Remote work is here to stay for many businesses. Since it was so effective at cutting costs and providing social distancing during the pandemic, many firms have adopted it as a new norm. A strategic way to maximize remote work is to communicate with remote workers through periodic performance reviews.

How Remote Work Makes Worker Evaluation Difficult

“Dunbar’s number” theory suggests people have a limit of about 150 relationships they can manage. With online jobs, a company might have hundreds or thousands of remote workers. Dunbar’s number falls to 50 when it comes to remote or hybrid work. These dynamics present significant challenges for communication with remote workers.

Fairness in the Remote Performance Review

Modern employers that offer online or hybrid work must emphasize fairness and flexibility. Since labor shortages can occur when workers suffer job burnout, it’s crucial to show team members you care about their well-being.

Academic organizations have long used a work performance system called Organizational Network Analysis (ONA). This model allows for team members to ask each other questions and offer advice. It further allows for objective positive or negative commentary. The data-driven ONA approach reveals which players want to be major or minor contributors.

Steps Toward Meaningful Remote Worker Evaluations

Follow these steps on making evaluations worthwhile for the company to help determine the best talent:

1. Prepare each review by gathering relevant employee documents
2. Schedule the employee review and let them know what to expect
3. Take notes during the meeting
4. Advise the worker on improving performance
5. Use reality-based evidence to support your evaluation

At the end of the meeting find out the best time to meet with them on a regular basis to reiterate goals and measure progress.

Tips for Successful Remote Performance Evaluation

Here are major keys to making remote performance evaluations valuable for your operation:

• Avoid judgmental language
• Be clear in your communication
• Learn about each worker’s background
• Emphasize your company’s culture and core values

An emerging fresh approach to performance evaluation is the performance appraisal method. It involves tracking performance metrics on a regular basis. Offering monetary incentives for achieving goals is a reliable way to stimulate team spirit.

Summary

Managers can build a loyal and productive remote team by interacting with workers through performance reviews. The key is to view workers as assets. Successful team building means identifying and rewarding the talent that matches your company goals.

Remote and hybrid work continued to grow in 2022, since it’s a good idea for cost-cutting. Thanks to cloud computing, remote work has contributed to business continuity through the pandemic. Here are developing trends that will impact the workplace in 2023.

How the workplace looked in 2022

A recent Gallup survey of over 8,000 employees found 6 percent wanted to only work in-office. Many professionals of various industries have found that working from home allows them the flexibility and work-life balance they desire.

The rising cost of living forced many Americans to demand higher wages the past few years. In 2022 employees gained leverage by further demanding safer and less stressful workplace conditions. Labor shortages for specific skillsets have forced employers to be more cognizant of employee concerns, health and well-being.

What common trends we’re seeing about how the workplace will look in 2023

Micro-training will be the key for many job seekers finding new work in 2023. That means taking quick courses on industry-specific skills emphasizing the basics. A key focus of people pursuing new careers should be to pick something they can learn quickly at an affordable price.

Instead of pursuing a four-year degree, individuals entering new fields should concentrate on certifications and meeting employer requirements. Jumping into software development can start with coding bootcamps.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has identified “productivity paranoia” as a common trend among employers, leading to the deployment of increased digital surveillance. But many professionals now want to avoid overbearing workplaces. A Gympass survey found that in 2022 nearly half of employees saw their well-being decline.

What this could mean for the job market and employment in the new year

Job growth has been strong the past year, along with employers paying closer attention to workplace flexibility and work-life balance. Despite the abundance of job openings in 2022, economic uncertainties such as a possible recession present challenges for many businesses. Big tech companies have already planned to lay off thousands of employees in 2023.

Nevertheless, positive trends affecting employees and the workplace persist. Rising wages, salary transparency and better benefits all factor into what will be meaningful career opportunities for both new and experienced professionals.

Conclusion

While 2022 was an optimistic year for career-minded workers, 2023 poses economic challenges for both employers and employees. The most resilient businesses have focused on choosing the right talent and technology to streamline their operations.

Coworking spaces have gained much attention in the business world due to the rapid rise of their popularity. These spaces are known for their unique designs, including wide-open office layouts and relaxing work areas for people from various fields. Coworking is a crucial part of the business strategy for an entrepreneur, and it can make the difference between success and failure.

What is a Coworking Space?

A coworking space is an office that is employer-independent. Entrepreneurs and employees of different companies can work in traditional office settings. This movement developed and grew throughout the early 2000s and accelerated significantly following COVID-19. As coworking becomes more popular, large companies are reducing office space costs and encouraging employees to work from home.

Advantages of Using Coworking Spaces as a Business Owner

So, how will a coworking space improve a business owner’s chances of success?

1. Sense of community

A coworking space provides business owners a sense of community they may miss while working from home. A coworking space allows them to interact with like-minded individuals and gain a rounded perspective.

2. Improves creativity and productivity

Business owners can develop the most creative solutions when they interact with others. The experience of working with multiple teams in different fields and industries can provide you with new perspectives and thought processes. A fast-paced office environment may motivate some entrepreneurs, especially if their colleagues are also productive.

3. Flexibility

Flexibility is the main benefit of coworking spaces since it has a wide range of different office and desk layouts that you can choose from to suit your specific needs. Considering that many people and teams share office spaces, your business can easily adjust its coworking plan to accommodate fewer or more employees and only pay for what they need.

4. Networking opportunities

Coworking spaces are social environments that create meaningful connections when workers interact and share ideas. It is incredible how quickly a simple problem-solving conversation can develop into a business opportunity, and a friendly working relationship can grow into a closer friendship.

How Coworking Is Quickly Becoming the Future of Workspaces in Many Career Fields

It’s undeniable that the workplace is changing. Even before the global pandemic, companies were increasingly embracing remote working, and it’s now a trend. But that’s not all. In a time where technology is propelling businesses forward, hybrid work structures are taking root, and coworking spaces are thriving, today’s workplace looks very different than it did years ago.

Coworking spaces play an essential role in supporting the future of work since they are ideal for hybrid work. Coworking spaces have seen rapid growth, which is expected to continue. In addition, these spaces offer business perks and benefits that are becoming increasingly important to entrepreneurs today.

Conclusion

Coworking spaces can play an essential role in the future of workspaces. Through these spaces, business owners foster collaboration by sharing knowledge, collaborating, and supporting one another. There is no doubt that coworking spaces will play an essential role in the future of work due to their many benefits.

Whether your team works at the office, remotely or in a hybrid work environment, strong leadership is part of what holds a group together. Maintaining a consistent workforce is crucial to business growth and saving costs on training. Here are effective ways to excel in leadership by supporting staffs that work in a remote or hybrid environment.

Choosing the right conference space can facilitate productive meetings that improve teamwork. Many times bringing together a group of like-minded people in an inspiring setting can be the catalyst for innovative collaboration. Ideally, the room can be reserved through scheduling software. Here are important elements to look for when booking collaborative conference space for an organization.

The end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight as about half the American adult population has been vaccinated. States are now allowing non-essential businesses to reopen, but things probably won’t be back to “normal” again for awhile, since CDC and OSHA guidelines call for continued social distancing.

Discussing politics is a popular pastime with many Americans, especially on social media. At one time “political science” was considered an intellectual pursuit, but this century it’s become much more emotional. Here are ideas for managers to consider for keeping political conversations under control at the office.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, you have probably heard more than one person express their desire for “everything to go back to normal.” However, safely reintegrating your employees from working remotely to back in the office requires careful planning and long-term changes. Think of it as the new normal.

The office water cooler has gotten a bad rep as the cliché place where no work gets done in an office, but in reality, simple office amenities can nurture productivity. A dehydrated employee won’t get much done after all.

“Conflict is inevitable, combat is optional”- Max Lucado