Monitoring Remote Workers’ Overtime

With a new federal overtime law coming into effect on December 1, some are worried that the new way of doing things may reduce telecommuting options. However, even with the new law in place, the many benefits of “Why You Should say’Yes' to Employee Telecommuting” as detailed in another Betterblog, are still clear. If you are concerned with how to monitor the overtime of a remote employee who was previously exempt, use these tips to continue to allow workers to telecommute.

Have an Accurate Time-Tracking Sheet

Using a time-tracking sheet will help demonstrate exactly how much time is necessary for certain business tasks; however, it shouldn’t just show the tangible workload (documents, presentations, etc.). In order to account for your employees time effectively, you must also accurately depict the full scope of their duties. This means your sheet should include time for things such as client communication, brainstorming, meetings, and even professional development. And the best way to get these numbers right is straight from the source. Ask employees to time their activities. Always leave the employee more time than they need (this will help them stay stress-free and in turn, help them be more productive). Everyone is different, so each task should leave more than the average completion time.

Discuss What You Can Do to Help

If an employee is unable to get the amount of work done within his or her 40 hours per week allotment despite having a well researched time-tracking sheet, it’s time to get more personal. Not everyone will fit in the mold of how a time-tracking sheet works and that’s okay, and can be helpful information to know. For those employees, you need to find out what you can do to help. Sit down and have a candid conversation about what holds them back from completing their work with the time they’re given. You might learn that some employees struggle with a certain task, in which case you can switch it with other tasks better suited to their skill set. Having these conversations can even help you get a better handle of how you can improve the structure of your business or nonprofit.

The last thing you want to hear from your remote employees is that their technology is holding them back. Slow Internet can be extremely frustrating and slash productivity. If you’re with a mainstream provider, it’s time to look at your options. You can get lightning fast Internet all while saving money, when you partner with BetterWorld Telecom.