During the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies and businesses implemented remote working solutions. Remote and hybrid work proved to be very popular; in fact, according to a recent study, 40% of employed Americans will only consider a new job if it is at least partly remote.
With that said, it makes sense to get started on adapting to a remote worker model as soon as possible.
You will undoubtedly face common challenges when setting up your remote working procedures and workplaces. However, with the right IT support, you can overcome these hurdles and keep your business running smoothly.
Communication challenges and solutions
One of the most widely discussed problems with remote workers has been communication between co-workers. It’s vital that your employees are able to stay in touch when they are working away from the office.
Chat apps like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom are ideal for employees to keep in contact; they include text, voice, and video chat, as well as screen sharing. Multiple people can join a conversation, or two individuals can hold a private meeting.
Scheduling regular meetings between departments is an effective tool for connecting remote employees with the people who are in charge of their projects. It also helps them collaborate on projects with ease and helps them feel more comfortable about the work that they do.
Disconnection and social isolation
Another very common challenge for remote workers is the lack of connection with their co-workers, which can lead to reduced productivity and morale. Since they can’t physically be in the office, it’s easy to have disconnect and lose the sense of company culture.
In order to avoid this, encourage your employees to use the chat apps regularly – not just for work projects, but to talk like they would in the break room, or over cubicles.
Establishing time for face-to-face communication will also help people stay connected; virtual meetings are vital to keep project communication up-to-date, but they are also a good way for people to simply banter.
Managers can also find ways to keep remote workers engaged by providing frequent updates on projects and company news.
The importance of collaboration and teamwork
Like communication, collaboration between remote workers must be constantly open and ongoing. It’s easy to forget about team members while working at home, but this can lead to confusion, inconsistencies, and errors in projects.
Implementing cloud-based collaboration apps will make your remote workers’ jobs easier. Microsoft Teams and Google Docs, for example, have the capacity for co-authoring of documents. Multiple people can work on a document in real time, and track changes and comments that have been made while they were away.
These apps are also handy to use while on a virtual call with the same team members, so you can talk aloud while working together.
Sharing files and information
Working remotely presents challenges with sharing files and information. This can be a problem because some jobs require more collaboration than others.
There are many cloud-based solutions which allow for sharing of files and information from different locations. For example, OneDrive allows for easy and organised file sharing through web-based browsers or mobile devices.
Team members can create different channels for different projects and link the channels to their co-workers.
Supporting your remote workers
Establishing clear guidelines for your company and ensuring your remote workers have access to the resources they need is your first step. Make sure that your remote workers have the appropriate equipment and software to work effectively and productively.
This includes giving them the right equipment and technology that they need and showing them how to use it properly. It’s important to make sure they know how to work with a variety of different devices because technology changes quickly in our ever-changing world.
Many people who work remotely struggle with accessing information in a timely fashion. Therefore, it is important to provide email alerts, calendar reminders, and document-sharing tools.
You should create a culture of co-operation between your office and remote workers. Open communication is crucial when trying to support employees doing their jobs remotely. This includes providing feedback on tasks and projects so employees can work together towards accomplishing them quickly.
IT support from the experts
Remote workers are becoming more and more prominent in today’s workplace, and if you don’t know how to support them, you are at risk of losing them to another company. It’s important to create a culture that not only supports remote workers but also encourages collaboration and teamwork.
To implement the right IT solutions that will enable your remote employees to work efficiently, productively, and happily, talk to the IT experts at PWR Technologies. They’ll help you find the perfect software solutions for your business.
