Remote work is here to stay. Even before a certain global pandemic, employees operating out of office was an aspect steadily growing in popularity. Now, it has exploded in prevalence as businesses understand the benefits gained from having a remote workforce.
Greater flexibility, improved employee morale, a lack of location restrictions – this is just scratching the surface of the advantages available. Yet before you get blinded by the positives, it’s important to incorporate remote work the correct way. A haphazard approach will only lead to issues, some of which can be potentially expensive for your business.
To avoid such problems, here are five points to remember when using a remote workforce.
1. Set out a policy
First of all, you should take the time to put together a policy that needs to be agreed on by all remote employees. This policy will detail what is allowed, what isn’t, and the types of processes they follow when completing their daily tasks.
By having this clearly stated from the start, there’s less potential for your remote workers to drift from the correct protocol.
2. Keep systems and devices secure
With employees working from their homes and other remote locations, it’s likely they expect to use their own computers and mobile devices. Yet even if you supply them with, say, laptops and smartphones, it’s harder to keep track of their usage when away from the office.
Because of this, it’s imperative you put together a security system that will keep sensitive data safe from potential threats. One way of achieving this is by protecting your network security with an endpoint security system. This keeps end-user devices like desktops and mobiles safe from being exploited by cybersecurity threats.
3. Communication channels
Effective internal communication is vital for any business. However, this goes up another level when employees begin working remotely. You cannot simply go to a worker’s desk for a chat or gather everyone for a meeting. Consequently, you need to use appropriate communication channels to ensure everyone can seamlessly message each other.
The good news is that, due to advancements in technology, there’s no shortage of communication platforms available. High Fidelity has put together a list of the best tools for remote teams to communicate.
4. Collaboration
Along the same theme as communication tools, it’s also important to have suitable resources for collaboration between both in-house and remote employees. Trying to do this successfully may seem tricky, but there are tools out there – including Trello and Basecamp – that make it a seamless, productive experience. Even Google Docs is available for free, and it presents the opportunity for multiple users to work in real-time on a single document.
5. Promote remote
Remote work is an excellent benefit for your current employees. It’s also a key selling point for future hires. With this in mind, make sure your job advertisements reference your approach toward remote work. This will result in your business being more attractive to prospective candidates, opening the door to attracting greater talent for your business.
