We may be into a new year, but that doesn’t mean that things are changing yet with regard to working from home. The pandemic we’re all dealing with has changed the way that we work drastically, but that doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been some positive changes in business. The fact is that this is something that has proven that people can work from home and businesses ARE managing that pretty well. This means that when the pandemic is over, workplaces can offer more flexibility and efficiency to their staff than they previously could.
The problems often arise for a business when it comes to IT issues. Knowing how to prevent Wi-Fi dead spots, how to keep your staff from having their data compromised with the wrong VPN – there are issues that will occur and these can lead to less productivity. Working from home can often mean more distractions, too, and that is another thing that you need to manage as an employer. You want to keep your team connected and throwing everything at that will ensure that people are successful as they work from home, too. So, here’s how to do it:
- The Right Tech. Your team needs all of the right tools to remain productive, and it’s up to you to provide those tools for them. If you want people to stay motivated, then having the best IT agency on your side will help, as they can keep your team connected and catch any issues if any arise. You can also use the right software as well as the right hardware and that includes equipping teams with new technologies that allow managers to track projects and manage employee movement. These are secure apps and they allow file sharing between teams, too!
- Daily Check-In. You won’t have daily face time with your staff but that doesn’t mean that you can’t check in and make sure that they’re feeling okay. You have to keep those connections strong, enabling you and your staff to establish a great rapport. Morning check-ins and live chats can keep that social connection going, even when people are working from home and busy.
- Offer Support. As an employer, it’s in your best interest to provide as much support as possible to your employees and that goes beyond that which you are currently doing. You want to ensure that during a fully remote set up, you can be available to your staff and you can help those who are still mentally trying to adapt to the new measures. Remote work is unfamiliar to most and if you can offer support with therapies and counselling, then offer those services as much as possible.
- Dress The Part. While your staff shouldn’t have to dress up in suits and ties to be in their living rooms, it would be a good idea to encourage everyone to at least get dressed! So many people stick to pyjamas while they’re working from home, but it can be better to step into a working mindset if you encourage everyone to get up and get dressed for the day. It doesnt change the workload, of course, but it can change the mindset of your employees.
- Keep Team Building. No one likes icebreakers, but everyone loves a team-builder. Talk to your team about what would motivate them the most and get their input about their future. It’s so important to keep those non-work-related interactions up and you can facilitate this with quiz nights and live chat between the team members. Virtual water coolers, if you will!