Remote working wake-up call – How to make it a success

The last few months have seen a working from home revolution with many employers seeing increases in productivity whilst employees have enjoyed the flexibility of not having to travel to meetings or the long commute.   While many have welcomed the change, it hasn’t been an easy transition for everyone. After all, employers needed to overcome issues related IT infrastructure and security. Employees on the other hand have had to find a suitable place to work at home while spouses, roommates, pets and kids all share the same space.

Here are 5 tips to make remote working easier for you and your staff:

1. Empathise with staff

Along with carrying out their daily duties, staff must simultaneously work around the schedule of their partner or roommates, care or home school their children and still maintain a happy homelife. So to avoid the stress and anxiety that can come with this, employers should emphasise with their workforce’s predicament.

2. Equip staff with the right tools

In order to keep business running and minimise disruptions, every remote work strategy requires the right tools. Thankfully, software like Zoom and Slack have come to the rescue with their seamless solutions. However, they’ll also be a need for additional hardware such as external monitors and noise-cancelling headphones, so make sure your staff are well equipped.

3. Ensure secure access

Because employees are no longer logging into a centralised network, security becomes an issue when working from home. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is one potential solution for maintaining security. Also, don’t forget to re-educate staff about risks like phishing scams, malware, and email attachments.

4. Offer flexibility where possible

Given that employees now have more commitments with less time and less space, flexibility is essential. For example, make meetings shorter and encourage staff to work a schedule that suits them.

5. Constantly communicate with staff

With no coffee breaks or water cooler chats, communication between employees can easily stagnate when working from home. Therefore, make sure you’re always checking in with your workforce, ask how they’re doing and keep their spirits high.