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The remote work culture is growing fast, but it is still a new concept to many workplaces. Employees working from home have had to learn how to separate their work life from home life. Companies, too, are evolving and welcoming the concept of remote working now more than ever before. How do you get it right as a business? Let us expound more on how your business can adopt and tap into the remote work culture.
Incentivise communication
Communication is crucial for any constructive collaboration. In an office environment, communicating goes beyond the usual formal emails and memos. There is a lot of communication that happens in an ad hoc manner. You cannot ignore the conversations that happen by the water cooler, along the corridors, or other random interactions that take place when people are having coffee. It is in these informal setups where great brainstorming happens. It could be because the people do not feel pressured to have detailed explanations for their random ideas. Now, having a distributed team could come in the way of such communication.
This is where you need to review communication tools and ensure that every member of your staff remains connected. It is necessary to evaluate the available global mobility communication tools to identify the ones that suit your situation better. You can plan video conferences to give employees the feel of face-to-face communication and set up time aside for people to freely interact on channels such as Zoom, and Slack, among others.
Re-evaluate your hiring process
Remote working requires that businesses re-evaluate hiring strategies. It is time to adopt new strategies that embrace having a distributed workforce. For example, you will have to tailor your onboarding process for a remote team. The process of hiring may seem daunting but is doable if you take an intentional approach. The hiring process should be structured to accommodate the working-from-home aspect.
You should also be open to hiring people from different parts of the world. It is advantageous as it presents an opportunity to get a diverse pipeline of talent that would have otherwise not been accessible. Again, technology will help in hiring and onboarding. Things like video conferences can give the feel of a face-to-face interview and is a good and affordable substitute for in-person interviews.
Security
One of the main issues that businesses encounter with remote working is cybersecurity threats. There has been a rise in phishing attacks with the shift to the remote work model. Now, when the workforce is distributed, you do not have an IT team on-site taking care of the cybersecurity as it would be in an office environment. Your team members will have to learn to repel common attacks.
For starters, create proper security protocols. The remote teams need to be conversant with ways to protect their workspaces and devices from possible breaches. So, train them on common attacks and defences You can work with a reputable Managed Service Provider to help support end-users and secure your business in a remote setup. Taking the right security measures will help you avoid costly breaches that might cost you more.
Adapt the leadership style
To achieve success with remote work, your business leaders and supervisor need to adapt too. The focus needs to shift from measuring the amount of time people are at work to measuring the output they are bringing to the business. The leadership needs to be understanding and work on giving concise communication.
Set aside a training budget
Remote working is somewhat of a new concept to many people. Some of the members of your team may not be very familiar with some of the remote tools. After all most might be accustomed to working in an office environment. You will need to set aside a budget for training your team. Employees are likely to have a smoother run if they know how to navigate the remote platforms and tools. Also, with effective training, the need for maximum supervision is reduced.
Streamline the WFH setup
You can consider enabling your team member as they work from home (WFH). It can take the form of providing them with monitors, keyboards, desks or even providing faster internet connections. This is the kind of infrastructure that will boost productivity. If the budget allows for it, you can go the extra mile by organizing treats and perks for your employees. It is an excellent way to make them feel connected and recognized. The personal touch assures them that they are part of a team even though they are not physically present.
Use monitoring software to ensure productivity
As a business owner or leader, you could sometimes find yourself worried if your team is working or not. Fortunately, technology has grown to accommodate top monitoring software that will help you track workflows. With monitoring software, you can easily monitor if your employees are productive and how much time they spend on different tasks. You can get a rough idea of what they are doing during work hours. An efficient monitoring system ensures that your employees are accountable for their output. This way, they are more likely to stay motivated, be productive, and remain committed to the organization’s goals.
Build trust
As much as there is monitoring software, one of the essential components for any business transitioning into a remote working culture is trust. You have to let go of the need to micromanage. Micromanaging is an incredible way to demoralize your team. For successful remote work, you need to trust your team more. You have to treat your employees as empowered individuals. Micromanaging might even waste more invaluable time and resources. You will appreciate that working from home has its fair share of challenges. It is, therefore, necessary to offer support where necessary.
Final remarks
In the past, remote work was only a reserved perk of a few companies. The advancement in technology and other factors has seen businesses thriving with work-from-home teams. Well, the remote work model can only reap benefits if you implement it the right way.
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