We all recognize that remote work is no longer a ‘futuristic” concept, but successfully doing it involves connecting, communicating, and collaborating – across the distance. It means taking the time to train your workers – remotely, of course. Finally, it means understanding and embracing the concepts of flexibility and the freedom of work from anywhere, increasing employee empowerment, satisfaction, and productivity. Investing time and finances into creating a smoothly running system is worth it. Consider these stats from FinancesOnline’s eBook –

71 Vital Remote Work and Telecommuting Statistics: 2021/2022 Data Analysis & Predictions.

• 75% of remote workers said they are more productive because of fewer distractions, while 74%         attributed it to fewer interruptions from colleagues
• 73% of employees work outside their work hours as they find themselves more productive.
• 40% of workers would be willing to take on a greater workload if it meant greater flexibility, while 18% would take a pay cut for the opportunity.
• 49% of remote workers have worked between 1-5 years in their jobs. 21% have worked 6-10, and 22% have worked for more than ten years.

Connecting, Communicating, and Collaborating

Whether you’re connecting with team members or they’re connecting with each other, you can’t simply walk from office to office. Remote connections won’t happen properly without the right tools. It’s like white-water rafting without a paddle.

Provide your staff with laptops, appropriate software, and access to the files and programs they need to complete their responsibilities, for starters. Incorporate technological tools too. Fortunately, there are multiple tools available. The key is incorporating strategic use of the best ones for your company. The following links will provide an overview of some of the best available.
• https://10to8.com/blog/must-have-remote-working-tools/
• https://zapier.co-wom/learn/remoterk/productivity-apps-remote-work/
• https://hive.com/blog/remote-work-tools/

Incorporating cloud file-sharing will increase a unified work team. It enables file sharing and increases seamless work between all team members. It involves letting employees have the passwords pertinent to their assignments and the programs they will need. (Establishing two-factor authentication and regularly changing passwords can help ensure security) Video conferencing offers face-to-face connections from multiple remote locations, solidifying the sense of team. Make everything mobile accessible.

While tools will help to connect and collaborate, communication is also vital. We’re not just talking about video meetings, office memos, etc. Be proactive concerning office communications to build a human connection. For example, send out a good morning each day or host a weekly just-for-fun chat time. Get creative –try a virtual trivia night or similar connection. Set up an email for people to send in feedback –read it and respond directly to the sender or in a group meeting if it’s something everyone should know. The more you communicate with your staff and encourage them to communicate with each other, the more you will build a sense of camaraderie within the company.

Set up expectations early and ensure everyone understands what is expected. As Scott Bales, VP for Replicon, a time management system provider, says, “Providing guidelines, setting boundaries, and reviewing the basics are among the most important steps to take when setting out on your project. There will be questions; be accessible and clarify priorities, milestones, performance goals, and more. Outline each team member’s availability and ensure you can reach them when needed.”

Ensure your expectations allow for your employees to have flexibility in work hours and locations. It doesn’t mean you can’t track work progress, but don’t confuse keeping your remote staff in the communication loop with micromanagement. Yes, you should set project timelines and deadlines and daily and weekly responsibilities but trust your employees to meet those deadlines and responsibilities. Micro-managing is never a winner.

Training

Investing in training will get everyone on board quicker. Begin with assessing employees working remotely to establish what areas require the most training and which method and style of training will be the most effective. Set up specific goals and objectives, as well as a timetable for completion. Ensure your training programs are mobile-friendly and pay attention to employees’ preferred avenue of receiving information and then submitting completed work if there is any. Self-pace training is ideal but be sure to establish deadlines for completion. Track employee progress, ask for and listen to feedback, and respond to questions promptly. Remember to acknowledge, commend, and reward as employees reach training milestones.

Remote work isn’t just a perk for employees. It brings various benefits to companies too. Companies can maintain much smaller office facilities with many employees working from anywhere and connecting via mobile devices or laptops. Reduced office space is a tremendous cost-saving, which can be applied to training remote workers and providing the tools to do it well. It increases employee productivity and job satisfaction, which leads to greater loyalty and therefore reduced turnover costs. It also opens the door to a broader, more diverse talent pool.

So, how necessary is remote work flexibility? “It’s mission-critical,” says Dynamic Workforce Solutions, a national and internationally respected workforce training, consulting, management, and administrative services organization. They list three steps toward a connected, robust, remote culture for your workforce.

1. Redesign offices to be versatile and needs-based, supporting various working environments that allow physical distancing. Office space should be an optional value-add for employees rather than a requirement. It should be available on an as-needed basis, allowing them to enjoy flexible schedules and environments in experiential workplaces, regardless of their location in the world. Instead of old-fashioned square footage and employee headcounts, leverage technology to measure when, where, and how team members interact with the space and respond to those needs.

2. Establish a technology infrastructure. An effective remote workforce requires numerous apps. Integrate these apps into the IT stack, and provide each user an account. Adopt cloud-based architecture and best-of-breed apps and tools, allowing collaboration and productivity from anywhere. Re-invest in employees and hire the world’s best talent, offering flexibility in their location and benefits.

3. Create a winning remote work culture. Your people are the reason behind remote work. Placing value on your workforce and championing your employees is essential. It’s more than just a redesigned office space –it’s caring enough to engage the talent you have today and will obtain in the future. Give them a reason to come, and stay.

A flexible approach to operations, processes, and people management helps companies build the resilience needed to thrive even when facing a catastrophic disruption. Furthermore, today’s workers are demanding it. It’s time to get on board if you haven’t already, and Robbins Staffing Solutions has your back. We specialize in finding the talent you need. Contact us today.