The coronavirus pandemic has ushered a new normal in companies and offices that are functioning with a remote workforce. Performance enablement of the virtual workforce requires innovative techniques and approaches to ensure continued productivity.

Should we try to manage the performance of the employees? Mindsets and aspirations of the millennial workforce are entirely different from the older generation and don’t appreciate the command-and-control style of management. The human resources department needs to introduce innovative approaches to drive their productivity, and performance enablement is one such technique.

How is performance enablement different from performance management?

Performance enablement is a modern approach to motivating the workforce and marks a significant shift compared to the traditional performance management process.

While the traditional annual performance management system is about goal setting and monitoring the performance against the targets; the performance enablement model is about empowering people to develop their skills and talents and contribute their best to the work. The process increases the commitment and accountability of each employee.

Virtual workforce is the new normal- how performance enablement functions?

Though employees are working from home appraisals, performance enablement, and team-building activities are mandatory to improve organizational efficiency. Virtual teams required a different approach to performance enablement as face-to-face interactions are limited.

Here are some effective steps for implementing continuous performance enablement during work from home.

• Training – Performance enablement is to empower the employees with the skills to do a job. Hence, it is essential to identify the training requirements and provide training for employees who demonstrate a skill gap. Training should be continuous and ongoing until the employee masters the skill. Organizations should support a culture of immediate learning. Today’s employees also expect access to critical business information for better decision-making.




• Technology – Remote working relies heavily on modern technology for seamless collaborations. Employees should be provided access to state of art collaboration technology. The training programs must include sessions to impart the required technical skills to the employees.




• Transparent culture – Employees clearly understand their roles and responsibilities and how they contribute to organizational growth only when there exists a transparent culture. The continuous feedback mechanism allows the employees to correct their deficiencies promptly. This would empower the employees to contribute their maximum potential to work.

  Frequent communication is a must to keep the remote team informed of the happenings within the organization and industry. Remote employees need to feel connected to the organizational goals. Ensure that communication is transparent and wins their confidence. They should be in the loop on important policy measures, changes in organizational goals, and the long-term vision of the organization.

• Targeted learning and development – The learning experience must be personalized to ensure that the employees receive the best training. HR should adjust the delivery methods according to the learning styles of each employee. A fast and streamlined knowledge dissemination process that provides information in small sections is preferred. Since the workforce is in separate locations, leverage video conferencing, and other online training tools to deliver seamless training.




• Encourage creativity and independent decision making – By providing autonomy, employees feel empowered and also develop a passion to work. Appreciate creativity and innovation and include them as a factor in rewards and recognition. Freedom for independent decision-making increases the responsibility and accountability of the employees. Organize virtual brainstorming sessions for the remote team where there will be a free flow of ideas.

Employee enablement ensures that employees have the right skills to meet the demands of a competitive and dynamic business environment. During the work from home stage, upskilling through continuous training and targeted learning should become a priority for the human resources department. Implement the best performance enablement practices to drive efficiency of the remote workforce and make the new normal a success.