Remote work needs balance, not burnout or invisibility
Some remote workers hide behind the screen and do the bare minimum. Others blur the line so much they forget to stop working at all.
Both are issues that need your attention.
As a leader in a remote-first company, you might worry about underperformance. That is valid, but you should also worry about overperformance. People who constantly push themselves without rest will burn out, and often, they are your best people.
I have dealt with both cases. In this article, I break down what to look for, why it happens, and what I have done to fix it. It is not about controlling people. It is about creating clarity, ownership, and boundaries that allow people to do great work without disappearing or falling apart.
The underperformer: doing just enough to stay unnoticed
Underperformance in remote settings can be tricky to spot. There is no physical presence, no casual hallway chats, no body language to read. Recent research highlights early warning signs of underperformance in remote teams that leaders often miss. If you do not have the right systems in place, people can underdeliver for weeks without anyone realizing.
What it looks like
- Attends meetings but contributes little
- Replies to Slack messages but rarely initiates anything
- Appears busy but output is minimal or hard to measure
- Delivers vague results, often without accountability
The two sides of the problem
When someone underperforms, you need to address two things:
- The person
- The system around them
The performance improvement plan is for the person. It is a one-on-one process to help them meet expectations and improve. I will share more about how to run that plan in a separate article.
But when underperformance goes unnoticed for too long, that is a business issue.
Every person in the company should have clear goals and measurable indicators. If someone is underperforming and it is not obvious, it usually means their role was not defined properly, or nobody is reviewing the right data.
In short:
- If someone is not hitting their goals, the issue is with the person.
- If you do not even notice it, the issue is with your system.
What to fix in the business
- Review every role and ask: are we tracking clear outputs?
- Define indicators for success that are easy to measure
- Share these indicators transparently and review them regularly
- Make sure managers and leads are not focused only on activity, but outcomes
How I handled it
When I spot a clear case of underperformance, I do not assume bad intent. People struggle for different reasons: lack of skill, unclear expectations, lack of support, or personal issues.
Long ago, when I was a project manager, I went through a performance improvement plan myself. I believed I was doing a great job. My clients were happy, my team was performing well, everything seemed smooth. But management told me I was lagging behind other project managers. I presented what I thought were my KPIs: client satisfaction, project delivery, internal feedback. They explained that the company measured performance by the revenue each project manager handled. That had never been clearly communicated.
This experience taught me how critical it is to define and communicate what success looks like. It is not only about individual KPIs, but how these connect with the bigger picture of the business. If people do not understand the company’s goals and culture, they will do their best in the wrong direction. I talk more about this in this article on remote culture and ownership, where I explain how important it is for companies to clearly communicate the vision and how it translates into individual roles and expectations.
During a performance improvement plan, I:
- Review the indicators the person is not meeting
- Identify what is blocking progress
- Offer support and a timeline to improve
- Set short check-in cycles to track progress
This is not about pressure. It is about fairness, to the individual, to their team, and to the business. Everyone deserves a chance to succeed, but nobody can succeed if the expectations are unclear.
The overperformer: always online, always on edge
This is the problem most leaders ignore, but it can cause serious damage to individuals and teams.
Some people, when working remotely, do not underdeliver. They overdo it. They never disconnect, reply instantly to every message, and quietly burn out while trying to prove they are useful. Harvard Business Review outlines five early signs of remote burnout that mirror what I observed.
What it looks like
- Always available, including evenings and weekends
- Responds instantly across time zones
- Never sets boundaries or takes proper breaks
- Struggles to switch off mentally
Why it happens
- No defined working hours, so the day has no clear end
- Pressure to prove productivity, especially if others are silent
- Misunderstood loyalty: more time feels like more value
A real case I handled
I worked with a developer who stood out for months. He consistently produced 20 to 30 percent more than the rest of the team. His work was sharp, his speed was high, and he seemed unstoppable.
After a few months, his numbers dropped. He was no longer outperforming. In fact, his performance fell below the team average. During calls, I noticed signs of frustration and stress. He seemed tired and distant.
I talked to him. He explained that he had been overperforming for months without breaks. He was working, eating, sleeping, and then working again. No social life, no exercise, no disconnection. He liked the work, and it became his entire routine. The intensity caught up with him, affecting both performance and attitude.
We set boundaries together:
- Start and stop times each day
- Breaks throughout the day
- Scheduled focus hours without Slack or calls
- Permission to finish early if the work was done
Microsoft uses Viva Insights to encourage balanced habits and protect time off across its global workforce.
A few weeks later, the developer felt sharper and more motivated. His output improved, and he regained energy to enjoy the work.
Why both issues need your attention
When someone underperforms, morale drops and trust fades. Others have to pick up the slack.
When someone overperforms unsustainably, they burn out. You risk losing a top contributor.
Both situations send important signals that business leaders should not ignore. Installing tracking software or demanding daily stand-ups will not solve the root cause. Instead, build a culture that values clear goals, sustainable effort, and ongoing conversations.
What healthy performance looks like in a remote team
1. Clear outcomes, not just activity
Every person should clearly understand success in terms of value delivered, not just hours worked. If it is not measurable, it is not manageable.
2. Visibility without micromanagement
Use weekly updates, shared goals, or dashboards to keep work visible. The goal is to support people, not control them.
3. Boundaries modeled and respected
If you expect people to rest, show them how. Leaders should protect their own time too, and reward smart execution over long hours.
4. Feedback and support
Check in regularly, not just when something is wrong. Talk about progress, but also about energy and motivation. Are people enjoying their work? Do they feel in control of their time?
Final thoughts
Remote work does not fix people problems. It reveals them.
Some people drift quietly. Others drive themselves into the ground.
Both need guidance, not just policies.
You do not need to be everywhere; you need systems that:
- Set clear expectations
- Track meaningful progress
- Support the human behind the work
That is how you build a team that performs without crashing or coasting.
Want to talk this through?
If you are seeing signs of burnout or underperformance and are not sure what to do, let us have a short conversation.
Schedule a free 20–30 min virtual coffee
You will share your current challenges. I will listen and offer a few actionable ideas based on what has worked in other remote teams I have helped.
It is especially useful for founders or operators navigating the early stages of remote scaling.