Recently, you may have heard the phrase, “I am working remotely.” But, what exactly is remote work? Let’s start by explaining the term first. A remote worker is someone who works outside the office space. As technology has evolved, it has changed the way people work and created new opportunities to work outside the office walls. Remote working is also referred to as teleworking or telecommuting.
A lot of efforts are being put into starting such a culture, but then there is a lot of things that need to be considered. To scale remote work productively, there are a lot of things that are required. From acceptance of the employers to remote desktop software, everything needs to be considered. To solve your doubt, remote desktop software is something that helps a remote worker be in touch with what is going on in the organization that he is working for.
Remote workers are those who do not happen to stay in the same geographical area as their company but happen to work for them from wherever they are. They are not bound by any professional office space. It is believed that when you work in a surrounding that is of your own choice and not something that is forced, then the work efficiency rises. More productivity is gained when the workers are given the freedom to work from where they like.
Here are six tips to help scale remote work productively:
- Change the Mindset of the Manager: The very first step required is to change the mindset of the manager. A manager’s distrust towards this entire set-up can be a huge barrier to a remote working environment. Usually, it is the person heading the company who is dissatisfied when the workforce is not physically present in the closed confines of an office. The kind of assurance one gets when the employees are physically present is not the same when they are absent. The facts that usually bother the managers are working efficiency and completion of tasks. One of the best ways to scale remote work productively is to get the acceptance of as many managers as possible.
- Set clear expectations: Since the definition of working fast can vary from person to person, it is always advisable to communicate how you want things to work out. For example, talking face-to-face is different from talking with someone over the phone. Note down whether they have understood what you have been trying to tell them. See to it that both of you end your conversation by being on the same page because if the other person can understand what has been said, then only will that person be able to serve you well.
- Treat Your Remote Workers as Your Own People: This one helps a lot in productivity. It is important to treat the remote workers as someone who is very much a part of the organization. Only if they feel that they are a part of your team, will they like to work with sincerity and commitment. Even if they are far, when they call or leave an e-mail, respond to them as quickly as possible and let them know when they are doing a good job. It is said that to run an organization effectively, it is important to consider your remote workers as your local workers and your local workers as your remote workers. Sometimes, it is important to give the employees the freedom to work as well as make them feel like family.
- Take Reviews After Regular Intervals: The best way to get the most productivity from a remote worker is to give them short-term goals, which can be reviewed at every 10-15 days for rectifications. When talking about reviews, it is also important to ask the remote worker how they worked on the project and what their ideas are. This way, you can also come to know the way s/he thinks as well as collect valuable insight.
- Get Software that Helps Everyone Stay in Touch and Work Effectively: The first thing to consider is remote desktop software. This software, once installed in the remote worker’s computer, helps them stay connected to the employer as well as the employees. It helps keep everyone in the loop. Other software includes project management software and task management software that help manage, plan and schedule projects.
- Communicate Your Daily Expectations: To keep the employee’s productivity, it is necessary that you let them know how much you expect from them and what it is that you want from them. But, communication must not just be one way. It is essential to also understand what they want in return and whether they will be able to achieve it. Set realistic goals that can be achievable. At the same time, if they are not achieved once in a while, be forgiving and inform them that they have another day lined up in front of them.
Although remote working is not something that has been accepted openly by everyone, the fact is that remote workers bring in more productivity, efficiency and creative ideas to the table. A remote worker works from the place of their own liking and this helps them give perspective. When the environment is not forced but open, work becomes fun. This concept is taking time to get adopted, but many have started understanding the importance of hiring remote workers.
