Time tracking and workflow management are fundamental to effective operations in any business. But in a remote setting—like at my digital marketing agency—those practices become more complex.

A major reason enterprise tech companies (including Zoom, ironically) have returned to in-office or hybrid setups is employee productivity. While I believe many return-to-office (RTO) mandates are covert layoffs-in-disguise, there's still a widespread belief that office presence equates to better productivity under managerial supervision.

My take? If we can make remote work successful, so can others—while saving on office space, improving employee retention, and accessing a global talent pool.

We believe in remote work so strongly that we built our own platform to handle the challenges it brings. Here’s a breakdown of those challenges—for executives, managers, and employees—and how we address them.

Remote Workflow Challenges for Executives

Executives like myself need answers to two big questions: Are employees working the hours expected? And is their work profitable for the business?

At our agency, we assess profitability by comparing employee time spent per client to the fees paid by those clients. Agencies often discover that some clients are actually unprofitable when they first analyze this.

These concerns aren’t exclusive to remote teams, but in-person settings only give the illusion of productivity. Our solution? Time-tracking software that records hours by client and employee. Soon, with AI, we’ll be able to ask: “How many hours did we spend on Client A last month?” and instantly get meaningful insights.

Remote Workflow Challenges for Managers

Managers deal with similar issues—plus burnout prevention and balancing client workload.

Client load isn’t uniform; some need more attention than others. Managers must know when and how to shift resources effectively. Burnout is the other side of the coin. Some employees go full speed until exhaustion hits. Without in-person cues like body language, managers need data-based warning signs. Time-tracking tools offer those signals, making sure employees take breaks and use PTO as needed.

Remote Workflow Challenges for Employees

Speaking as both a CEO and employee, here’s the reality: if you’re constantly worried about slacking, your company likely has deeper cultural or hiring problems. Most people I’ve worked with lean toward overworking—not underperforming.

Common employee challenges include:

  • Lack of structure: A visual calendar of meetings and deadlines helps plan a productive workday and allocate priorities more efficiently.
  • Work-life balance: You might suspect you’re overworking, but seeing weeks of 60+ hours in black-and-white can be the wake-up call you need. Time-tracking data is a neutral way to gauge whether balance is slipping.

We’ve learned early that Asana, Zoom, and Google Calendar integrations are key to smoother workflows. We’re incorporating those to further streamline operations for our distributed teams.

In short, remote workflow challenges are real—but solvable. With the right mix of technology, strategy, and cultural support, companies can empower productivity, prevent burnout, and build lasting team success.

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