You have a remote team member who’s underperforming. What can you do to improve their productivity?

Schedule regular check-ins to discuss progress, challenges, and goals. Lack of communication can be a significant factor in underperformance. Collect feedback from colleagues, clients, or other team members who interact with the underperforming individual and check on level of engagement. Lack of motivation or disengagement can contribute to underperformance. Identify any consistent patterns of underperformance. Is it related to specific tasks, time of day, or other factors such as personal issues, lack of resources or unclear instructions. Address any issues promptly and directly with the team member, providing constructive feedback and guidance for improvement.

I’d also ask about values & purpose, are they aligned to what they are doing now. Not always a popular route of questioning as could end with them leaving but if their heart isn’t in it they need to know they have your full support as manager to be honest about it

Quando um membro da equipe remota não tá entregando como esperado, é hora de vestir o chapéu de detetive e entender o porquê. Imagine que você é um treinador e um dos seus jogadores não está jogando bem. Você não o tira do time sem mais nem menos; você conversa, entende se tem algo rolando fora de campo, se é falta de treino ou algo assim. Digamos que o João está atrasando as entregas. Uma conversa pode revelar que ele está sobrecarregado ou talvez lutando com uma ferramenta nova. Identificar a raiz do problema ajuda a ajustar a carga de trabalho dele ou oferecer o treinamento necessário. É como ajustar a estratégia no meio do jogo para garantir que todo o time saia ganhando.

In my experience, I would make sure to set clear expectations and well-defined goals, which are critical for underperforming remote employees. That way, employees/managers are both on the same page as to what is required of them, and how their success will be measured. This clarity is even more crucial in a remote setting, where direct supervision is limited.

An essential aspect in this process involves identifying the problem, which might stem from factors such as insufficient knowledge/technical skills, ineffective teamwork or stakeholder collaboration , or personal family matters. As a leader, whilst we are focused on achieving results, it's equally important to apply emotional intelligence as our teams well-being impacts productivity. Providing coaching and training can address the former issues and this can be done regularly virtually as well, while offering appropriate support tailored to the situation is crucial for addressing personal challenges.

This is the most important part. Setting clear goals and expectations will eliminate any underperformance. Should performance not improve after understanding the problem, setting goals, coaching or any support provided then placing the employee under performance management would be best.

Understand the gap between expectations and reality. Schedule regular catch-ups with the team members to discuss what went right and wrong and share their progress. Consistently assess if there are ways to support their performance improvement. Brainstorm with them regarding the areas where they can improve, and you can tag them with another team member, enabling them to clear their doubts without any hesitation.

One of my clients told me a funny story. They were struggling in their relationship. One morning there was a sticky note on the mirror from his wife. The note read, “You are now looking at the problem.” It’s a lesson many leaders can learn from. If you have a remote employee who is struggling and underperforming, begin by asking yourself this question: How is my leadership with this person? If you start from that posture, you will get closer to solving the problem. In my experience, when a top performer suddenly becomes a low performer, it is typically traceable due to lack of clarity on what the expectations are for that person and if you’re asking them to do too much. Ask open ended questions about how they feel they’re doing.

Within the context of this scenario, it's important to recognize that the relationship-building component is in the way that the support and improvement is communicated. So much of relationships is learning to become very good at listening. If someone on your team in struggling, take the time to try to listen and understand why they are having trouble. Is there someone on your end that could be communicated more clearly? Are there ways to improve the process for all of your employees in the department or organization? The best relationship-builders and leaders understand how to take an area where someone is struggling and turn into a positive forum for learning and open dialogue.

Quando um membro da equipe remota não tá rendendo o esperado, reconhecer e recompensar pode virar o jogo. É como quando alguém joga um aplicativo novo no celular e recebe recompensas por pequenas conquistas; isso motiva a continuar jogando, certo? Da mesma forma, se você identifica os acertos do seu colaborador, mesmo que pequenos, e os recompensa de alguma forma, isso pode motivá-lo a melhorar. Por exemplo, após uma semana de metas alcançadas, ofereça um dia de folga ou um vale-presente. Isso mostra que você vê e valoriza o esforço dele, incentivando não só ele mas também a equipe a se esforçar mais.

Relationship building and trust: Strengthen your relationship with the team member by regular check-ins, virtual coffee meet, or informal chats. Show genuine interest in their well-being and career growth, which can increase growth, which can increase their comfort level and motivation. Collaborative problem solution: Work together to identify solutions to improve their performance. Encourage them to come up with their own ideas and strategies, and be supportive in implementing them. Encourage work life balance: Ensure they have a healthy work-life balance by setting clear boundaries around working hours and encouraging breaks.

Without the structure of an office setting, the process start and end with remote leaders who need to have strong organizational skills and project-planning abilities. Plus, they must create systems and structures for remote team collaboration and set goals and deadlines. To motivate your remote employees, you can provide the necessary tools to help them do their job, create a culture of trust, adopt a growth mindset, and have open communications. These are some of the key strategies that guarantee sustainable motivation in your remote employees.

Além dos seis pontos, considere a saúde mental e o equilíbrio entre vida pessoal e trabalho do seu colaborador remoto. Às vezes, a baixa produtividade pode ser sinal de estresse ou sobrecarga. Encoraje conversas abertas sobre bem-estar e ofereça flexibilidade quando possível. Talvez um horário mais adaptável ou apoio em questões pessoais possam dar aquele up na produtividade. Pense como se fosse ajustar as configurações para melhorar o desempenho de um app; às vezes um pequeno ajuste na rotina pode otimizar a performance geral.