Are You Ready To Make Remote Work A Permanent Thing?

We see remote work quickly becoming a big part of our lives. But as we move forward with this regime, it’s easy to see how this method of working is much easier to adapt to than once thought.

The best course of action right now would be that we prepare our teams and equip them with the best resources for the future, that is, remote work. I feel that most leaders out there are taking extensive measures to see remote work through.

You will have to admit that we are slowly coming to terms with the fact that this might actually work for us. In fact, it might even have led companies to an uncharted level of productivity. We are prioritizing, working hard, making connections, but are we ready to take this to the next level?

Since this option is completely viable and leads to more success, it wouldn’t be surprising if we pursue WFH as a regular thing, right? Well, it is happening and we will embrace the permanence of this thing just as we embraced remote work due to the lockdown.

Now, What Are You Going To Do?

If you have been carrying your remote team this whole lockdown period, you surely have realized that this “work from home” process isn’t half as bad as you thought it would be. And, also, that the pandemic only helped push us further into the direction of this flexible remote work regime. And, now, we’re making it permanent for its absolutely great functionality.

So what is your next move?

1. Normalizing Remote Work

Let your employees know that they should consider remote work the new norm. For this, you need to understand the importance of setting a routine. By setting a routine you can make a schedule with deadlines, this alone can help them take a load off and follow a workflow just as they did at the office.

We are all aware that a chunk of office time pours into organizing and scheduling, if you control that part of the job, you can accomplish total control time management. And only when you accomplish time management, you are able to create a platform with order and normalcy.

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2. You Pick Your Own Battles

Ever since the era of work from home began, we have been nothing if not persistent leaders who have dedicatedly been putting out one fire after the other. We have been solving problems as they emerge.

Now is the time to settle. Prepare streamlined workflows that your team can follow so that information can flow smoothly in with your team. Set up communication channels so that your team can ask each other important questions and share reports with superiors.

3. Tools Are A Long Time Investment

It’s official, we are suiting up for a state of permanent remote work. If you want to maintain your current “work from home” scenario as it is right now or make it even better, you need to invest in some reliable and durable tools. Because, we know how important it is to maintain a good network, security, and engagement throughout this process, which can be best handled with automation tools.

I say tools are a long time investment because software platforms will be there for you no matter if your workforce expands or recede. Apart from helping you conduct meetings, there are many tools out there that will help you stay connected through the reviewing process and sharing platforms.

4. Make Sure They’re Comfortable

A business runs on the work done as a team, however, it also runs on your connection with them, which depends on how you present empathy. Keeping the flexibility in check is very important for your team because working remotely is very different from traditional office work, this is because it comes with its own list of pros and cons.

People are bound to have problems with the scheduling and deadlines since their availability totally depends on the circumstances at their homes. This is why it is better to get everything on the table and then create a workflow that works with every person in mind.

5. Set Guidelines for Conversation

I feel that the workflow for remote teams can be created when we know about everyone’s schedules and availability. For example, working with kids is different from working with elderly housemates or working while living alone. When all the variables become known, we can start mapping out a time table for communication.

It is important to set guidelines for communication; this means, that you need to have more than one platform for communication. Business, business-casual, and casual; these are the three categories of communication at a workplace, and for a remote to function with productivity it is helpful to provide these channels.

Keeping guidelines would also mean that you schedule sign-in and sign-out times along with video calls, end of the day reporting calls, and once-in-a-week brainstorming sessions.

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6. Running Things Harmoniously

Now, another step you can take to ensure that you have a smooth remote work future ahead is to make sure your workflow works. Here at ProofHub, all our teams work harmoniously because they abide by their own workflows and stick to the deadlines.

I cannot stress enough how work from home becomes a piece of cake when you can see your upcoming tasks, weekly schedule, deadlines, and achievements using a single tool. A project management software platform not only helps you arrange and organize work, but it also helps your team engage in productive conversations.

The assigning process and a clear view of goals allow a remote team a healthy outlook towards work along with a motivation to beat deadlines.

7. Making Yourself Available

Nothing says I’m a great leader than a leader who participates in the day-to-day work of their employees. The guidelines on how to reply and when to reply also apply to the one managing the remote team. Your employees need to feel the connection and the authority that only you can have over them.

The daily check-ins with the team managers and weekly group conversations with your workforce will only do your team some good. People feel more focussed, driven, and most importantly, accountable when they feel that someone is watching over them.

If you want your team to get accustomed to remote work, I suggest you start to check-in with them a little more.

The Takeaway

Remote work has been here all these years for a reason, it has many perks, the pros outweigh the cons, and the money and time saved are an additional bonus. So, I would not be surprised if these trends continue well into the future, even when we move past the haunting pandemic.

For this reality, we need to be prepared. So, find out if your system is perfect, if there are kinks in the change, how you can fix them, and start planning for everything. I hope my advice on scheduling everything, setting guidelines, being available, and facilitating effective conversation will help you in the times to come. Till then, best of luck, stay safe, and godspeed.

With everyone left to work at home, at ProofHub, we are doing our part to keep the engine running. We are providing free access to ProofHub to schools all around the world for FREE until the end of the year 2020. Here is how you can claim this offer.

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