Over the past year or so, the need to work from home and for business owners to set up remote working practices for their employees has escalated.
This is partly – mainly – due to the global pandemic that meant everyone had to stay apart from one another and not travel unnecessarily, but underlying this, the need had been growing for some time. Flexible working had become something that more people not only wanted but expected, and now that so many are doing it, it’s like to be here to stay.
Yet that doesn’t mean it’s an easy option, even if it might seem like that at first. In fact, there are several different challenges that remote workers will come up against that might cause problems for them in their work. Read on to find out what some of these are so that you can prepare for them and deal with them if possible.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Accessibility
One of the most significant issues that remote workers have to contend with is accessibility. Not everyone has the equipment required to work from home, and not everyone has a good enough broadband connection to allow for uninterrupted work. This can severely hamper their productivity and make them frustrated about how little they are able to get done.
To combat this problem, business owners should be prepared to purchase the necessary equipment, assuming it was their idea to offer remote working. It’s also a good idea to outsource your IT department. A managed service provider will mean that any connectivity issues can be quickly fixed and downtime reduced. Don’t worry about asking what is a managed service provider: a guide is available online to give you all the information you need.
Communication
Another problem that some employees and employers have to face when remote working is in the picture is communication. Everyone has a different communication style, and they will have a preference over what platform they like to use. Some will prefer to speak to someone on a phone call, others will like emails or texts. Some will set up video meetings. The problem is trying to get everyone to communicate in the same way so that systems and processes can be organized.
The reason for needing a system is so that communication goes much easier. If you send an email, it’s useful to know how long you should wait for a response before following it up, for example.
Once communication is streamlined, remote working becomes a lot easier, and the workers and employers will feel happier about it.
Employee Development
For any business, the employees should be considered an important asset, and perhaps the most important asset of all. With this in mind, a business owner will want to give those employees as many opportunities and chances of development as possible, and this is something the employee will want too. That means training, promotion, and the chance to speak up and offer feedback.
