One of the main reasons so many entrepreneurs avoid outsourcing is the fact that they want to be in control. No, this is not a power trip, and the idea that if you want to do something right, you have to do it yourself is not a stereotype or a misconception. It’s true that a lot of entrepreneurs come to learn the hard way.
At the same time, you have to avoid being too meddling. You don’t want your team to start feeling like you distrust them. This will make them less productive (both because they’re demoralized and because they can feel the pressure of you watching over their shoulder), and it will make them more likely to leave.
Most importantly, you don’t have the time to micro-manage everything. Your time is the most precious resource in the entire enterprise, and you can’t afford to waste it on the personal oversight of every single person in your employ.
So, can you have it both ways? Can you know what your team is doing at all times without micro-managing? Of course! Here’s how!
1. Start using a project management tool
The first thing you need is a project management tool. This is a centralized hub that provides you with a canvas on which you can organize all your teams and projects.
It gives you an easy way to restrict and give access to different parts of the platform to different staff members. It also gives you a chance to see who is working on what (even track their progress without having to bother them with unnecessary questions).
Just think about it: the best available project management tool allows for some forms of non-verbal communication in the digital world. You can change the color or the label on the project without much trouble. You can color-code cards on Trello or Monday; that way, you can immediately see which project is in which stage.
This is also a great and secure way of sharing files and posting comments. It helps you centralize communication (something we’ll further discuss a bit later), and it gives you a simpler (quicker) way to onboard your team. Most of the time, you just have to explain how the platform works, and they’re ready to start.
Each of the most popular project management tools has decent capabilities. Most of them are optimized for remote work, even though on-spot teams are using them just as much in 2024. Mostly, they differ by their interface; however, since your team (and you) are going to spend countless hours looking at this interface, it’s not such a small deal either.
2. Centralize your communication
When remote teams get too familiar, they’ll start adding each other on social media. Then, when they need to ask their coworker something in the middle of the night, they won’t use Slack or Skype (which they know won’t respond to). Instead, they’ll send them an Instagram DM.
First of all, this is highly unprofessional. Not only that, it might also be seen as a form of harassment. You see, in Australia, there’s a law that implicitly states that an employee is under no obligation to respond to their employer outside of work hours. No harm can befall them for that. Soon, the rest of the world will follow suit.
Still, the fact that this is unprofessional is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s also inefficient. A lot of people have different chats, even with the same personal friend. Not only that, but they discuss different things on all of these chats simultaneously. It’s also not uncommon for the tone to be different in each chat. However, have you ever tried to find a meme that you sent to someone, and you can’t remember which platform it was on?
Now, imagine if it’s not a meme but a sensitive piece of company info. First of all, you need it right now. Second, it’s not safe to send it this way.
Therefore, you need to insist on centralized communication via company-provided software. Generally speaking, Slack is a great idea, although the free version deletes messages after a while. You have to move to a premium plan in order for this not to happen anymore. The tool is also integrated with other platforms (like G Suite).
3. Employee monitoring tools
This is probably the most controversial entry on the entire list. Namely, employee monitoring tools are quite extraordinary. They boost the productivity of remote teams (no more slacking), and they help give you more insight into the functioning of your team. If security concerns regarding remote teams are a concern, these tools can help you even with this problem.
Alas, this tool has numerous downsides, as well. Sure, you’re not looking over their shoulder, and, given the opportunity, the majority of your employees would choose these tools. However, they’re realistic about the amount of time and attention you have (you can’t physically watch at all of their screens at the same time… well, with a tool, you can).
It really wouldn’t be that far-fetched to say that a lot of people left companies and went someplace where these monitoring tools aren’t a thing.
Moreover, it’s not like it’s impossible to cheat this tool. The biggest issues with this, however, are privacy concerns and a potential for misuse. Of all the tools on this list, this one is a mixed bag (a hit-or-miss), so it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth the trouble.
4. Accounting software
There’s nothing more important for control and insight into your company dealings than to keep an eye on your finances. This way, you can manage all your employee payrolls and vendor invoices, as well as keep an eye on your company cash flow.
The single biggest difference between these modern tools and traditional systems is the fact that you get to monitor your finances in real time. This means that you no longer have to wait for an audit in order to notice that some of the company funds are missing or that someone’s keeping their hands in the register for too long.
Forecasting and projecting features on these tools help immensely with your long-term planning. Money alone, although it feels nice, isn’t really indicative of how well you’re really doing. For this, you need to understand how close this brings you to the break-even point and what these numbers mean for your enterprise in the long run.
The ability to get a comprehensive report at a moment’s notice is something that you should never underestimate. It’s a feature that only those who worked in accounting before these tools can truly appreciate.
With the help of technology, you can get more insight into your company than ever before
The best thing about these tools is that they give you the autonomy of informativeness. When you want to know something, you consult a tool instead of an employee. This way, you avoid wasting people’s time and distracting them from their core tasks. You also get to “ask” difficult questions without showing anyone that you might not trust them. It’s a win-win in most scenarios.
