Organisations are increasingly enabling their workforce to work remotely due to the host of benefits it brings to both the business and its employees. With some businesses even going so far as adopting a business model where they don’t have a centralised office and all employees work remotely.
But, as with most things, while remote working has its benefits it also presents some unique challenges. Without acknowledging these potential pitfalls, and creating a business environment that is conducive to remote working, the practice can have negative repercussions on your business.
The right equipment
It may sound obvious, but without the correct equipment and software remote working becomes unproductive and frustrating for employees. To complete the most basic of tasks most employees will need a computer, a reliable internet connection and a phone. However to perform their duties properly it’s important to remember that they will also need access to their files and emails, any shared organisational systems and the software that they use in the office.
We’ve all experienced how frustrating a dodgy internet connection or a slow computer can be when we’re trying to get something done. The aim is to stop your employees experiencing that same frustration, which will lower their morale, motivation and productivity. It needs to be as easy for them to work at home, as it is for them to work on site.
To ensure employees are properly equipped to do their job from home, some companies opt to provide them with a laptop – and in some cases everything they need to set up their home office. This is a useful article that weighs up how much equipment to provide your remote working staff with.
Creating a sense of belonging
Working from home doesn’t provide the same opportunity for camaraderie and creativity that working in an office can. Workers can begin to feel isolated and unmotivated quite quickly, unless you can find a way to help them feel connected to your organisational community.
While face-to-face meet ups are a great way to build relationships and create the opportunity for collective brainstorming, they can’t replace the day-to-day interactions that happen between team members in an office. Open, and active, communication channels are key to this.
Go beyond setting up methods for collaboration on projects and encourage normal conversation using messaging boards or the chat function on software – obviously keeping it on a separate board or channel than work/project discussions.
If you’d like to discuss the best ways to get your staff set up for remote working – from sourcing the right equipment to negotiating the contracts for software licenses – get in touch.
