Transitioning from an office workplace environment to a home remote business is catching on and here to stay once the COVID-19 pandemic has ended.
It’s not so much when the pandemic is ceasing to exist, but how we as a society can integrate working from home as more of the norm. Small businesses have a responsibility to employees to maintain a steady flow of income, yet for the past three months, it’s been touch and go at best. For the average small business owner who understands the value of those who work for them and want to continue attracting high-quality recruits into their organization, the following guidelines will help launch you into a whole new world after COVID-19
- Recognize the contribution of every employee. In a remote setting, constant feedback is vital to the strategy and overall success of your bottom line.
- Outline specific guidelines and roles for each team member prior to an all-remote setting.
- Maintain one-on-one collaborative efforts with key personnel in your organization’s channel, such as weekly Zoom calls to check in, calendars and spreadsheets to track progress, and continual email communication to ensure everyone is speaking the same language.
- Focus on steady communication with clear goals.
Maintaining momentum in business can be a challenge to some, and a welcomed relief to others. If commuting is a factor, consider working remotely a godsend. If having an essential business hasn’t allowed a moment’s rest, your remote workforce can pick up the slack and hold the shop together via online effort. There are a plethora of reasons that remote work is going to revolutionize America and the global corporate society long after the pandemic is over.
4 Trends to Watch For
Re-clarifying goals
Whatever was designated from the onset of your business might need an overhaul. Coronavirus has disrupted life, work, relationships, the global economy, and the environment. Remote work could toss out old nine to five working regimens in favor of more streamlined processes. Being in an office and having scheduled onsite meetings or check-ins may have you feeling somewhat micro-managed and unproductive in the past, whereas working from home provides motivation from freedom of choice, tending to family responsibilities and knowing how to juggle them, and re-clarifying team goals that favor restructuring.
Decreased labor costs
If you’re a startup and need to monitor every last penny, it might be essential to rely on remote workers who are willing to learn and pivot with the early stages of funding and marketing. Lowered labor costs can profoundly impact your bottom line from the onset, which lends itself to better work-life balance and saved commute times to and from the business. Since well-being and mental health have become frontrunners in working environments, remote work decreases labor costs and adds to happier and more productive employees.
Modern technology upgrades
The internet has completely transformed the way the global workforce tasks and plays. Work-from-home structured setups have to integrate new technology to accommodate the upgrades and remain successful. Teams need to develop an understanding that every new technological methodology implemented during the pandemic is likely to remain. It’s vital the businesses pay attention to the technology being used during COVID-19, as that’s the long-term usage tool which emphasizes project management, customer engagement, communication, and tracking team member collaborative success.
Place an emphasis on personal interactions
Working from home can make you feel lonely and disconnected from the real world, which leads to less productivity, motivation, and engagement. Project managers and business leaders may have a sense of anxiety over how to maintain a positive mindset during a remote-only workforce during a pandemic. You might even tend to focus solely on tasks and responsibilities and less on the personal touch with your employees. It’s a challenge, however it’s crucial to keep everyone in mind, schedule one-on-one meetings, and remember you and your team are human and doing their best.
Looking to the future
Structuring your workday has innumerable benefits for a remote setting. Businesses need to be mindful and pay attention to both the strengths and weaknesses of team members and how to alleviate any confusing messages. The saying “it takes a village” has never been more so evident than during these dramatic health-related times. As you look toward the future and what that means for your large organization, small business, or startup venture, keep in mind that baby steps are required for integration as trends change all of the time.
Creating flexibility with telecommuting is akin to an experiment, as several office-type employees are undergoing internal changes on how to safely and successfully manage their time. Now more than ever, leaders and managers of businesses need to implement compassion and care when dealing with remote workers who are ready to get back to “the way things used to be.” The new normal requires kid gloves and patience for all involved.
Boosting productivity long after the pandemic is over demands clear-cut communication and updating your remote team members on policy changes, project briefs, and any other new specific strategy measures that can help achieve your best results with team member satisfaction.