The world looks pretty different than it did in 2020. Since the lockdowns and remote working started, businesses have found significant challenges in enabling teams to work from home, especially around productivity, security, resiliency and collaboration.
Finding new solutions to these problems will help businesses, in the long run, to increase agility and improve productivity, but only if the right foundations are put in place first.
But one thing is for sure: remote working is here to stay.
So, here are our top three tips for adapting to a successful homeworking strategy.
Choose scalable connectivity
Your team now has all the physical hardware it needs – laptops, video conferencing software, wrist rests and second screens – so that’s mission accomplished, right? Wrong. Your homeworker’s communication is only as effective as the internet connection. The residential connections we all rely on at home are not fast, reliable or secure enough to handle business usage. Internet services for businesses are built to include several devices and network-level security features to protect operations from malicious sites, hackers and misuse. Considering that homeworking is here to stay, it’s time to look further than office connectivity. Look to bring remote workers’ internet connections in line with those used at office sites. There are plenty of benefits to be had.
Supporting remote working is essential for businesses looking to protect their future success. By broadening the scope of your network to your team’s home offices, you can take back control of your system’s performance. You’ll gain a more detailed insight into team performance and the efficiency of your operation.
Collaboration with clarity
Businesses need to ensure homeworkers don’t fall victim to endless meetings and video calls. But they need to provide connectivity that supports high usage. Keeping staff morale high is essential. So, look for tools that enable your workers to communicate in different and more personal ways. IM software like Microsoft Teams, and MiCollab, are perfect for quick conversations. Including emojis and GIFs makes communication more enjoyable and more responsive than traditional email.
As some return to the office part-time, we will start to see more hybrid meetings, with some office attendees and others from home. Therefore, it’s even more essential to correct the process by ensuring remote employees feel involved and part of the team.
Expect distraction and work around it.
Make time for regular check-ins that accommodate individual circumstances. Employees can work around their existing constraints, so set your expectations and offer flexible ways for staff to meet them.
One person might prefer a check-in email at the end of the day, or another may like to correspond over IM throughout the day. As long as you consider their home/life balance when working out deadlines, you should keep your team happy and (relatively) stress-free.
Keeping in touch is more important than ever. With a rich stack of tech in place, you can host quick and effective check-ins with your team. Collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams and MiCollab allow people to see when each other is busy or when they’re on calls. This enables workers to use their time better, not calling colleagues already in meetings, or on lunch, for example.
Ultimately, allowing staff to take better and more control over their time by providing the right tools means your business can become more productive. A robust remote working policy with our products and services can enable you to do just that. Get in touch and discover how we can help you adapt to the new normal.
For more information, contact our expert sales team at sales@soconnect.co.uk or call us on 0333 240 1824
