Remote working is not a new trend anymore. With the widespread use of the internet, it is much easier for people to do business where they are comfortable instead of being locked in one building all day long.
As a matter of fact, many companies tend to move their offices into smaller spaces or even offer work-from-home options for their employees if they are located in metropolitan areas because it helps them save on more expensive commercial leases.
What was needed to switch to remote working.
Even before the pandemic of telecommuting, companies have been looking for ways tomaximize the productivity of their employees and help them perform optimally.
For instance, there was a real estate company in the US that made their employees refrain from eating meat before noon.
The reason they did this was that the owners wanted to make sure their employees are sharp enough to perform well in the afternoon, which was usually very intense after lunchtime.
Although there might be little to no scientific evidence that eating meat cause people to be sleepy or lose focus, there were companies that have been pushing for telecommuting or working from home just to increase the productivity of their workers.
The Pros and Cons of Remote Working
Is making the switch to remote working help your business? Well, it depends on your business type and situation. For instance, if you are in the IT industry it might be easier for you to perform better as a work-from-home employee because you will have a lot of complex tasks.
On the other hand, if your job requires you to be physically present around others, then working from home might not suit your needs. In this case, it is best if you find a co-working
space near where you live or work at least once or twice a week to build rapport with your colleagues.
Here are the questions that you need to ask yourself before you decide to switch your office into a work-from-home or co-working space.
1. Is my business location conducive to remote working?
2. Is my employee's work physically performed in the office?
3. Do I have a team that is distributed in different geographical locations?
4. Will my employees have the needed support from management when working from home?
These questions can be answered by your employees and management. The most important thing is to know if everyone is on the same page and that means you and your staff need to be open to the idea of remote working.
Guidelines to Boost Productivity in Your Remote Team
1. Get the Right Remote Working Tools
If you don’t have the right remote working tools, then working from home can be very challenging. In fact, you will spend a lot of time figuring out how to get the things you need instead of focusing on your work.
What are the tools that you need to perform optimally in your job? Here are some common tools that can help you boost your productivity in your remote working environment:
· Email Client
· Project Management
· Team Collaboration
· File Sharing
· Social Networks
· Video Conferencing
· Virtual Meetings
2. Always Maintain Open Communication Lines
Regular communications lines with remote teams are very important. In fact, a big chunk of your productivity depends on how you manage different issues that might come up from time to time.
Don't just rely on emailing or instant messaging because it can be cumbersome and ineffective in some cases. It is best if you develop a culture where everyone shares their thoughts and ideas to help the team stay on track.
3. Find a Co-Working Space Near You
After some time working from home, you might realize that not everyone is productive the moment they sit behind their computer.
That's why it is best if you and your team can hold meetings in a co-working space instead of working from home. This way, you can find different ways to boost productivity by having discussions or engaging in brainstorming sessions.
4. Strengthen company culture
Strong company culture can be created by finding events or activities that can help your team connect with each other.
Having a remote working environment doesn't mean you don't have to meet face-to-face or create physical connections as a team. You need to find ways to keep the bond between your employees strong and vibrant, even if they are miles apart from one another.
5. Remote Teams Are Here to Stay
If there is anything that the COVID-19 pandemic taught us, it is that remote working can be very challenging because of the small number of global interactions.
However, with the help of technology and tools, you are able to overcome this obstacle by communicating fast even if you are miles apart from each other. The future is here and it's all about remote teams.
