According to a study by the experts at Gartner, 80% of employers intend to permit some form of remote working after the pandemic. This is a major change that will impact the working habits of many people offering more flexibility around office hours. The benefit for employees is clear, with a recent study of teleworkers saying that 37% of them would take a 10% pay cut to work from home. However, this will require a change for employers too. Employers will need to consider how to ensure their employees remain motivated while working from home. Here are some top tips to encourage your employees to remain focused when working remotely.
IT Support
To fully support remote working, you will need to have reliable software and devices that can access your IT systems from a variety of locations. Consider contracting an expert team that can conduct Device and System Monitoring, to ensure that all your devices remain secure but can still quickly access and edit files as needed. Without IT support, your employees may lose hours of work at home trying to figure out the systems they need to use. IT support can ensure devices are updated and installed with the latest technology for smooth remote working. If you are a small company this digital transformation could revolutionize your working patterns for the better.
Treats and Rewards
When working in an office, little treats at the end of a tough project or as a pick me up during a busy week can help employees feel valued. Sending something to their house will show you have not forgotten about them and appreciate the hard work they are doing. If you do not want the cost of purchasing and posting an item like this, then a voucher for an online store is a good alternative. Small food or drink treats, like a voucher for a drink from their local coffee shop are proven to be strong motivating perks for employees. Giving an employee a treat while working at home, demonstrates that you still recognize and value their input during their home-working time.
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Respect Their Down Time
Just because someone is working from home does not mean they are always available. Employees still need to have time away from their devices to ensure they do not become overly tired or burn out. Try to ask an employee, when they plan to work and only contact them during this time. This may mean some readjustment as they may have working hours that do not match yours. For instance, while you may be in the office at 9 am sharp, they may be coming back from a school run and would prefer to work that time in the evening. Find mutual times you are working together and only communicate within that period. Ask them to also respect this boundary, so you can have time off too.
When you do have time to communicate, make sure you do. A quick check-in will allow them to ask any questions and continue their work. Not speaking to an employee for long stretches will make them feel isolated. Without communication, it may be harder for them to see how their work fits into the overall vision of the company. A quick check-in will take care of this.