If you're not thinking about how to implement a remote workforce, you are behind in your business. While many companies cannot operate without some onsite employees, odds are if you have an office environment, many, if not most of your staff can operate remotely if given the opportunity. If you want to create a remote workforce, there are some basics that can help you and your staff be successful.
Remote Work Policy
Policies that create boundaries around remote work are important. It's vital that you as the employer understand that staff will not, and should not be at their desk 100% of the time. They weren't when they were in the office, so why should it be any different when they are at home? But what you can expect is that your staff still gets the work done and does it with excellence. Remote work policies are essential for any company that uses remote employees. A good policy will make sure everyone knows what's expected of them and how to go about their day-to-day tasks.
Business Communication
Business communication is one of the most important tools for remote workers. It's essential that your employees are able to communicate with each other easily and efficiently, so you can make sure business is getting done in a timely manner. You can use messaging apps, video conferencing tools, and even email to continue to move projects forward and get things done at work.
Business Organization
Organization for a remote workforce sometimes looks different than traditional hierarchical models. You need to trust that everyone is doing their part, while not being able to physically see what they are doing. This means a more collaborative work environment versus simply one person telling everyone else what to do. You can achieve this when you organize your team into smaller groups. Think about how projects get done and create teams that work effectively together to move everything forward.
You need to have the right project management tools in place and you may even need a good desktop as a service program, or DaaS, to ensure that each employee has what they need to get their job done. Pick a service stack that is easy to use and understand, but also allows you to get things done quickly.
Work Schedule
What is your expectation of your team? Do you need everyone available 9-5 or can people be available for meetings and then work whatever hours necessary to get the work done? When employees know what's expected of them they can more easily meet goals and fulfill all the obligations of their job. Having a consistent work schedule is important because that consistency allows employees to have a better work-life balance, and makes them happier and more productive.
Human Capital
People are the most important part of your business. When you are recruiting and hiring, you should focus on conducting interviews, creating good offers, and feeling the capacity for your potential employees to work independently and remotely. Communication is key so being able to clearly share ideas, connect with people using technology, and having the right skills will go a long way in getting the right human capital in your business.
IT Support
It's important to have IT support available for remote workers. If your employees work from home or in different offices, you want them to feel like they can call and get help with any technology-related issues. That's why it's ideal for the IT department to offer 24/7 support or at least be available for emergencies. If the expectation is that your staff primarily works during set office hours, you could have one IT person on call for issues at a time to help with problems in the off hours.
Employee Training and Development
Adult learning tools are critical for employers. You need to have training and development tools that are easy to access and simple to understand. Training and development are essential to a successful remote workforce. Training provides employees with the skills they need to effectively complete their tasks, while development helps them grow as individuals. Training should be tailored to the work they are doing, while development can be about what they want to do in the future. Books, videos, LMS tools, and more are all great ways to implement effective employee training for a remote team.
Conclusion
The key to keeping remote workers happy, productive, and engaged is setting up a supportive environment, creating clear policies, and giving your staff the tools they need to thrive.
