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The COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated many companies’ transition to remote work, will sooner or later come to an end, but research by the McKinsey Global Institute confirms what many businesses and remote workers already suspect will likely happen -- “remote work will continue after the pandemic, primarily in hybrid forms.”
Although working from home or in other suitable spaces such as a cafe, the museum, library, or a bookshop provides many distinct advantages for small businesses, independent workers, and remote employees, working with remote teams is also rife with challenges -- from communication difficulties to technology mishaps, from team members logging in to the company server using unsecured devices to employees having difficulties adhering to a work-from-home schedule.
In this guide, we’ll discuss five best practices for working remotely that small businesses can start implementing immediately.
In an in-office work environment, sometimes all an employee needs to do to get a question answered is to walk a few paces to a colleague’s workstation. But unfortunately, that’s not an option with remote work. Add to that the fact that many remote teams work across time zones, and it’s no surprise that communication is one of the top challenges of working remotely, a Buffer survey found.
To strengthen communication in a remote work setup, team managers must specify which communication channels to use, set regular meeting schedules and check-ins to keep everyone in the loop and on the same page, and clarify whom to contact in case of emergencies.
Also, when leading remote teams, your communication strategy should not be focused solely on work. Allot time for events not related to work, such as virtual cooperative games, viewing parties, or shared lunches to engage staff members and foster team spirit.
Any list of tips for working remotely is incomplete if it fails to mention technology. Technology is what makes remote work possible, after all, and having the right tools, regardless of whether your staff works remotely or onsite, increases productivity.
Small business remote work tool kits may include:
Right at the get-go, what you expect from your remote workers should be communicated to them in no uncertain terms. Your staff may be awesome, but they surely cannot read minds.
Some work expectations to set include:
Setting goals for everyone to work toward maintains structure and keeps your remote employees on task. When they know what is expected of them and when, they can prioritize work, avoid getting sidetracked, and focus on getting things done.
Without the informal social interaction inherent in office settings, it’s no surprise that loneliness is another major drawback of remote work (refer back to that chart from Buffer). When left unmitigated, it can place “individuals at greater risk of premature death than obesity, inadequate physical activity, or air pollution,” says an article published by the American Medical Association’s JAMA Health Forum.
As such, it’s critical that business owners and managers develop a work environment that encourages social connections among remote staff.
Here are some ideas:
As companies navigate what cybersecurity firm Morphisec calls the “largest work-from-home experiment in history,” concerns about data security abound. When managing remotely located teams, it’s essential that you educate your staff on the risks they can introduce to the company network when they log in using unsecured endpoints.
No matter the size of your company, if you work with customer data, security is an absolute priority, especially if you operate in a regulated industry, such as finance or health care.
To keep data secure, consider the following:
Remote work is here to stay. Knowing how to make it work for your business is key to surviving uncertain times. When working with a remote team, it’s vital that you keep communication lines open, clarify expectations, build trust, offer support, and use the right technology to maximize productivity.
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