It’s amazing to think that there are still some people out there who think that remote working is going to go away at some point soon. Most people who were paying attention knew that there was always going to be a major shift away from office buildings at some point.
The fact that it happened so suddenly caught most of us unaware. It’s always tempting to dismiss the naysayers, but some (but not all) of their concerns are valid. Some things are tougher when you are not all working in the same room.
You can’t just pop your head around someone’s office door for a quick chat, and you need to warn team members well in advance if you are going to need their full attention for an hour or so to power through the final stages of a big project.
But there are loads of options to help you make life and communication much easier when you are working remotely. Anyone looking over their shoulder at the competition knows how important that is if you are looking to grow and boost awareness of your business.
Find Software That Works For You
The best place to start is with software that will work for you and your employees no matter where they are. You might have a team working at their kitchen table in their home office or using a fold-down tray on a trans-Atlantic flight. Regardless of where they are, you are going to want to know that any one of your staff can jump on an issue and provide a quick fix.
You’ll sleep better knowing that they can get up to speed fast if you need approval before sending off a piece of work to a big client. And if your team is working remotely, then you will want your IT staff to be able to provide remote support as and when it is needed.
TeamViewer is one of the more commonly used applications, but if you are watching your budget, you may be thinking about a TeamViewer alternative. This tool from TSplus can offer you exactly what you need while saving money at the same time.
Keep Your Team Engaged
It can sometimes feel like everyone is working on their own little island when you’re all keeping different hours in different places. This can be fine for all of those little daily duties, but if you want to grow and keep pushing the boundaries to level up, then you cannot afford to sacrifice team spirit.
You can start by reminding people what they are working towards. The bigger picture can make a big difference. You should also talk to your team about their development goals. No one wants to feel like they are stuck in a rut at their job, smacking their head on the glass ceiling, and that’s one of the things that can lead to quiet quitting.
Given how quickly things can change, it’s worth thinking about areas that you might want to expand into in the future and talking to your employees about how you can start training them now.
Let Your Team Do Their Jobs
It can be so tempting to lean over people’s shoulders when they are working remotely. When you can’t see what your team is doing and you know that you are up against a tight deadline or a tough client, of course, you are going to be itching for updates.
There are going to be times when you feel like you should drop people a message or ask for a meeting because you haven’t heard anything for a little while. But if you want to ensure that your everything is going well, at some point you need to trust that the people you have hired are capable of delivering the goods.
A good manager knows when to jump in with some motivation and when to step back a little bit, so avoid micromanaging where you can.
Broaden Your Talent Search
One of the most important benefits of a remote working setup is that it immediately enlarges your potential talent pool. Given the market at the moment, there are a lot of businesses that are a bit nervous about the commitment of bringing on new staff.
The hiring process is going to be more high stakes because a lot of people really cannot afford to make a mistake. But try to think about it in more positive terms. Working remotely means that you can hire people from absolutely anywhere. You’re not limiting yourself to the people who are within commuting distance or who are willing to pack their bags and relocate.
It’s also worth remembering that a lot of people would much rather work remotely, which means that you will potentially be able to offer a more enticing work package to new hires.
