4 Ways Companies Are Providing a Smooth Transition to Remote Workplaces
When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in the United States, many people suddenly found themselves working from home. While certain industries like restaurants, bars, grocery stores and others were not as able to pivot to remote options as easily as others, a number of people quickly turned their guest rooms or kitchen tables into makeshift offices.
As 2020 has moved along, companies have had to learn on the fly what works well for their new remote workers. With this in mind, let’s look at what some employers have done successfully to help ensure as smooth a transition as possible for their at-home workers — all while keeping their companies running.
1. Find New Ways to Stay Connected and Have Fun
As Great Place to Work notes, companies that embrace a positive work environment with regular social activities for their employees can find new ways to do this if the team is working remotely. Granted, it does require a bit of imagination and ingenuity. For instance, online meetings can start with a virtual scavenger hunt, with a reward going to the winner, like a lunch delivered through a food delivery service.
2. Make Scheduling Online Meetings as Easy as Possible
With everyone in the same building, calling all-team meetings was probably a bit easier. Now that some or all are at home, it can be more challenging to know the availability of each person. An effective way to do this is with a workforce optimization software solution that allows employees to easily note their schedules and their current peak working times so that it is easier to gather everyone together for a Zoom meeting.
3. More Information Is Better Than Less
This has been a confusing year for many people, including the customers. Many will have questions about product availability, delivery times and if the business will stay afloat during the pandemic. Employers should send out e-mails on a regular basis with detailed information about how the company is handling everything, and bosses should also encourage their team to text, e-mail or call in with questions, no matter how minor, suggests CIO Dive. The more the employees are kept abreast of how things are going during the pandemic, the more knowledgeable they can be with customers, which will help to set their minds at ease.
4. Ask for Feedback and Make Changes if Possible
Another tactic that has helped company owners make the transition to remote work go as smoothly as possible is to know that the new policies are not set in stone, and that employee feedback is valuable and necessary to know what is working and what isn’t. Sending out surveys to the remote team on a regular basis is key — to ensure complete honesty, they can be filled out anonymously.
Business owners should remember that the remote workers are on the front lines and will have great insight as to what is going well. If you hear the same complaints from a number of people — for instance, that a certain type of online meeting technology is glitchy or that people may need more company-issued supplies for their home offices — it is wise to really listen and make changes as you can.
With Time and Effort, Things Will Be Smoother Than Ever
Considering how quickly businesses had to change the way they were doing things, most owners deserve a pat on the back for how well things have gone during this turbulent year. By learning as much as you can about what has worked well for other company owners, your remote team and their productivity and happiness should be as positive as possible.
