How to Develop a Remote Working Option for Your Team
Let’s face it, not many businesses and corporations saw this global pandemic and its current effects coming. Some organizations may have resorted to implementing some emergency development plans like remote working as a result of this but not many employers have the capacity to maintain this flexible work plan.
The benefits of remote working during this time are progressively clear, because it will ensure that employees are safe, well and alive enough to come back to work when this pandemic blows over.
Nevertheless, it is important to know what needs to be in place to develop a remote working option and its other benefits, not just for employees but, for the organization at large.
What is a Remote Working Option?
Remote work is a type of work arrangement that allows employees to work from anywhere without the confinement of the office environment. It can also be referred to as teleworking, telecommuting, flexible working or mobile work.
A remote work option is vital for organizations that desire to manage people at lower cost, access to a global talent pool and increase employee retention. However, to achieve this feat, one of the most crucial element in achieving a successful remote work plan is by creating a policy that backs it.
A remote working policy is a defined policy establishing a clear plan for employees to be productive from anywhere, regardless.
In our constantly evolving and globalized business world, many organizations are starting to view remote work as an important part of hiring and retaining top talent, staying competitive in their field and even saving business costs.
In order to manage your human capital during a state of emergency, technology or man-made disaster, it is important to know the infrastructure that should be in place to develop a remote work plan.
- First is to identify key roles in the business operations and ensure these functions can run while working remotely. Not everyone may be able to work remotely but when critical job functions are determined, it will shed more light on how the business can be run outside the confines of the office environment.
- Next is to ascertain the business’ technological capacity. Ensure that you have the support in place to assist with IT related problems that will arise and swiftly provide sufficient security and privacy protocols to prevent the disclosure of the business’ confidential data.
- Get your inventory team to take an account of all work tools your employees will need to get their jobs done efficiently. This could include laptops, desktop computers, monitors, phones, printers, chargers, office supplies, similar materials.
- Develop a remote work policy as it relates to the specific situation. This is the most crucial aspect of your plan as it would outline what’s expected when working remotely. The policy should be clear, show appropriate communication channels and how to keep data safe. It should also inform employees about their legal rights when working remotely. This can be confusing when employees don’t have traditional working hours or locations.
- Establish clear rules about working from home and communicate by scheduling regular check-ins for employees to discuss their work in a one-on-one setting. Continuous information dissemination through appropriate communication channels among team members is important.
A policy is only as good as the results it brings in, especially when it concerns a shift from in-office work to remote work. Unlike a traditional office setting, it’s difficult to see what folks are working on when remote. A good policy will focus on what managers expect from their employees and how they will measure success.
Every role is different, so measures of success are different for every team. Customer support will value the numbers of callers assisted rather than the number of hours they reported working. Some result-oriented metrics include the number of projects finished in a week or the number of hours worked.
Remote work is a beneficial aspect of the 21st-century workplace. Enabling remote work shows your employees you care about their work-life balance and trust them to do what’s best for their productivity. By establishing a clear policy about remote work, you ensure both your employees and your business reap the rewards.
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