As one of 2017s biggest trends, many businesses began noticing the innumerable benefits that remote working has to offer. 2018 is sure to be a year where these benefits come to fruition for many business owners.
With a recent Forbes report claiming that…
As much as 68% of all workers in the US alone will be working remotely in the not-too-distant future, 2018 seems like as good a time as any to enable remote working for your teams and gain that edge over your competitors.
However, taking that first step into unknown territory is always going to be tricky without the right information—which is precisely why we’ve composed a list of important things to consider when setting up remote working in your own business.
Invest in the right technology.
One of the main reasons remote working has become so popular is due to the widespread availability and affordability of cloud technology and the many features it can offer to help improve the communications of a business and also provide instant access to files and colleagues without having to leave your house.
Instant communication with colleagues using a reputable UC solution such as RingCentral Office ensures remote workers are given an all-in-one solution that enables them to easily collaborate with colleagues and engage with customers on a number of different platforms from any location with working internet access.
Encourage collaboration.
If you asked remote workers what they most missed about working in an office, I don’t think anyone would mention the commute. But meeting with colleagues and collaborating with them is up there. Ensuring that your remote workers are able to communicate clearly, share ideas, and work together as a unit rather than individuals is of crucial importance, which is why finding a good team collaboration app such as RingCentral Glip should be one of your top priorities.
Enabling home workers to feel part of the team, become immersed in the company culture, and gain social interaction stops them feeling alienated.
Included in the RingCentral Office package, Glip allows users to communicate in real time through various channels, including IM, voice calling, video conferencing, email, and much more, all from a single app that can be accessed via the internet at any time and on any compatible computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, keeping your employees connected to the team wherever they may be.
Monitor performance and set deadlines.
One of the major concerns for many people thinking of starting a remote working policy is the level of control they will have over their staff and how productive they will work outside of an office environment.
However, sources have shown that remote working actually increases staff productivity by as much as 40%, with one of the main benefits of providing flexibility enabling some home workers to work unusual hours to fit around personal circumstances but still get the job done. Features such as Task Manager and integrations into other cloud services like Trello on RingCentral Glip allow you to set targets, put deadlines in place for each of your employees, and track progress and updates, thus keeping them on track and allowing you to easily monitor their performance.
Remember to check in.
With this report showing that…
86% of employees and executives blamed a lack of collaboration within a team as impacting the outcome of a task or project, it’s important to do everything you can to ensure your staff are happy and on track with their targets.
Whether you extend a quick ‘hello’ on IM in the morning or a midweek progress update via video conference with all your staff, remote workers appreciate you staying in touch, and having open lines of communication to keep remote workers connected and informed is key. If possible, maximise the use of video chats where you both switch on your video and have a regular face-to-face catch up.
Originally published 19 Mar, 2020, updated 13 Jan, 2023
