4 Benefits of Working Remotely

Remote work has become one of the preferred models amongst employees and employers. Due to its various benefits, it has become the new working behavior. If you should adopt it, take time out of your busy schedule and read this article to review its benefits thoroughly. By doing so, you can decide whether remote work aligns with your lifestyle or career goals.

This article takes a deep dive into the advantages of working from home or remote locations.

Remote work is becoming increasingly popular as big and small enterprises contemplate cutting costs.

Remote work is the best way to do it. Although it does come with many benefits, one challenge that may make you skeptical is the inaccessibility to a stable internet connection.

Benefits of Working Remotely: eAskme

We have taken the matter into our own hands and suggest you look for Xfinity in your area since it is not only superfast but also comes with state-of-the-art Wi-Fi, making the whole process seamless.

By signing yourself up for Xfinity Internet, you will be able to achieve optimal results. You can get in touch about plan details on the Xfinity customer service phone number and find the best plan suited to your usage needs.

With this essential utility at your disposal, you can enjoy the benefits of remote work.

1. Flexible Work Schedule:

Depending on your company’s policies about the required daily working hours, you can take advantage of it and work flexibly. Even better, if you are a freelancer or perhaps have a small business, you don’t have to be accountable to anyone and can pick the time that suits you the most.

As a result, you can become more productive and efficient because everyone is well aware of their capabilities. This also allows you to pursue other things, such as taking classes or running errands.

2. Cost Cutting on Commute and Food:

One of the biggest concerns of today’s age is inflation. The hike in gas and food prices is undoubtedly a matter of concern. You have to spend money on food while going to the office. Plus, some companies encourage employees to hang out with their colleagues after working hours, so you must spend some money.

By the end of the month, it becomes difficult for you to save up any amount.

On the other hand, remote work helps cut the cost of commuting, food, and happy hour. Consequently, you save up even more than you need.

3. Save Time:

Here is the thing: when you have to go to the office, you also have to wake up at least two hours earlier than your shift. You must shower, eat breakfast, get ready, commute, and then reach the office within the limited and strict time frame.

This eats up all your energy, which leaves you lethargic for the rest of the day. The same goes for the end of the shift when you are exhausted but must take the ride home. You are left with no energy to cook dinner, and you settle for a takeaway or, worse, some leftovers or ramen, affecting your health badly.

Remote working gives you the edge to wake up whenever you want, eat breakfast peacefully without rushing out of the door, and have time to cook all your meals. This helps you stay fit and healthy.

4. Better Work-Life Balance:

When you have the flexibility to work at your preferred hours, you can also easily separate your personal and work life. Going to the office can consume a lot of your time and energy. As a result, you hardly take time out to hang out with your friends or family.

But when you work from your own place and at your preferred time, you can take control of your work-life balance.

You can drop your kids off at school, do the grocery shopping, attend a yoga class, drink with your friends, or go on a date. This can all be done once you master how to separate your personal life from your work life while working remotely.

Conclusion:

Remote work has a ring to it, and all of this is because of its various advantages. This article discusses the primary and most appealing benefits of this new preferred model.

So, if you have been wondering whether to go for it or not, we hope you will be able to make up your mind after reading this article

Good managers keep their teams together because they know how to care.

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Key Strategies to Boost Remote Team Engagement

Welcome to remote work! Did you know that remote work is by far one of the most prevalent strategies of a modern work culture? 

After all, it offers all the flexibility and convenience employees have been dreaming about for years! Unfortunately, it’s not all sunshine and roses, as remote work also comes with a unique set of challenges that can drive engagement issues.

 Key Strategies to Boost Remote Team Engagement: eAskme

 

Where do engagement issues come from, you ask? The top 3 culprits are the following: 

Lack of face-to-face interactions: 

One of the primary reasons remote teams struggle with engagement problems is that people rely on face-to-face interactions to build social connections. 

The particular personal touch, which we all know in on-site office settings, can be challenging to replicate virtually.  

Communication barriers: 

Sure, we all know how to talk to one another. However, for remote teams, relying on digital tools can affect the quality of communication. 

This could create misunderstandings and, ultimately, feelings of isolation.

Distraction at home: 

It’s not to be distracted when working from home. Whether it’s the doorbell ringing or the sound of your loved ones, the remote working environment can be distracting. 

And we all know what happens when we get distracted: We start to feel disengaged.

Being disengaged is not the problem here. It’s all about the consequences of disengagement. For instance, a remote team that struggles with engagement tends to show a drop in productivity. 

Besides, the lack of engagement can affect team morale. People get frustrated at little things. Team members become distant.

Finally, when employees do not feel a strong bond with the organization anymore, they are more likely to seek employment elsewhere, which can increase turnover rates.

Therefore, it is crucial to explore effective strategies to re-engage remote teams and mitigate these issues.

Creating team-building activities for remote teams

Team building activities are absolutely central to a cohesive, engaged team. They are important for teams who work in the same office, and they are even more important for remote teams. 

Team building is all about creating a sense of belonging among team members. Teams who work in the same physical space rely on everyday physical interactions, such as saying “hello” at the coffee machine! But, for teams who work remotely, it’s another kettle of fish.

How can remote teams best cultivate the feeling of togetherness even though they never get to sit together? They can participate in playful and fun activities online, such as quizzes online escape rooms. Besides, there’s a lot to be said about digital one-to-one meetings. 

One-to-one setups, even if they happen online, can help create connections with essential members of the team. They establish connections that transcend physical distances as they share common experiences outside of a work setting.

It’s worth also noting that more and more companies have introduced digital coffee breaks and conversation-focused chat rooms as part of their cooperative digital platforms. 

So, remote employees can enjoy a break and a chat together without needing to talk about work. 

In short, it’s time to schedule a digital coffee break of 15 minutes or so with your remote team. Make it casual, make it fun, and, more importantly, make it a safe place for people to be their authentic selves.

Helping remote teams work more productively

Working remotely can seriously affect your everyday routine. After all, when you don’t have to get ready for the office and commute to work, every day can merge into the same experience where there is no clear distinction between work time and leisure time. So, it’s tough to feel connected with the company!

That is why it can be helpful to create a practical guide for your remote workers. This could offer some guidance on how to build a routine to work from home. 

Simple tips such as getting dressed as if heading to the office can help remote team members mentally shift into work mode. This small ritual creates a clear distinction between work and personal life.

Another useful tip is to encourage your team to create a designated home office space at home. More often than not, companies can help remote workers partially fund their home office setup. It’s an important space that’s free from distractions and helps them find their work focus again.

The bottom line: Creating a daily routine provides structure to the workday, even if the workday is spent at home.This helps remote teams reclaim a sense of routine and normalcy, and ultimately, it is also linked to their engagement with the job at hand.

Monitoring Time

How do you manage time efficiently when working from home? The answer is complex. Remote work is challenging when it comes to time management.

Firstly, when there are no clear boundaries between the home and the office, remote teams can work hard to know when to stop. Those who work from home tend to work longer working hours. Yet, it’s not necessarily beneficial for the company: 

They are more stressed and become gradually more and more disengaged. So, it’s the opposite of a productivity benefit!

What happens when remote teams struggle to manage their time efficiently? The opposite of a productivity benefit, as mentioned above, is a drop in productivity. But that’s not all! 

Remote teams are often overworked, which means your employees working from home are more likely to experience burnout. 

Naturally, their mind encounters increasing difficulties in staying focused and engaged the more stress they experience. 

In the long term, remote workers often look for new opportunities with fewer responsibilities to recover.

So, it appears crucial to introduce remote employee time and attendance trackers that can help prevent these issues before you lose your team! While attendance trackers can often be associated with a controlling environment, for overworked remote teams, this could be the freedom they had long lost!

The importance of trust

Sure, implementing attendance trackers and other remote work management tools can help address issues that damage your team’s engagement, but is it enough? You’ve guessed it: Tools can only do so much! The cornerstone of an engaged remote team is trust. 

Trust is a two-way street: employers should trust their remote employees to do their work, and employees should feel trusted by their managers.

When remote employees are trusted, they can work independently without the burden of constant micromanagement. There’s more than a feel-good sensation here. Working independently empowers remote workers to take ownership of their tasks. 

As such, they feel more valued and respected. They also connect at a much deeper level with the company’s objectives. To put it simply, removing micromanagement methods can make them feel a lot more engaged with the business.

The problem with remote work is that a lot of managers need to be more familiar with managing employees who do not sit in the same office. 

Many managers worry about their lack of control on a virtual team, which is why micromanagement arises. Micromanagement is nothing but a lack of trust. And truth be told, employees who do not feel trusted instantly distance themselves from the business.

Clear communication channels

Working remotely means being able to communicate effectively and clearly in a setting where you don’t sit physically together. So how does this work? 

The pandemic has highlighted many innovative tools, such as messaging platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams for real-time communication.

Yet, having the tools doesn’t mean you have the skills to communicate digitally. Digital communication is complex for many reasons:

• You can’t hear the tone of voice of a person
• Most people use a different language when they write than when they speak, and this can create some distance, too

That’s where it becomes crucial to make the most of the digital tools available to you. Chat groups, video calls, emojis, and gifs are growing in popularity as collaborative tools. 

Why? Because they convey the familiarity, you lose when you can’t talk face-to-face.

They can also help clarify the context of the communication. For instance, adding a friendly emoji at the end of a sentence will show that the tone is friendly. 

Responding to a work discussion with a funny gif can immediately get rid of tensions. Having a short video call can help people see eye-to-eye when they can’t agree on the same message sent by email.

The bottom line: Use all the options in your digital channels without worrying about maintaining a professional voice for your internal discussion. Remote workers need friendly engagement to bond!

Engagement holds the team together. When people feel engaged, they connect with the company’s vision. They appreciate it. They support it. More importantly, they embody it. Being disengaged is not just a case of stopping caring about the business. 

Disengagement is an epidemic that starts in neglected remote teams and can spread to the rest of the business and even your customers!

So, of course, you want to make sure your remote employees still feel connected with your brands. Hopefully, these few strategies can give you the starting point you need to reconnect with your team.

But, one thing is for sure in 2023. Remote work is here to stay. As such, we know that engagement will remain an issue in the years to come. What more can you do to enhance remote team engagement in the ever-evolving landscape of digital work?

The quest for innovative tech solutions that will bridge the gaps between team members and the business continues. But, before looking for the next tool, take the time to go back to basics. 

Good managers keep their teams together because they know how to care.

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5 Best Ways Motivate Engage Remote Teams

Remote work isn't a new concept. Many companies have had remote employees for years.

Many companies have employees located in different locations but are productive, engaged, and motivated.

The increasing trend of remote work and online learning has significantly changed how people work and study.

Best Ways to Motivate and Engage Remote Teams: eAskme

 

With just a few clicks, students can now access various homework help websites like domyhomework123 and get the assistance they need.

However, the same cannot be said for employees who face work-related challenges while working remotely.

It cannot be easy to keep a remote team motivated and engaged. They often miss the familiarity of working in an office. Regular Zoom meetings are a great way to replace lost physical interaction; some have already experienced burnout.

Finding the right resources and support can be daunting, especially in the absence of in-person communication. Employers must provide their remote workers with the necessary tools and resources to help them navigate these challenges successfully.

Effective management and communication can make a huge difference in ensuring employees feel supported and valued, even when working from home.

By providing remote workers with the right support, managers can help them stay motivated, productive, and engaged.

This article will discuss five ways to motivate and engage remote teams.

1. Establish clear goals

Fear of losing control is a major concern for many traditional businesses reluctant to move into virtual work environments.

Managers might see their employees in the office but not realize they are working remotely. Some may think their employees are resting and watching Netflix.

But people are better and work as hard as in the office.

Setting clear goals and tracking them is possible, which can help employees be more productive and less anxious for employers.

Instead of monitoring their progress hourly, set goals they must achieve within a week or month.

To make them feel more included, you can set team-based goals that encourage cooperation and collaboration. Team goals are different from individual goals.

They hold everyone accountable and encourage them to work towards a common goal.

Organizations can also implement performance management systems to standardize performance. This will allow managers to identify members and teams not meeting their goals.

Remote employees will also benefit from standardized evaluations and performance criteria that will allow them to see why they didn't get a promotion, salary raise, or bonus.

2. Offer growth opportunities

While employees embrace remote work and do everything they can to stay productive, many feel their careers may be in jeopardy.

Because employees who work in an office are more committed to their work than those who work remotely, this is why it is so common.

An organization can address this by providing clear career paths when hiring.

Communication with employees about what they can expect over the next few months and years will help keep them motivated and engaged. It will also reduce employee turnover.

They will be more interested in new opportunities within the company, knowing that they will be promoted.

They will accept the best offer from another competitor, which will increase training and hiring costs throughout the year.

3. Show your appreciation

In today's work culture, where the lines between work and personal life have blurred due to remote work, it's essential to acknowledge employees' challenges while working from home.

The pandemic has completely transformed how we work, and many employees struggle to adapt to this new normal.

For instance, parents with young children at home find balancing their work and home responsibilities particularly challenging.

The lack of face-to-face interaction with colleagues and supervisors can also make remote work feel isolating and demotivating.

Therefore, managers must make an extra effort to show appreciation and recognition to their remote employees.

Simple gestures like thanking them for their hard work, providing opportunities for professional development, and acknowledging their contributions during virtual team meetings can go a long way in boosting morale and motivating employees to do their best work.

Employees who feel appreciated and valued are more likely to feel invested in their work and committed to the company's success.

This can translate into increased productivity, improved job satisfaction, and lower turnover rates.

Managers can build a more engaged, productive, and loyal team by investing in their remote employees' well-being.

4. Invest in a culture that encourages connectivity

People want to feel included and connected. People want to share their life experiences, joys, failures, success stories, and many other things with their friends.

People seek to establish and maintain friendships with people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, races, and nationalities.

Companies can create a culture that encourages connectivity by allowing employees to freely share their life experiences.

A good way to begin a meeting is with a friendly conversation before moving on to serious stuff. Before the meeting, managers can reduce tension by asking their team what they plan to do for the weekend.

Another way to communicate with employees is to inform them about what's happening with their team members.

This allows them to celebrate milestones together and offer support and understanding when something happens in the personal lives of others.

5. Side projects

Employees created Google's Gmail and 3M's Post It notes as side projects.

This was because the companies allowed their workers to do their work.

Your company's creativity can be increased by allowing employees to work on relevant projects for the organization.

Giants like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Hewlett-Packard allow employees to dedicate time to side projects. Jooble, for example, gives 10% of its staff to work on new projects. They can also convert the time into hours or days.

Conclusion:

Remote work is the new norm, so companies must find new ways to motivate their employees.

While there are many advantages to having your employees work remotely, it is important that you keep them happy and motivated to do so.

Communicating clear goals and allowing your employees to reach them within their timeframes is important.

You should tell them about your company's career prospects and what they can expect if they are employed.

Recognize your team from time to time. You can create a place for them to meet and share non-work-related topics.

Let them work on side projects to help with their creativity. These projects could be great investments for your company.

Still have any question, do share via comments.

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5 Ways to Create More Transparency in the Workplace

Workplace transparency is becoming more than just a buzzword in the current business environment. As new waves of coronavirus cases hit, more businesses have shifted to remote work permanently. While this switch has provided employees with increased freedom and flexibility, it has also impacted their ability to support and respond to immediate organizational needs.

5 Ways to Create More Transparency in the Workplace: eAskme

A Washington Post report reveals that 30% of remote workers have lowered their productivity during the pandemic due to a lack of visibility of business processes.

Managers must introduce transparency into remote working to promote visibility and gain insights into their teams’ working habits.

This article outlines five ways business leaders can inject more transparency and maintain robust workplace relationships.

Give Employees Access to Information:

Essential information should always be readily available to your employees.

This includes information that’s not only related to specific projects and deadlines but also about the leaders overseeing the project.

An excellent way of doing that is adding comprehensive bios, like this one, that detail leaders’ roles, accomplishments, and skills.

Employees and other stakeholders can better align their goals with organizational leaders (and vice versa) by receiving access to this information.

It also prevents misaligned expectations and allows individuals to work toward their respective objectives without losing sight of the bigger picture.

Establish a Communication Plan:

Communication is a critical component of workplace transparency.

Without communication, transparency falls apart and affects how employees react and adapt to changes.

The challenge with remote work transparency is that employees typically operate in silos and create workflows that the rest of their peers may not comprehend.

This can result in employee friction and prevent remote teams from performing effectively.

By setting a communication plan, you can ensure that everyone knows who they need to reach for specific business problems and what you want them to understand.

This allows them to stay on the same page to complete directives while keeping your client relationships intact.

Ask for Feedback:

A feedback-rich culture where everyone is comfortable seeking and receiving feedback from colleagues and executives can stimulate change and business growth.

When employees are encouraged to deliver their opinions freely, they promote transparency with leadership by providing a precise and complete picture of their experiences.

This, in turn, allows you to pinpoint and correct the errors in your processes while setting your employees up for success.

Moreover, asking for feedback helps you put employees in the driver’s seat of their professional development.

A rule of thumb when instilling a feedback-rich culture is to ensure that business executives are the role models who set the tone of an honest and open business environment.

This means normalizing the process by highlighting a no-retaliation policy rather than only using feedback on fixed occasions.

Organize Team Building Activities:

The need for employee engagement is too hard to ignore, especially if teams are saturated across multiple geographic locations.

When remote employees are engaged, they’re more focused on helping you reach project objectives and less likely to get lost in the chain.

By organizing online team-building activities, you can establish more opportunities for workers to establish personal connections to minimize feelings of disconnection and isolation from colleagues.

When setting up team-building activities, first build a narrative that keeps everyone engaged.

Consider adding gameplay elements in your activities or perhaps establishing a culture of recognition that helps everyone feel satisfied and connected to their jobs.

Either way, prioritize organizing activities that reduce tension and foster camaraderie.

Share Business Performance:

Keeping your employees informed about positive and negative operational changes is another critical component of transparency.

Because many company leaders fear lowering worker morale, it’s not uncommon for some managers to cut employees out of the loop when challenges arise.

Although terrible news can undoubtedly damage the workplace culture, sharing business performance will make employees feel included and informed about your organizational operations.

It is, however, essential to use discretion when delivering negative news to your employees.

This means handling the matter calmly and precisely to avoid panic and empower workers to feel informed, included, and trusted.

Conclusion:

If your company’s culture follows old-school divisions that keep employees in the dark, it’s time to follow the lead of successful organizations that understand the value of corporate transparency.

For more on why transparency is beneficial to your company's health and how to implement it, read Buffer’s comprehensive guide here.

Still have any question, do share via comments.

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Staggering Solutions to Arrange Virtual Team Building Games to Improve Team Engagement

Ever since organizations switched to remote work, team engagement has been a concern.

Top executives have remained vocal that switching back to office work post-pandemic is quintessential to productivity and team engagement.

A post-pandemic survey conducted by a technology company has confirmed these fears that remote workers are two times less engaged than their office counterparts.

Staggering Solutions to Arrange Virtual Team Building Games to Improve Team Engagement: eAskme

While some organizations have switched to 100% office work post-pandemic, some have failed to do so.

Larger organizations have continued allowing some of their workforce to work remotely as a talent retention solution, while smaller organizations have switched to hybrid work.

In hybrid and remote work, organizations strive to increase employee engagement and resort to initiatives like higher pay, rewarding milestones, and other monetary perks.

However, these only serve as extrinsic motivation that may not sustain for a more extended period.

Employee motivation is an ongoing and consistent effort that needs to be focused on aligning employees with the organization's vision and collaborative building relationships with team members.

Team building is one such initiative that helps build relationships, a positive organizational culture, and motivates employees.

A well-organized team-building activity can be detrimental to team engagement in a remote work environment.

Contrary to the common misconception that remote team building games are not as engaging as outdoor ones and are more complicated, it is now easy and affordable to organize engaging remote team building activities.

For example, organizing online team-building games in Singapore has become more common during the pandemic.

Almost every type of team-building activity is being customized for virtual teams.

Escape rooms that were once popular outdoor activities are now being organized virtually.

Nevertheless, not all organizations get it right with team building.

A poorly organized team-building activity has the counter effect and drives employees towards a stagnant and unengaging work culture.

Here are a few tips on organizing virtual team building activities that improve team engagement and productivity:

Have a purpose:

It is a misconception that team-building activities are mere games conducted as checklist activities.

If utilized well, they are a powerful tool in building team relationships and conflict management.

Team building activities need to have a purpose of being effective.

Not all activities are the same, and activities need to be customized according to the purpose or goal of the activity.

For example, ice-breaker activities are organized to help team members get to know each other, while movie nights relieve stress.

Listen to feedback:

Team building activities are not always successful.

Sometimes they lead to disappointments, conflicts, and embarrassments.

In these scenarios, employees tend to develop a cold shoulder towards these activities.

To avoid these pitfalls, it is essential to get feedback from your team members after completing these activities.

And acting on employee feedback also improves trust between the employer and employees.

Ensure participation of the leadership:

Team building activities are ineffective without the participation of executives.

Managements often ignore participating in these activities due to apprehensions like becoming vulnerable.

However, being vulnerable builds trust and empathy between the leadership and team members.

This also conveys that leadership is willing to put themselves first for the welfare of the team and organization.

Participation from leadership is one of the hallmarks of successful team-building activity.

Make it fun:

Team building does not always have to be around achieving the organization's goals.

Organizations need to prioritize individual employee goals too to boost employee morale.

Organizations that ignore employee personal growth risk a lack of trust and unengaged employees.

Therefore, team-building activities can sometimes be organized only to have fun and build camaraderie.

Activities that are fun and stress-free rejuvenate employees and help them recuperate from stressful environments.

These activities create lasting memories and break down barriers.

Engaging remote teams is more challenging than engaging office teams.

Persistent efforts and prioritizing employee personal growth alongside the organization's growth can help build an engaging and positive remote work culture.

Team building activities are not only for bringing the team members closer but also to help employees grow individually.

Planning the activities, allocating the right resources, and gathering feedback can help derive the best value from these activities.

Virtual activities do not have to be considered different from outdoor activities.

The critical criteria can remain the same.

Virtual activities are more fun and exciting if organized well. The pandemic has reminded us that remote work cannot be avoided.

In the USA, organizations that do not allow remote work or flexible work are experiencing an excellent resignation wave, with employees quitting in record numbers.

Flexible work arrangements, large and diverse teams, and remote offices are the new normal.

Therefore, virtual activities are the need of the hour to build productive remote teams.

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5 Reasons Why Working From Home is Preferred By Employees

The idea of remote work has been around since the term “telecommuting” was coined by a NASA engineer in 1973.

However, during the recent pandemic, the benefits of working from home became known to most people.

5 Reasons Why Working From Home is Preferred By Employees: eAskme

 

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At the same time, new technologies were introduced to streamline communication and collaboration among remote teams.

This has dramatically increased the ease of working from home effectively.

However, if you’re still on the fence about making the switch, consider employees who prefer these five reasons why working from home.

Your own Office

A common misconception about working from home is filling a room with a clunky desk, office chair, and ugly bookshelves. But, of course, this doesn’t have to be the case.

Perhaps your kitchen breakfast bar can double as a standing desk.

Maybe you can save space by converting a bedroom closet into a workstation that gets packed away at the end of the day.

You’re free to create an office that fits your needs and supports a better work-life balance, which in and of itself is an advantage of remote work.

Less Commute Stress

The average American spends almost an hour getting to and from work each day.

In addition to the time and money it costs, long commutes are also associated with health issues, including anxiety, stress, and a higher risk of depression.

By ditching your drive to the Office, you’ll be doing your mental and physical health a huge favor.

Plus, you’ll have more time to spend sleeping in, working out, or enjoying an extra game of lucky nugget slots when you might otherwise be stuck in traffic.

Saving Money

Other ways working from home can save you money.

For example, you do not have to force yourself into a suit and uncomfortable shoes if it isn’t your style.

Another area for savings is food, especially if you’re used to heading out for lunch or getting takeaways for dinner. In that case, your health will also improve.

Your Schedule

A lot of remote positions are conducive to flexible schedules since they revolve more around meeting deadlines.

So as long as you’re able to maintain the same level of productivity, you can experiment with routines that suit your personal preferences and lifestyle.

This is particularly great if you’re a night owl or you hate early mornings.

That said, if you do need to clock in at specific hours, you should still have some break time to spend however you like.

Even if it’s only 15 minutes, you’re free to do what might not be possible in a traditional office, such as taking a nap.

Personal Growth

Aside from setting your schedule, working from home gives you the freedom to grow in ways you otherwise may not be able to.

You’ll develop independence by proactively finding answers and resources on your own.

You might also notice an improvement in your communication and become more sensitive to your teams’ different routines.

There are even more reasons to work from home beyond those we discussed. So, will you be reaping the benefits?

If you still have any question, feel free to ask me via comments.

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Remote Working and the Law – Guidelines for UK Employers

Many businesses have switched to remote work, at least temporarily, as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic. This started in March 2020 and happened rather quickly.

As companies and workers try to adjust to the new normal, we need to tackle some of the issues that have gone unnoticed in the early stages of this transition.

Remote Working and the Law – Guidelines for UK Employers: eAskme

Although remote work has become very popular since it allows for better work-life balance, it is not without its problems.

For instance, even though their employees are no longer working on company premises, employers are nonetheless responsible for their health, safety, and welfare, but they have less control over the working environment.

We've been dealing with the pandemic for over a year, so most remote workers will have already set up their home offices with a comfy chair, a good desk, and a proper monitor.

Some received these items from their employers, while others bought them on their own.

Otherwise, they'd be increasing their risk of developing health problems like back pain, repetitive stress injuries and eye strain.

Other risks to consider include homeworkers getting injured on the job, damage or theft of company-supplied equipment and cyberattacks.

Because the boundaries between work and home are less clear, research shows that many remote workers are working longer hours, resulting in burnout and other health issues.

Seeing that remote work may become the norm even after social distancing restrictions are no longer necessary, it's important to tackle these problems.

When the BBC polled 50 large companies last year, ranging from banks to retailers, 24 of them said they had no plans to bring their remote workers back to the office.

Employers can benefit from remote work in a variety of ways, such as reducing overhead by not having to provide as much working space for their employees.

Many employees also prefer to work from home and report higher motivation and greater job satisfaction.

This, in turn, benefits employers because it leads to higher productivity and lower turnover rates.

However, remote workers are lone workers with all the associated mental health risks.

A comprehensive homework policy would ensure that everyone is on the same page in regards to health and safety.

The remote workers will know how risk assessments are conducted, how to set up their home office, the equipment they'll need and who will provide it, how their work-related activities will be managed and how to reduce the risk of data breaches.

Accidents and Injuries

Some jobs are inherently more dangerous, but even relatively safe jobs come with a set of risks.

Employees whose work mainly consists of using a computer and sitting at their desk can develop back pain, eye strain and repetitive strain injuries.

Other hazards include accidents involving work equipment like electric shock or fire.

Plus, there are mental health implications to working remotely and having less direct contact with coworkers and managers.

Research shows that the relationships people form with those they work with help them cope with work-related stress.

Working remotely reduces their access to support.

With the large-scale shift to remote work, employers need to keep in mind that according to UK law, they are still responsible for the health and safety of all their employees, and if they neglect this responsibility, it can result in litigation, sanction from the HSE and loss of reputation.

Employers are advised to carry out risk assessments for all their employees, including the ones that work from home.

In case physical assessments are not possible, questionnaires can be used to perform them virtually, and homeworkers should be provided with instructions and training.

Employees with disabilities will require reasonable accommodations, and the requirements of employees with caring obligations should also be considered.

Insurance is another aspect that employers should take into account.

In the UK, employer liability insurance is obligatory, and remote employees must also be covered.

Because insurance policies vary, companies should double-check that their current policies provide adequate coverage or they risk getting sanctioned by the HSE or paying out of pocket for what could be considerable personal injury claims.

Remote workers must also take the proper precautions to protect their own health and safety, including maintaining regular contact with their management team and informing them of any potential threats.

When possible, businesses could send a safety consultant to the employee's home to do the necessary risk assessments.

The office equipment and internet connection may also need to be checked by IT professionals to make sure company data is safe from potential cyberattacks.

Cybersecurity

The transition to remote work prompted by the pandemic also seems to have resulted in a significant increase in cybercrime.

In 2020 the number of companies targeted by cybercriminals rose from 38% to 43%, according to data provided by the Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report 2021, which looked at 6,000 businesses from Europe and the United States.

Almost a third of these businesses were victim to five or more cyberattacks, and 17% reported that the financial impact of these attacks jeopardized their future.

The financial impact of cyberattacks is greater for smaller companies, and 5% reported costs of $300,000 or more per attack.

We've seen an increase in all categories of cyberattacks, but the most significant is ransomware.

Businesses must continue to comply with data protection regulations, which means making sure that their remote employees who use their own computers also comply.

Managers may need to obtain consent from them to monitor work communications on these devices in order to detect security vulnerabilities that cybercriminals could exploit.

They'll need to provide adequate data protection training to employees and establish explicit guidelines on what is allowed.

For example, no one other than the employee should be allowed to use the company computer or network.

It is also necessary to check all devices with access to the servers and networks of the company, such as laptops, smartphones and tablets.

Additionally, employees should avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi with devices linked to their company's network.

If you still have any question, feel free to ask me via comments.

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7 Proven Methods of Managing Remote Teams

Virtual teams have become an indispensable part of the present workforce, cutting down the old assumptions of working altogether in a physical office. The power and opportunities of being virtually connected in today's technology-driven world are incredible!

 

However, still many companies and organizations fail to collaborate effectively with their geographically dispersed employees.

 

7 Proven Methods of Managing Remote Teams: eAskme

The question comes out to be - Is there any art or science behind building and managing remote teams?

Running a company with virtual employees not only demands efficient management skills but a lot more than that.

 

So let's take a look at the best remote collaboration and management practices:

1. Digital employee recognition programs:

The importance of an employee reward system should never be neglected, especially when even you and your team connect through a virtual world. As employees in a physical office are awarded for their excellent performance, the same should be done for the remote workers. Company perks in the form of digital badging or e-gifts seem to be relatively cost-effective, plus you have the advantage to customize them according to your company culture.

Further, bonuses in the form of extra pay will motivate your staff and show that you care and recognize their efforts as a manager.  You can try out apps such as iappreciate and GiveAWow to dole out virtual pats on their backs.

2. Keep communication open:

A significant issue that has been reported between remote employees and regular office employees is that of the difference in their working shifts. Automatically, this difference creates a communication gap between the two teams as they cannot interact simultaneously.

In a study conducted by MIT's Human Dynamics Laboratory, it was found that - "With remarkable consistency, the data confirmed that communication indeed plays a critical role in building successful teams. We've found patterns of communication to be the most important predictor of a team's success."

A simple solution to this problem is to look out for some online collaboration platforms and chat services so that teams can have real-time conversations regardless of time and place. Also, tools for video calling and conferencing can help in bringing more harmony between the team members. Give ProofHub  a try! 

3. Instill Socratic coaching:

At times, remote workers need to make decisions in tricky matters or the absence of higher authorities or managers. To deal with such situations, employees must be given proper training such as Socratic coaching. Being at the heart of critical thinking, this method is a systematic and disciplined approach focused on fundamental theories, concepts and issues.

A series of questions that challenge the accuracy and integrity of thinking lets one explore the contours of complex problems and acquire critical thinking skills. Your employees become aware of their competence and potential, plus they get to know how to master future issues more successfully.

4. Agile working and management:

While working with your remote team on a project, make sure you empower them to work with maximum flexibility and minimum constraints. This type of work proves to be transformational as it helps companies deliver the best in value services, including customer needs, cost reduction, increasing productivity, and improving sustainability. Ultimately, it helps in attracting and retaining high-quality talent and thus drives long-term organizational success.

Apart from inculcating Agile methodology in the working style, you can also encourage it in your work or projects. One of these methods is Agile management, in which the product development process can be divided into short sprints, with each sprint having its particular objective. Before beginning with a sprint, the responsible team analyzes the tasks and sets the completion time. This time should fall within the time set for the sprint. Once the sprint is complete, you have a Minimum Viable Product that should be ready to release and tested. The benefit of following this method is that it sets a timetable for the team, from one sprint to the next.

5. Put ‘360 degree feedback’ into action:

Also called multi-source feedback, this method derives results from an employee's immediate work circle, such as his subordinates, peers, and even from external sources such as clients. It is a good way for managers to collect feedback from far-away employees and use it for evaluation purposes, including growth and promotion of an employee.

6. Measure output, not the processes:

As salespersons in a company have daily targets, you should set regular goals and targets for your team members. Managing by objectives gives you an excellent opportunity to evaluate their performance based on the targets assigned to them. Moreover, knowing that their performance will be evaluated based on output, remote employees are more likely to put in their full efforts.

7. Equip apposite infrastructure:

Right project infrastructure brings a whole lot of difference to its workflow and outcome. With the right tools in hand, you and your remote team can stay more productive and effective. Having unreliable infrastructure might hamper the team's communication, and if remote teams cannot communicate, things will undoubtedly mess up. From the file, sharing to chat, and most importantly, a solid Internet connection forms the most critical pieces of infrastructure for remote teams.

If your remote workers are addressing requests for tools they'd need to perform their job function, ensure that they have access to those resources. Dealing with complex IT issues can be frustrating and can hurt their work morale. So make sure their resource availability questions are heard and addressed.

Conclusion:

Managing remote teams might seem to be a complex mission, but I hope these tactics, along with your knowledge, expertise, and efforts, would help a lot. Do share with us what strategies you've employed to manage your geographically dispersed employees.
 
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to ask me. Don't forget to like us FB and join the eAskme newsletter to stay tuned with us.

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