The pandemic has changed the way we work and therefore affected businesses across the world. Remote work is now more common than ever before and companies need to adapt in order to manage such work more effectively.
This is partly about using the software tools that make the process possible, but it’s also about setting up rules and processes within the company itself. The main goal is therefore to keep the employees as safe as possible while keeping up with the day-to-day obligations of running a business.
Communication Tools
The first thing to do is to set up the communication tools that are needed to stay in touch with the remote workers. There are numerous such tools available and using the services of Truely software review site can help you pick and choose the ones that are best suited to your needs.
The main purpose of such tools is to mimic the actual office as much as it’s possible with remote work. This means having quick meetings, sharing data, and allowing for personal relationships to form between employees. That can be achieved as long as the tools are chosen carefully.
Be Flexible
These are difficult times and the company needs to acknowledge that fact. The best way of doing so is to have some flexibility when it comes to decisions, plans, and regulations. That way the employees can feel comfortable and safe in case something beyond their control comes up.
Obviously, there are limits as to how much flexibility you can offer and it’s best to decide on general rules rather than providing exemptions on a case-to-case basis. That way the policy appears to be fairer, and there’s less strife within the office.
Shorten Meetings
Meetings take up a lot of time and effort even when they are done in person. Things are even worse when it comes to virtual meetings since they disrupt work and take time to set up and organize. It’s best therefore to shorten and eliminate meetings whenever that’s possible.
The best rule of thumb is to set up a meeting only when that’s the best way to interact with the employees. In most cases, emails and chats will do much better than a meeting and it allows the employees to check in at their own pace.
Be Clear about the Expectations
This doesn’t mean that there are no expectations as to when something has to be done. It’s best to set up such expectations right away and to stick to them once they are set up. This is especially important when it comes to time-sensitive tasks.
As long as the rules are set in advance and everyone is aware of how important they are, you’ll be able to set a responsible work environment without being physically in contact with your employees. Setting expectations also means being clear about the repercussions of not meeting them. This way the office can remain productive even with all the distractions of online work.
Track Progress
It’s important to set up measures to track progress on particular tasks. That way you get to stay on top of projects and the employees have an intensive to work at a pace that’s similar to that of work in an actual office.
Having a procedure for tracking progress, also means that it’s easy to notice if something isn’t done on time or if it’s getting overlooked. In the long run, this also means that you’ll be able to take note of issues with individual employees, and their ability to meet deadlines.
Find Ways to Accommodate Remote Employees
A company should do what it can to accommodate the needs of remote employees. Sometimes this means providing the online tools and flexibility they need and in other cases, it means addressing the additional expenses that remote work may require from the employee.
There’s also a toll that remote work takes on the personal life of the employees. That’s where the company should step in and help when it comes to creating a healthy life/work balance. Time off and clear and strict schedules are the best way to accomplish this, as well as having open lines of communication with your employees.
Listen to Your Employees
The employees will usually tell you if something is wrong. The key is for you to leave a channel open for them to do so and to listen and react to the input you’re given. The overall ambiance of an online office should be such that remote employees can feel free to talk about grievances they may have.
If you notice patterns and employees repeating the same problems (or the same solutions), you should take note and react, since chances are that there’s a reason for it.
Don’t Micro-Manage
Micromanaging isn’t a good practice with an offline company and it takes away too much of your time and resources. The same goes for running an online and remote team. The urge to do so can be even greater if you can’t reach and control your staff at all times, but it’s important to try and resist it.
The key to doing so is to trust your employees and to have a team that you know can do a great job even without you hovering over them. It takes time to find such a team, but when you do, you should let go and let them work.
Celebrate Success
Companies have a way of celebrating success within the office environment. It’s done once a project is completed or when an employee is celebrating a milestone. The same should be done for remote employees. This shows that the employees are appreciated and that the company is a team, working in unison.
Bonuses, days off, and other awards are appreciated but don’t underestimate the importance of praise for a job well done. This is especially true of the praise is public and everyone is made aware of the celebration. Such practices go a long way when it comes to creating a positive and encouraging business environment.
