Remote working and technology have allowed companies to expand in ways that they never thought possible twenty years ago.
The advances in the digital world has meant that we are now living in a time where people can work remote from wherever they want to, without having to think much about it. Email, instant messenger and smartphones are no longer just luxuries, they are necessities in communication for businesses and while remote workers are out of sight, they are certainly not out of mind.
Remote working has been a huge positive for businesses that want to keep their overheads low. It has also upped the productivity of staff, who are far more loyal to companies who support flexible working hours and locations, and increases their job satisfaction. When it comes to communication, though, you as an entrepreneur has to be on the ball. Remote workers need just as much interaction as those in the office, and it can’t all be bad news. When something goes well for someone who isn’t involved in the office camaraderie, you can still contact them to dish out the praise for their hard work. There will be a day where physical offices become a thing of the past, and businesses no longer have a need for those overheads anymore. Working from home is still relatively new as a concept, and while those who are able to work from home enjoy it for the most part, there is still an issue with communication.
Employers love to have a strong team to manage, and when half the team works outside of the office, communication can be difficult. It may be a weakness for many companies, but it doesn’t have to be with the right approach. There are so many advantages for hiring remote workers and businesses are capitalizing on the fact that they have far more hiring choices than ever before. The best of the best may work one hundred miles away, but when you can hire a remote worker, those miles melt away. There’s no commute for them to worry about, meaning that you aren’t waiting around for people to show up late for work and there is more personal time available for your staff. There are also lower expenses for you as you aren’t paying out for IT equipment or an office to maintain. The benefits outweigh the negatives of home working, but the communication aspect is still a problem. So, how can we better the communication between employers and remote workers?
Be clear about your expectations for your employees.
If you want them to be available during certain hours of the day for a phone call, then it should be written into their contract. Make it clear what technology and apps you need for them to have, and be transparent about the need for up to date personal information from them at all times so they can be reached.
Back up your communication methods at all times in case of emergencies.
Emergencies can and do happen, but you can’t spend time trying to find your people when things to go wrong in the business. You need to have a way to get in touch with everyone at once, and you can use services like http://www.plivo.com/sms-api/, to get you the result you need. This method of communicating saves you time and grabs the attention of all the workers at the same time.
Use the same apps across the board from management to admin.
There are hundreds of chat apps and management tools that are powered with wi-fi and if everyone is on the same platform, communication becomes far easier. The money you save on overheads with an office can be well spent on software licenses that you may need to cover yourself with all your employees.
Be proactive about how often you communicate one to one with your staff.
It doesn’t matter if people are in the office or working from home, they need to be reassured that they are doing their job correctly. This doesn’t mean they expect you to call them up and sing their praises, but it’s positive to know when things are going well or not. If you are clear with your staff about how they are performing, they can be motivated to do well.
Reaching remote workers across the globe doesn’t have to be hard, as long as you are organized and ready for anything. Putting these strategies to good use with your employees can help you manage them all at once and smoothly.
