There are many reasons why your business may be choosing to go the remote work route. Some of these include not yet having the funds for a brick and mortar location, your staff members live in different parts of the country, or you’re simply trying to save some money by not renting our a commercial building. Regardless of your reason, remote work can be a little daunting to start. You are suddenly plunged into darkness with only a computer and maybe a phone to keep in communication. There is also the issue with personal preferences. Therefore, the following list includes some helpful tips on what you can do to help your team to adapt to remote work.
Begin Creating Trust
When you’re in a physical office, you are likely to see your co-workers doing certain things you ask from them. Or if you have an issue with a certain project, the boss is right there to speak to in private. This assurance of action is instantly taken away when working from a remote location. Therefore, the very first thing you need to do is begin to create that trust amongst your staff members. You need to create a solid procedure for communicating ideas and concerns. This way, staff members understand exactly where to go if they have a concern. Now, trust is a two-way street as well. You must be able to trust your staff members to do their job. You can do this by setting goals and deadlines to ensure that work is being produced in a timely and accurate manner.
Provide Them with the Necessary Tools
Innovations in technology have allowed many of us to begin to work from home. Tools like video chat and shared document software are essential to making the process work. However, these tools are not often readily available to your staff members. Therefore as a business leader, your next step is to ensure that they have all the tools necessary to do the job properly. Having everyone on board with the same tools can mean the difference between high or low productivity.
Don’t Neglect Meetings
Just cause you’re in constant communication doesn’t mean that you’re telling each other everything that needs to be known. This is why it is so important to schedule regular meetings with your staff members. These meetings can help your staff better adapt to remote working, especially during the early weeks.