People working remotely, at least part of the time, has been a part of the business climate for some time. However, with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, firms that had never provisioned a remote workforce had to face the reality that continued operations depended on remote work.
It’s a good idea to establish clear policies for remote work. This helps set expectations for both managers and employees. Beyond mere physical provisioning, remote work brings on a host of challenges:
- Lack of face-to-face supervision. Managers worry that employees won’t work as well, and employees worry about lack of access to managers.
- Challenges accessing information. In many cases, the time to get information from co-workers increases. This can be overcome with the right combination of policy and technology.
- Isolation. For many people, the social interaction of in-office work is more important than they had realized.
- Distractions. It’s important remote workers have a dedicated workspace and good childcare, but COVID-19’s effect on schools has created some challenges in this regard.
We can help to establish polices and select and implement software to help manage a remote workforce. From a policy perspective, this might include structured check-ins and rules for frequency, methods, and timing of communication. From a technology perspective, this might include provisioning your workforce with specific hardware, implementing video teleconferencing software (like Zoom™), instant message software, collaboration software (like Slack™ or Teams™), and software to track and manage worker productivity.
While establishing remote workers can be challenging, research shows that remote workers are actually more productive and often times report higher job satisfaction. Let us help you make remote work a good experience for both your firm and your people.