Remember when everyone thought remote work was just a temporary fix during the pandemic? Yeah, that aged like milk in the sun. However, for those of us who had experience with remote work before the pandemic and leading productive teams remotely, we were pretty confident this was going to become the new way of working.
Considering that the average in-office employee produces approximately 2 hours and 53 minutes of actual work in an 8-hour shift, we knew that office productivity was an urban legend. With a few tweaks, we understood that remote work was an opportunity to multiply the productivity levels we once had and reports and studies confirm we were right.
Let’s go in-depth into the tweaks and strategies that will help you build the best remote team you’ve ever had and increase their productivity. This is what worked well for us in our 15 years of operating fully remotely:
1. Management Mentality
If you want your remote workers to produce more, they need to be invested in your work and your company. They need to want to put in maximum effort, not just coast along. They should feel like this isn’t just a project but a career.
Now, part of the reason a worker may not feel invested could be on them. They might not be feeling it. They might not understand the concept of career-driven remote work, and unfortunately, this happens more often with remote workers than with local ones. But more often than not, it’s the management that ruins that invested experience. I’ve seen companies with exceptional processes that managed to build billion-dollar operations and others with fantastic cultures that foster incredible loyalty and teamwork. Yet, when they hire a remote or international worker, they suddenly abandon everything they know, like it’s a grade school home economics project. It’s amazing how often I find myself in discussions with a new client that still doesn’t get it, who asks me why they need to pay for holidays and vacations, and why they should offer bonuses and raises.
How many times have I heard, “We have different policies for remote people”? And in my head, I’m screaming, “Why, oh why?” Because that, my friends, is how you kill motivation and productivity. So, let’s be clear: treat your remote employees like local ones!!
Now, let’s return to those workers who don’t feel invested because of the wrong mentality.
2. Non-Commital Mentality
There is a pandemic in the remote world. Too many people see remote jobs as outsourcing, flex jobs, or freelancing. Some still hold onto this dreamy notion that remote work means lounging on a beach—or at the very least, settling in at a cozy coffee shop. Let’s set the record straight: no one is truly productive from a beach or a bustling café. The distractions are just too overwhelming. And to all of you ready to shout, “Hey, I do amazing work from a coffee shop!”—while I believe a many of you are probably full of shit, even the few superstars that can do it would most likely perfrom better on most tasks at home or co-working space. And if you are one of those people that need some background noise,I’ve got a great solution: its called headphones, and you can put any kind of music or sounds on it.
Plus, let’s not forget how distracting it is for your coworkers on a Zoom call to hear all that background commotion.
But I digress. The real issue is that too many remote workers see their jobs as some kind of consulting gig or freelance opportunity. I call this the non-committal mentality, which prevents them from feeling invested and becoming true team members. It’s up to management, who understand the value of career-driven remote individuals, to set the right tone from day one. And it all starts with onboarding.
One consistent piece of advice in remote onboarding is to clarify that this job is for: non-freelancing, career-driven, team-oriented, culture-integrating, process-following workers. Whatever misconceptions you may have about remote work need to be left behind because this is a real job. Of course, investing in training and treating these individuals as equals will quickly snap them out of their non-committal mindset. But it’s also crucial to have discussions about structure, work hours, and communication expectations.
3. Eliminating Distraction
When I teach management, I always start by declaring that distraction is the worst enemy of productivity, especially in a remote team. We’ve already established that an average office employee is not very productive, clocking in around 2 hours and 53 minutes of actual work during an 8-hour shift. This is based on research showing that every time a worker gets distracted, it takes an average of 20 minutes to recover. And every time we tap someone on the shoulder or invite them to a pointless meeting, we’re stealing 20 minutes of their time (on top of the actual meeting or conversation). No wonder remote employees, according to most studies, show greater productivity—they simply face fewer interruptions and work in a more optimal environment.
Now, this is important because many managers who care to invest in their remote employees often bring their office toxicity with them. Breaking down every method to avoid distraction deserves its own article, but the rule of thumb is simple: the less you distract them in the middle of tasks, the more productive they’ll be. In the office, you might see them getting up for water cooler chats, but in remote environments, the focus shifts more toward asynchronous work. This means using messaging tools like Slack or email, which allow workers to check in when they’ve completed a task. So yes, asynchronous work is a huge buzzword in the remote community. But if we’re not careful, it can also harm productivity, which leads me to my next point.
4. Mental Health
If one of the biggest advantages of remote work is greater productivity and fewer distractions, then the major disadvantages are loneliness and mental health issues. Asynchronous work is excellent for avoiding distractions, but we are human beings— not robots. Asynchronous work can be a disaster in remote settings where people often feel the most disconnected. Don’t get me wrong; MIT Sloan has conducted research showing that many remote workers are happier and more independent. But if not handled well, it’s much easier for someone to fly under the radar. If someone becomes unhappy or depressed, in the office, it could be noticed within days; in a remote environment, it could take months. And of course, when people are not in the right headspace, don’t expect them to produce.
So how do you fix it to keep your team productive remotely? Casual conversations. You and your management team should talk to as many people as possible—not about business, but about food, culture, and even politics. Getting to know your team on a personal level creates a space where they can open up, increasing the chances that you’ll understand where they’re at in life. You can even use apps like Donut and Hangout to encourage everyone to connect. When you have an international team, it’s fascinating to learn what’s happening across the globe. I genuinely believe this could make the world a better place in general. Give it a shot, and you’ll be amazed at what you and your team can gain from it.
Remember, it’s not about work; it’s about fun, interesting, casual conversations.
5. Give Them a Power Block
To the majority of people, mornings are the most powerful time for productivity. After years of researching productivity, the best advice I’ve received is to plan your toughest tasks for the end of the day. Then, the moment you finish your morning obligations, rush to the computer and tackle that project. No social media, no messages, no calendar, and definitely no emails. Dive into that task, and not only will you finish it in about a third of the time, but you’ll also keep the productivity train rolling for the rest of the day.
As a manager or leader, you should spread this advice to as many employees as possible. Just keep in mind that for the first few hours of the morning, your teammates might not respond to your emails or messages. That’s a tough pill to swallow for many employers, but it can truly be a game changer in your team’s productivity.
6. Provide Anti-Procrastination Tools
No one is immune to procrastination—especially folks with ADHD, like me. Yes, remote workers can escape some office distractions, but they take on new ones, like social media and other distracting apps. Office workers aren’t off the hook either; the statistic of 2 hours and 53 minutes of daily distraction includes the use of social media and irrelevant apps, and it’s a lot easier to get lost in those at home. These addictive apps are productivity killers, not just because employees don’t care, but because they’re actually addicted! Luckily, this is easily solvable. Use app blockers!
For those who need social media or YouTube for work, try tools like Unhook, which removes those addictive YouTube suggestions and shorts, or uBlock, which can block ads on Facebook and remove your Reels. There are even simple programs like Stay Focused, which give you just 10 minutes of access to distracting apps each day, if you feel that you need to keep up with daily information.
Now, I can hear many of you thinking, “Come on, Sharon, I can cheat these programs easily,” and that might be true. But that’s not the point. The few minutes that the blocker gives you before you find a workaround are critical for your brain to rethink where it wants to focus. It prevents you from being exposed to that dopamine-inducing app that might pop up in your face. While this advice might belong in a procrastination article, it can only be effective if a manager or boss encourages everyone to use these tools and even invests in them for the whole team.
7. Productivity Starts with Hiring
Now, if I’m not stating the obvious, the type of person you hire makes a big difference in whether you can train them to be productive. You can eliminate all distractions, promote your company culture and processes, and give them all the perks that make them feel like a valued employee. But if the person has a freelancer/non commital—if they’re not career-driven and aren’t interested in investing in your team long-term—you’re out of luck. Sorry!
That’s why, when hiring someone, you can’t just focus on hard skills. It goes back to that earlier advice about avoiding the wrong mentality—not just when you’re training but also when you are interviewing. You need to pay attention to the language they use. Look for clues that indicate they’re thinking long-term and are genuinely interested in a career.
A few things immediately trigger me. For instance, when candidates use phrases like “let’s partner,” “work together,” “project,” “contract,” or “consulting.” Sure, those words might sound good at first glance, but what I hear is someone who isn’t really looking for a career. Questions like “How long is my contract?” and “How many hours am I expected to work?” immediately give me “I don’t understand that this is a real job” vibes.
So just remember that building a productive remote team starts with the right hiring, giving them the right support, and trusting them to do their job. That’s all it takes to build a great remote team.
