How do we accurately measure Resource Utilization in a completely remote or hybrid work model?

All answers to this question.

You need to shift from "Activity-Based" tracking to "Outcome-Based" tracking. Instead of asking how many hours a person sat at their desk, track the completion of specific deliverables or milestones within your project management tool. For a digital marketing team, this could be the number of campaigns launched or the conversion rate achieved. We use a "Resource Utilization Rate" formula where we divide the time spent on value-add projects by the total available hours. This focuses the conversation on the value produced rather than the time spent on the clock, which builds a much higher level of trust.

   Answered 2025-02-15 by Melissa Thorne

Melissa, does this approach account for "Collaboration Time"? I've noticed my remote team spends hours on Zoom calls that aren't tied to a specific "deliverable" but are still essential for the project.

   Answered 2025-02-20 by Kevin Blake

• Kevin, that is a great catch. You should include a category for "Operational Support" or "Internal Collaboration" in your tracking. This ensures that the "soft work" like mentoring and meetings is accounted for in their total utilization. If a senior lead spends 50% of their time on Zoom helping others, that should be seen as a 100% utilization of their specific role as a leader. It’s about redefining what "work" looks like in a digital environment so that your most collaborative people aren't penalized for helping the team succeed.

     Commented 2025-02-25 by Steven Graham

We use "Self-Reporting" at the end of each week. We ask the team to estimate their split between project work, admin, and meetings. It’s simple, honest, and respects their professional autonomy.

   Answered 2025-03-01 by Rebecca Moore

• Self-reporting works best when the culture is healthy. It provides the high-level data you need as a manager without the need for invasive tracking software that kills team morale.

     Commented 2025-03-05 by Christopher Vance