Managing Offshore Staff
We are all faced with those moments when we are completely and utterly overwhelmed with the never-ending tasks at work. So how do we fix this? Hiring an employee to come into the office everyday can be expensive and there is no way we can manage to get everything done all on our own. This is an opportunity where we can look to outsourcing, but this route can raise a concern. Allow me to ease your mind and provide you with a simple “how-to” when working with offshore staff.
One of the biggest concerns of offshore outsourcing is the possibility of losing managerial control. This does not have to be the case. Managing staff in-house is very similar to managing staff that you don’t see everyday. Virtual Coworker offers a unique Time Tracker System that all contractors are required to download, and where they are also required to log in at the beginning of every shift and log out when their shift has ended.
This software monitors your contractor’s activity in real time, by taking a screenshot of their desktop every 10 minutes. Another useful feature of this software is the Daily Report Email. Every 30 minutes, a pop-up will appear on the contractor’s screen where they must enter the tasks they are currently completing. At the end of each day, you will receive an email report with this information along with actual hours worked. With a software such as this, you won’t find yourself wondering what your contractor has been doing all day because it will all be neatly presented to you at the end of each day.
Think about it. When you meet with your team in the office at the beginning of a shift, you quickly discuss daily goals, maybe have a quick chat about who knows what, and then you all go to your desks with tasks in mind. You can have almost the exact same experience with your offshore staff member. Utilizing softwares such as Skype, you can video chat with your contractor, discuss daily goals, skip the “water-cooler” conversation, and quickly get to work (likely, with less distractions).
Deciding to use offshore outsourcing can initially be an intimidating experience, but if done properly and with the right assistance, it can be a cost-effective way to increase productivity in the office.
