Building a remote business workforce isn’t just something that’s important during the Covid-19 pandemic. Managing employees remotely is the future of business.
According to HRCT in Virginia, there are five steps you should take to make sure your team can continue to work remotely.
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Focus on Team Collaboration
Collaboration is critical no matter where team members are working. There are several steps to take to make sure teams are engaged during virtual meetings.
- Provide Friendly Interface – During the collaboration, it’s important that each team member can easily access collaboration platforms from any location and any type of device.
- Promote Video and Audio – Employees should use video and audio as much as possible when conducting virtual meetings. Seeing faces instead of just hearing voices will help individuals focus and connect with other employees.
- Offer Virtual Chat Rooms – Put together virtual chat rooms or other types of online spaces for employees to communicate. This will build online connections and familiarity. They will need to be monitored to make sure conversations are appropriate and respectful.
Improve Mobile Security
With employees working from home or other remote locations, it’s imperative to make sure mobile devices have the highest level of security possible. The following are several steps to take to improve mobile security.
- Create Strong Passwords – It’s crucial that employees have strong passwords and that they’re changed on a regular basis. Computerworld suggests running regular password audits.
- Block Dangerous Apps – Apps are increasingly providing unauthorized entry into a company’s network. It’s important that employees only download approved apps.
- Lock and Wipe Data – Some employees are concerned that they’ll lose personal data during a lock and wipe. A business can create different environments on one device. One can be for the company and another for personal use. That way personal data can be saved after a wipe of company data.
Promote Remote Productivity
Some employees are more self-motivated than others. There are ways that businesses can implement technology to improve remote productivity.
- Time Tracking – There are a variety of apps that track the amount of hours worked online or on various projects. This should be promoted not as “checking up” on employees but about promoting an atmosphere of accountability.
- Document Sharing – The best document sharing tools are essential to promote high levels of productivity.
- Develop Remote Technical Support – IT personnel need to be able to access applications and hardware to effectively provide solutions for employees working remotely.
Upgrade Internet and VolP Services
A company will want to have the most advanced internet services available for their employees to use. This also includes updating VolP services. Voice over Internet Protocol, or VolP, is an essential tool for remote employees. Instead of using basic analog channels, data is transmitted through the internet with VolP. A VolP platform is also used for file sharing and video conferencing. This service provides seamless, real-time communication. Intermedia Cloud Communications lists several other benefits of using VolP solutions for remote work. A few include being able to work on the go from various locations and the ability of VolP to easily integrate with a smartphone.
Update Home Technology Set-ups
When employees work from home, they’ll need more than a laptop and a phone. SHRM suggests determining bandwidth needs for each home office. An IT team may need to survey each employee’s home to determine exactly what the technological needs and capabilities are. A few things besides bandwidth to keep in mind include making sure their Wi-Fi networks and home routers are secure.
