Business
Remote Work Best Practices: A Guide for Employers
In 2022, about 56 percent of the U.S. workforce is remote, a sharp increase from 17 percent before the COVID-19 pandemic reached our shores. This number will keep rising, signaling a new way of life for workers.
As an employer, you’ve no choice but to ensure a smooth transition to a remote work model. You’ll certainly encounter several challenges along the way, but with proper preparation, you’ll beat them.
To help you find success running a remote workforce, we’re sharing a few handy remote work best practices you should always observe.
Read on to learn more!
Invest in the Best Technology
Technology is the primary enabler of remote work. Without it, it’s impossible for workers to collaborate with colleagues and access your company’s systems.
Yes, it’s possible to get a fair amount of work done with just a laptop and an internet connection, but for maximum productivity, both your organization and its employees need to have the best tech tools for working from home,
Top on your list should be a virtual desktop solution. If you’ve just begun the transition to remote work, your workers already have their stations in the office. A virtual or cloud desktop solution enables them to remotely connect to their computers at work from anywhere and from any device.
Collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams should be next on your list. And, if your company doesn’t provide remote employees with computers and other hardware, it’s prudent to help them acquire the best.
Remote Hiring
In a world where working from home is becoming the norm, employers have to embrace remote hiring. The days of summoning job applicants to the office and interviewing them are numbered.
Thankfully, with online job boards, applicant verification services, and video conferencing tools like Zoom, hiring remotely isn’t difficult. However, take measures to verify applicant identities and credentials to avoid falling victim to scammers.
You also need to develop processes for onboarding your new remote hires. Create digital onboarding videos, documents, and other helpful material to help new hires settle in.
Workplace Culture
If your entire workforce is remote, the need to maintain the right workplace culture can take a backseat. It shouldn’t! Maintaining a strong workplace culture promotes employee satisfaction and strengthens your brand as an organization.
Set culture policies that your remote team members have to adhere to, especially when collaborating and communicating online. Make a point to check on your workers individually, understand their challenges, and strive to address them.
Running a rewards program also goes a long way to strengthening your workplace culture.
Follow These Remote Work Best Practices
Working remotely is the future of work. Employers and employees alike have to embrace the new normal and find ways to stay productive.
As an employer, though, there’s a lot more at stake. It is your job to ensure your remote workforce is firing on all cylinders. For that to happen, observe these remote work best practices.
Browse our blog for more workplace tips and guides.
Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at [email protected].
