Remote work is now imposed on many people around the world. For some of us, this is business as usual (as much as possible in these strange times) because we've already integrated facets of remote work into our lives. For some this is almost normal as they now have more people and maybe children at home. However, many organizations have struggled to find quick solutions to conserve virtual lights. Many organizations are still learning the ropes of long-term remote work during this difficult time. This is often not a bad thing, as it forces organizations to quickly figure out what works (and what doesn't) for their particular situation. However, in general, the challenges will be divided into two fields: cultural and technical. Solve both and most organizations will discover that remote work is here to stay and will bring long-term productivity gains.
Facing cultural challenges
Culturally, it's important to understand that working from home for the first time can be a difficult transition for some people. Employees should be encouraged to maintain a routine and try to get out and take breaks. Try to hold virtual meetings at the same time that they happen in the office. Consider regular practice, such as recording at the end of the day; It could be as informal as an email or chat meeting, but again, it helps structure the workday. Many will lose the office link which (hopefully) occurs in a physical setting. Some of these elements can be replicated in group chat features or on a corporate social platform. They're good vehicles for sharing praise, good news, or just generally catching up. Especially now, many of us have a great need to connect with each other and these platforms are a great way to do it.Stay productive
But how do you maintain productivity? One tip is that when running meetings, video and screen sharing offer greater engagement and productivity than just audio. Helps ensure that people are not tempted to "multitask in a virtual meeting and focus as they would in a physical setting. Encourage employees to "work out loud" and remind them to over-communicate about what they are doing can ensure that everyone knows what everyone else is doing to ensure a project stays on track Keep in mind that once we get past this, cultural things may never be the same again and we'll probably find that platforms Group chat collaborations are a great way for teams to spread out to loop and record face-to-face meetings for only the most important updates.Meet technical requirements
Some of the technical requirements may (possibly) be easier to meet than the cultural dimensions, but technology is nonetheless vital to success. To get started, now is the time to replace any "desktop" (any non-laptop computer) with a laptop for all employees who use one. Modern laptops are now just as powerful as their bulky counterparts for most tasks. Users should be given headphones (ideally with a mute and noise canceling button) to make calls, as their built-in counterparts generally provide a poor meeting experience for everyone. That being said, the needs have to be there now, so it could be a longer-term decision. A reliable internet connection is of course vital. Companies that pay for this on behalf of their employees should consider requests to upgrade to better packages and especially those with better download speeds, as as close to symmetrical a connection as possible will provide a better experience for everyone. Software and services are also a key consideration. Right now, there are many companies that could "cope" or experiment with different solutions. It is not a viable long-term strategy, although some key lessons have already been found. The crucial questions to ask are:- Can users access all the business applications they need?
- Is your remote access secure and scalable?
- Are all the tools and platforms adapted to the number of potential concurrent users?
- Is there already a usable platform for calls and meetings?