Before the pandemic, businesses focused on improving the workplace so that employees were not only productive, but a contributing part of company growth. Businesses offered a comfortable environment to enhance productivity. Many felt that by creating an environment that was low on stress and high on fun, employees would not just feel at ease, they would be eager to give their best performance at work.
Things changed rapidly during the pandemic. Now, businesses are looking for better ways to maintain efficiency while following social distancing norms. To work effectively during COVID-19, many businesses around the world moved their operations online so that employees could work remotely.
According to a survey by Gartner, “nearly 47% of company leaders intend to allow employees to work remotely full time going forward.” A PwC survey of 669 CEOs revealed that 78% of them agree that remote collaboration is here for a long time. Some reasons working remotely is likely to be more efficient than in-office productivity are:
● Employees can work on tasks anytime and complete them on the go.
● At-home workers may choose to spend personal time on the projects.
● Communication becomes easier with chat, voice-over internet protocols, and emails.
● All files are stored on a secured online drive, automatically backed up.
● With advanced tools, tasks can be scheduled, assigned, and managed easily.
● Advanced monitoring tools can help in tracking of resource movement and productivity analysis.
Benefits of Working Remotely for Businesses
● Connect with employees without boundaries
● Manage projects efficiently with digital workplace
● Hire skilled employees from remote locations
● Minimize infrastructure costs and management costs
● Improve retention rate
Benefits of Working Remotely for Individual Employees
● Flexible schedules, desired workplace, and less stressful work environment
● Connect with peers online on the spot
● 24/7 availability of resources on the cloud
● Save commuting expenses
● Share files on secured connections with full privacy
Factors Prompting Remote Work
● State-of-the-art technology – Move your business operation online with cloud technology to manage it from the comfort of your home.
● Digital workplace setup – Use multiple applications, with advanced features, to create a seamless work process between peers.
● Advanced project management strategies – Adopt new schedules and assign each task within a specific deadline. Third-party applications can automate roles for you and provide a platform where you can assign tasks and share project details and files.
● IT support – Hire IT to monitor online activities, protect business data, and assess and correct issues as they arise.
State-of-the-art technology gives you full control over resources and systems so you can track performance at any time. Remote work can be a win-win for both your company and your employees.
If you have not switched to remote here are some steps to implement remote work without negatively impacting productivity:
● Set up a digital workplace for a department to see the results, and then move other team members to remote work. This provides time to adjust, make changes in strategy, and train your work force. Another advantage of a digital workplace is that you can implement the latest technology individually to leverage productivity.
● You can also opt for a hybrid workplace, one that is designed to support and balance in-office workers and remote workers. A hybrid workplace allows some employees to work from home while others work in the office. Employees can choose their best option and plan accordingly.
P.S. If you are having trouble managing your workplace and it is impacting your business growth, we can help you. The Vieras offer a wide range of remote support and services in the areas of administrative services, accounting, human resource, and marketing solutions.