Nowadays, remote work is a popular option for people. It’s popularity has grown in the last 2 years specifically, due to Covid-19 leading to lots of businesses choosing to go remote entirely, or provide their employees with the option to work remotely. For instance, a company we spoke with, TechQuarters provides IT support services London businesses have been using for years remotely; at the start of Covid-19, they immediately went remote and have transitioned into a fully remote company that hires staff from around the world.
If you are a business wanting to give your employees the option for remote work, or even start making fresh hires that are remote, then it is worth learning the strategies to support remote work in the right way.
- Stay Connected
Communication is critical for modern businesses, and especially ones that have remote employees and colleagues. Nowadays, we use technology to stay connected, and this is one of the only ways to stay connected with your remote colleagues. For example, real-time messaging apps such as Slack or Microsoft Teams are very valuable for daily communications. Video conferencing – via apps like Zoom or Teams – are also very good for mixing communication and social interaction.
- Encourage Socializing
The primary disadvantage of remote working – compared with its many advantages – is that it can result in loneliness. People need social interaction to maintain good wellbeing, and perform to the best of their abilities. This is why employers have a duty to encourage socialization between remote employees. Scheduling regular video meetings, team building exercises, and non-work related social meetings are important.
- Look Out for Your Employees & Colleagues
It’s important to make sure your remote employees and colleagues know that you care about them. This is why socialization is important; because remote workers can become quickly demotivated when they are not being valued as much as they deserve. Setting proper boundaries is important for this – you don’t want any employee to be overworked or treated unfairly.
- Encourage Feedback
Another way of letting your employees and colleagues know that you care is by encouraging feedback. An open dialogue where employees feel safe to communicate their ideas is important, and they should also know that when they receive feedback, they aren’t being criticized. Employees and colleagues that feel like they are valued and supported will be more receptive to feedback, and are more likely to provide their employers with honest and useful feedback themselves. Overall, it will build a stronger business.
- Give Credit where Credit is Due
Remote workers often feel as though they a less important or less integrated part of the teams they are in. They may work more hours, but not get as much recognition compared to in-office colleagues. Therefore, it is very important to prioritize employee recognition. Giving workers the credit they are due will ensure they feel valued, and will motivate them to work to the best of their ability.
- Maintain Transparency
Remote workers may find it harder to stay updated on the latest news within the company. They may feel like they only know about the work they are being assigned, and struggle to see the big picture. This can be detrimental for many reasons. For one thing, remote workers might start to feel like their work is inconsequential, which can be demotivating. They might also feel less apart of the company as employees who are more clued in on company news.
Some examples of how you can maintain full transparency is by scheduling company-wide video conferences where the departments share their news. This is a great way of keeping everyone – especially remote workers – up to date.
