Where and how we work isn’t what it used to be.
Remote and hybrid working skyrocketed when the pandemic forced many people to remain at home, and plenty of us are still there, logging on and getting to work without the everyday commute.
Businesses supporting their employees to work remotely have been proven to gain competitive advantages in return. Not only do flexible workers report a higher level of job satisfaction, but according to a recent CIPD report, their increased engagement could generate 43% more revenue and 20% better job performance.
For many business owners, however, the physical disconnect of a dispersed team can feel difficult to lead. Are you worried about or already experiencing remote working problems?
Read on to find out how you can make flexible working arrangements run smoothly for your business.
Objection 1: My Team Will Be Less Productive
Whilst this is a very common worry, many business owners experience quite the opposite.
Employees working from home have a better work-life balance. They can clock in and get their tasks done from a place of comfort and ease. Add in no commute, fewer office distractions, and a lack of unnecessary meetings and remote working can make for a more streamlined day. Because of this, remote and hybrid workers often get more done with less stress.
It’s not always a walk in the park, though. Many business owners with a keen eye for potential remote working problems choose to use content management systems and CRMs to keep track of tasks efficiently and keep conversations flowing. Is YOUR IT infrastructure up to the job?
Tech might not have even crossed your mind, but setting up adequate IT solutions, with the right levels of automation and interface, ensures lines of communication are wide open and motivation levels remain high.
And what about your employee’s internet speed? It better be fast enough to support video chats with colleagues and clients, because video calls and conferencing are tools integral to making sure operations run smoothly. Consider paying for domestic packages for your people to make their job easier and client relationships a top priority.
Objection 2: My Team Will Get Lonely!
Loneliness is fast reaching epidemic levels worldwide, so it’s only natural to worry that your people might suffer without their team and wider organisation rallying around them.
In reality, preventing loneliness and uniting remote workers comes down to the way you, their leader, handle the whole thing. It’s your responsibility to create a role that works for everyone, a whole-person solution that’s not focused purely on results.
How to go about it? Communication is key. Check in with your employees individually through regular phone chats and video calls, and bring everyone together in full-team meetings hosted using virtual meeting software. For the latter, be sure to have an agenda set out ahead of time to make things flow more smoothly on the call. There’s nothing worse than everyone speaking at once, not getting your messages across and your employees thinking it’s a complete waste of time.
Another way of eliminating remote working problems such as loneliness and disconnection is to consider hybrid working. Hybrid workers can work flexibly from a variety of different locations, meaning they’re able to access the social aspect of office work as well as the comfort of homeworking.
Objection 3: My Team Won’t Have Access To All Documents At Home
Not having access to the right bits and pieces can be a source of serious frustration for both employees and leaders alike. It’s these excruciating remote working problems that put leaders and managers off the idea in the first place.
If you’re serious about rolling out remote working initiatives in your workplace, investing in cloud storage is THE way to make sure everyone has what they need to do their job.
Cloud storage is the most efficient and convenient way to store data. With access to documents stored in your business’ cloud, multiple people can work on files at the same time and even see changes in real time. Sharing files becomes super simple, and data is synchronised across devices so that you can safely and securely log in from wherever you happen to be.
By storing data in a cloud, not only do you also forego the need to maintain in-house storage networks, but it’s scalable. You only need to pay for what you use and can up storage capacity by upgrading your service plan.
Objection 4: My Team Needs Access To Software On Our Devices In The Office
The last one of our featured remote working problems can feel like a huge blocker in the realm of remote and hybrid working. Perhaps your business uses particularly expensive or elite software that you can’t afford to duplicate across devices, or maybe the sensitive nature of the data within the programmes isn’t suitable to be kept in a home setting.
Whatever the reason, these days, nothing is impossible. Making sure everyone has what they need to remain as efficient as they have been in the office, remote support software is a key enabler in home and hybrid flexible work models.
Remote support technology can be leveraged to link work-from-anywhere employees up with devices in a business office setting, and also means IT support teams can still resolve technical issues by dialling into employees’ devices and computers, wherever they are in the world.
Prep The Ground To Easily Combat Remote Working Problems
Embracing remote and flexible working can boost employee wellness and enhance productivity levels. If you find the right support to back up all the good work.
Whilst setting out clear processes to keep in regular contact and ensure everyone remains visible is crucial to keeping people motivated and heard, what’s equally important is providing a strong IT infrastructure to make sure your people can actually do their job. After all, employees who feel encumbered by rubbish systems, enraged by processes that fall flat and weary of cloud storage that loads at the pace of a snail are not going to be giving you their best.
Have you thought about telecom providers yet? Who’s in control of your business internet at the moment?
Don’t add poor service and a slow response rate to your list of remote working problems. Read our latest blog, ‘5 Reasons To Avoid The Big Telecoms Providers‘ For Your Business Internet, and ensure you engage in flexible working from the strongest starting point possible.