What do you do if your remote team's time tracking software is causing more problems than it's solving?

1 Assess the situation

Before you decide to change or ditch your time tracking software, you need to assess the situation and identify the root causes of the problems. Ask yourself and your team members some questions, such as: What are the main goals and benefits of using time tracking software? How does the current software align with those goals and benefits? What are the specific issues and challenges that the software is creating or exacerbating? How are those issues affecting the team's performance, satisfaction, and communication? How often and how severe are those issues? By answering these questions, you can get a clear picture of the current state of your time tracking software and its impact on your remote team.

2 Explore alternatives

Once you have assessed the situation, you can explore alternatives to your current time tracking software. There are many options available in the market, and you should compare them based on your team's needs, preferences, and budget. Some factors to consider when choosing a new time tracking software are: ease of use, compatibility, features, security, support, and pricing. You can also look for reviews, testimonials, and recommendations from other remote teams who have used different time tracking software. Alternatively, you can opt for a more flexible or manual approach to time tracking, such as using spreadsheets, calendars, or self-reports.

4 Evaluate the results

After you have implemented a new solution for your time tracking software, you need to evaluate the results and see if it has solved the problems or created new ones. You can use various methods to measure the outcomes, such as surveys, interviews, reports, analytics, or feedback sessions. You should also compare the results with the previous situation and the goals and benefits you set for using time tracking software. If the results are positive and satisfactory, you can continue using the new solution and make adjustments as needed. If the results are negative or unsatisfactory, you may need to revisit the previous steps and try a different solution.

5 Foster trust and transparency

The ultimate goal of using time tracking software for remote teams is to foster trust and transparency among team members and managers. However, this goal can be undermined by poor software choices, implementation, or communication. Therefore, you need to ensure that your time tracking software is not only functional and reliable, but also respectful and supportive of your team's autonomy, privacy, and well-being. You need to avoid micromanaging, spying, or penalizing your team based on the time tracking data, and instead use it to facilitate collaboration, feedback, and recognition. You also need to encourage your team to communicate openly, honestly, and constructively about their work, challenges, and achievements.