which includes continuous check-ins, in place, they will go directly to the managers and ask, “Hey Joan, this has happened while I was working with the implementation team. How do I resolve this?” The manager will not judge the team member but will assess the situation as she already knows what kind of person that particular employee is.  

When employees are working remotely, they feel isolated, and in such cases, continuous check-ins can make them feel like they are still connected with the team. The employees will feel comfortable to call up the manager and discuss work.     

Increased Efficiency of Employees  

Monthly or biweekly check-ins help employees to complete work in time and make them give their best in their tasks. The employees also have their managers to provide the right guidance and direction, and so they do not make many errors at work, thus resulting in an increase in the quality of the work. The productivity of the team will also be enhanced as the team members know what their focus and priorities should be.   

Continuous check-ins are helpful to companies in any kind of working environment. Today, in this remote work, employees are oblivious to the happenings at work, and so they require a boost from their employers to stay motivated and reach their goals. They need the managers to help them overcome the challenges they face as the uncertainties unfold.   

Even if tomorrow, the working model changes to an in-office working or hybrid model, the continuous check-ins prevent the performance from undergoing any negative change because the employers are sensitive to the concerns of the employees and so try to resolve any issue that hinders their work. Simultaneously, the employees also understand the situation of employers through their managers. Continuous check-ins build loyalty and mutual trust between employers and employees.   

When the employees trust their company, eventually they work harder to reach their goals and take their company to greater heights.   

The benefits of Continuous Check-ins   

• Increase in the efficiency of employees  
• Lower employee turnover rate  
• Reduction in termination and recruitment expenses  
• Increased productivity  
• High-performing teams   
• Strong employer-employee bonds  
• Transparent and collaborative work culture   
• Quality work and on-time delivery