Working from home has been something that came from the pandemic but is very much the norm now and a lot of companies allow it to be a part of how their business runs. There are a lot of benefits to having employees work from home. It can save money on space, utilities and commercial property expenses. It also gives employees more freedom and can increase their work and life balance as well as make them happier being in the comfort of their homes. As this is a relatively new thing to the working world, these 7 do-s and don’t-s are helpful to keep in mind when having remote employees.
By Team Savant
Image: Lucija Ros
Remember To Congratulate Successful Employees
Maintaining a work-life balance while being a working parent can be tough. You must use every effort to ensure that you don't overlook rewarding your employees who work from home and put in extra hours. This is a straightforward yet typical strategy used by totally remote businesses that prosper from flexible work arrangements. The most important thing is to be conscious of the pressures and difficulties involved in working remotely and to ensure that you're doing everything in your power to support them. Otherwise, they risk feeling inferior to other workers in terms of worth and appreciation.
Set Limits Between Your Personal And Work Time
It can be challenging to distinguish between work and personal time when you no longer have the physical break of leaving the office and making the commute home at the end of the working day. Since work is always available thanks to technology, remote workers frequently want to be reachable at all times to demonstrate that they are working just as hard at home. Since there is no physical separation, many remote employees may experience constant work mode, which heightens stress levels already present.
Boundaries must be established by remote workers. Managers can accomplish this by encouraging boundaries for their workers' work and demonstrating their trust in them.
Support For Mental Health
Your employees may or may not be able to request an appointment with an internal counsellor. If your business lacks the funding to hire its counsellor, you can still try to increase mental health awareness through education and/or other support programmes. You can also get experts in to help talk to staff on how to deal with their mental health, what signs to look out for and how to look after your mental health in the workplace or while working at home.
Consult With Staff More Frequently
Remote work settings that are healthier and more productive are supported by frequent and effective communication. Younger workers who may be just entering the workforce and are still adjusting to office conventions should pay particular attention to it. Digital tools like videoconferencing and messaging platforms can assist close the communication gap even though you may not be able to visit every employee's desk as frequently as you could when you were all in the same office.
Avoid Trying To Micromanage
When your staff is working remotely, you shouldn't have to keep an eye on them in the same way that you do when they are in the office. Regular one-on-one check-ins allow managers to keep an eye on workers while avoiding micromanaging and giving them a chance to ensure that feedback is given both ways. You can have confidence that your staff members are working hard and performing their jobs efficiently if they are communicating clearly and meeting deadlines.
Offer the Same Tools And Technology
The same benefits that are provided to office staff or required as part of their job roles for remote employees should also be made available to them. A company laptop or phone, an office chair, and computer software are a few examples. As well as the support when things go wrong, have a good company or department that you can rely on to have a secure VPN, a well-running network to make sure things don’t crash and people at home can access the same systems. You can get help from businesses here.
Maintain A Schedule
Traditional working hours are not what they once were, which can result in varying definitions of what constitutes work time. Because of this, it's crucial to urge staff members to follow a schedule and uphold clear separations between "work" and "home" time. You might advise your staff to try waking up at or near their customary time and swap out their commute for a walk around the neighbourhood or a trip to the park.