The popularity of remote working has waxed and waned over the past few years. It was all the rage in the immediate aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, but then slowly but surely workers began returning to the office.
Now, with office-related costs rising, many businesses are returning to the work-from-home concept. And the advantages stretch beyond financial benefits. Studies have shown that initiating remote working can lead to a boost in productivity and employee retention.
But only if it’s done correctly. In this post, we’ll run through some handy tips that’ll ensure your move towards remote working is an out-and-out success.
Figure Out What’s Right For You
There’s no single remote working solution that can be applied to all businesses. You’ll have to figure out what works for you. For instance, some businesses decide that a hybrid working model, in which employees spend some time working from home and some in the office, is best.
You’ll also need to figure out how much flexibility employees have. For instance, are they allowed to work wherever and whenever they want, or must they stick to specific work hours? Once you know these answers, you’ll know whether remote working is a viable option for your business.
Speak to Staff
It’s recommended to discuss any business matter with the people that it’ll affect directly. And in this case, that means your employees. It’s easy to assume that all employees want to work from home, but that’s not always the case. In some instances, it’s not even possible for them to work from home due to family issues. So before you decide that it’s the way to go, speak to your team. In all likelihood, they’ll be onboard. From there, you can have conversations about how you’ll make the transition.
Provide Resources and Support
There’s a reason why offices became the go-to working spaces for so long — they have everything that an employee would need to do their work well. The same can’t automatically be said of their homes, because, well, that’s primarily a personal space rather than a professional space.
Before your employees move to remote working, think about what they’ll need to work their best. For example, some of your employees may prefer to work in a co-working space close to their home. Some people just can’t be productive (or happy) working from their dining table. In that instance, the business should provide a stipend that covers the cost of the co-working subscription.
That’s just one example. The basic takeaway is to find out what they need, and then make sure they have it.
Get the Right Tools
You’ll need to invest in some tools that allow your employees not only to work well on an individual level but also to work as a team. For instance, communication becomes especially important when everyone is working from home since you’ll no longer have the benefit of having all your workers sitting next to each other. A virtual phone system where your employees can speak to each other — and customers — from one handy app will make it much easier for them to work, especially if the app has video conferencing capabilities that allow for teams to have meetings. With that, your team can communicate just as well as they would if they were in the office.
There may also be specific devices that an employee will need. They’ll have a better sense of what they need than you do, so it’s best to just ask directly.
Invest in Team-Building
Remote working has its advantages, but there are some obvious drawbacks. For instance, it makes it more difficult for teams to get to know one another. It’s easy to get people to socialize after work on a Friday when everyone’s already in the office. When people are working from home, they may only ever speak with their colleagues about work-related matters, and there may also be team members who they simply never see.
You can combat this by making an extra effort with team-building. While there are some online activities that can help with this, it’s best to plan real-world get-togethers. If you have a worldwide team, then look at getting everyone together at least once a year for a few days. It’ll do wonders for elevating the morale of the business.
Give Trust
You can see why some employers go to great lengths to monitor their off-site employees. After all, it’s their business, and they want to ensure that they’re getting their money’s worth of labor.
However, it’s generally the incorrect approach to take. If you don’t monitor your employees when they’re in the office, then don’t monitor them when they’re working from home — all you’ll be doing is communicating to your employees that you don’t trust them, and that essentially ends any positive relationship.
If your employees are doing their work, then that’s all the indication you need that they’re trustworthy.
Find a Way to Measure Performance
Most businesses find that remote working works for them. But every case is different. It’s recommended to find ways to measure the effectiveness of working from home, which will tell you if it’s been a success or not. How you do this will depend on the type of business you run, but may involve the number of tasks completed, calls made, or simply revenue.
Monitor and Adjust
Finally, remember that you’re unlikely to get remote working right at the first time of asking. It can take a few false starts until you find the formula that works best for you. It’s recommended to keep an eye on how things are going and get feedback from employees. If something needs to be adjusted, then adjust it. Eventually, you’ll find a remote working setup that benefits the business, employees, and customers.
Conclusion
Remote working burst onto the scene following the coronavirus pandemic, before dwindling in popularity slightly. But there’s no doubt that it’s the future and that employees want it more than ever. Take the tips above, and you can make your remote working venture a success.
