The potential for remote operations as a primary aspect of business really came to the forefront over the last year or so. While it may have initially found prominence as a solution to the challenges social distancing presents to the workplace, there is little doubt that it has been revealed to be a valuable tool. Industry leaders across various sectors have seen boosts to productivity and worker satisfaction, alongside lower resources and overheads. Is it any wonder that it is likely to become a permanent fixture of commerce?

The positivity for this approach to working also extends to employees themselves. A recent study found that more than half of workers currently working remotely would like to continue doing so beyond the pandemic. However, it’s vital to understand that in order to both maintain this enthusiasm and make certain the approach remains effective, business leaders — executives, managers, and human resources (HR) professionals alike — must make efforts to ensure that the remote workplace is designed for employees to thrive. 

It’s becoming clear that workplace culture has been permanently altered by COVID-19. As such, now is an excellent time to review what your remote workplace is like and where it can be improved.

Keep Communicating

The more businesses are experiencing remote operations, the clearer it is becoming just how vital good communication is. As such, you need to put in extra effort to ensure that positive, effective communication isn’t denied to your remote employees. Whether they are part of a remote team, or part of a blended in-person team, arranging protocols around keeping connected can both ensure they feel part of the business, and also mitigate any issues.

Start with making certain that there are robust tools that everyone uses — whether in the office or at home. Messaging platforms such as Slack or Microsoft Teams should be implemented to assist discussions surrounding projects as a matter of course. But there should also be channels that can be used for more social chatting, helping your remote team members to maintain strong bonds with their colleagues.   

It should also be a matter of formal company policy that members of management regularly schedule video and audio calls with their remote workers. Use this as an opportunity to listen to the concerns they have or the difficulties they are finding with working from home. Talk to them about what they need — whether this is tech equipment, furniture for a dedicated workspace, or accessibility challenges. However, management should be utilizing these calls to provide feedback, too. Express positivity about their performance, and seek out their thoughts too. This kind of dialogue helps to keep lines of communication open. 

Make Resources Accessible

Wherever workers operate from, business leadership must provide them the resources they need to function well. The office environment is one in which — to a reasonable extent — everything an employee might need to do their job is accessible to them. If they need some stationery, there’s a cupboard filled with it. If they have concerns about their benefits, they can visit HR. Remote workers tend not to have this immediate ease of access to resources, and so you must focus on replicating this as much as possible. 

Provide them with documentation that fully outlines the processes for requesting resources. This should be made as simple as possible, with requisitions for equipment, software, or information subject to streamlined access.  Remember that knowledge is a resource, too. So this should include access to company policies — for instance,  remote employees may not be fully clear about issues such as their cell phone etiquette during business calls or while on meetings with other members of staff. By making it easy for them to obtain this for themselves or have someone else explain the fine details to them, everyone can avoid potential issues that can arise.

It’s just as important to make sure that there are resources available to your employees that are specifically geared around their remote working lifestyle. Office employees will tend to have social events or access to services that those at home are not subject to. Involve them by sending out treats or providing them with a delivered lunch every couple of weeks. Perhaps include access to telehealth mental health counseling as part of their benefits package to help mitigate the stress that can be common among remote workers. 

Build a Robust Culture

Your company culture is a vital tool in helping to make sure that your business evolves positively and that employees remain motivated. This is no less important when it comes to your remote workers. Indeed, when this portion of your workforce isn’t surrounded by the reminders of your culture every day — as in-office workers are — you need to make sure that you extend the culture to include them.

Firstly you must clarify throughout company documentation, employee handbooks, and the way leadership acts that remote workers aren’t to be treated as the second-class citizens of your organization. There can occasionally be a feeling that those working from home are getting a better end of the deal, or that they’re not as committed to the organization. Give all workers training on how remote workers positively affect the success of the company. Enlighten them on what behavior might constitute harmful microaggressions toward their remote colleagues, how such behavior damages individuals and the organization, and what the consequences of this are. 

As your remote roles may be more likely to attract younger workers, it can be important to understand what their generation values culturally about being part of a business. Part of the key to retaining them is understanding their priorities and interests and integrating them as part of the culture. Learn from these workers, and take this knowledge to shape the business into one that is not only more supportive and relevant to your remote employees but also has a wider impact.

Conclusion

Remote working is likely to be part of the commercial landscape for the foreseeable future. As such, ensuring work-from-home colleagues thrive must be a priority. Establish communications protocols to keep them in the loop, be responsive to the resources they need, and keep them a key part of your culture. By adjusting your business now, you can reap the benefits of remote operations more effectively.

Noah Rue is a journalist and content writer from Boise, Idaho, US. He is fascinated with the intersection between global health, personal wellness, and modern technology. When he isn’t searching out his next great writing opportunity, Noah likes to shut off his devices and head to the mountains to disconnect.

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