Since Covid-19 brought a new way of living with restrictions for running companies, many businesses had to adjust to working from home. Larger companies might not have had a problem with supplying employees with needed equipment to work and supporting them remotely. However, smaller businesses might encounter difficulties with setting up a remote office.
It is important to note that if you have a big team, working from home can reduce the employees’ performance, it can lead to miscommunication, or your employees may simply feel left out. This article will help you overcome this challenge with 6 useful tips that you can implement today to improve your company’s efficiency and productivity.
Set Up a Company System
This is the first step you should take when starting to run your company remotely. You need to set up a system so that your employees can get access to the files, information, and communication you need them to have. A good way to do this is by setting up a network drive for all your employees on the same server. You can also set up your own cloud storage and create a shared work calendar that will help you organize everyone’s schedule. At the same time, make sure that all of your employees are using the same communication tools. This will save you some time when it comes to communicating with each other.
Improve Your Online Presence
Since most of your work will be conducted online, you can consider creating a website. It will help you reach a bigger audience outside your country to generate more sales. Keep in mind that your website should be easily accessible and usable from different locations. Add new features to your website to make it more engaging. Decide which locations you are targeting and add languages spoken there. Don’t forget to conduct thorough research because some mistakes could damage your reputation. To avoid that, consider contacting a translation services agency to help you with localization, for example, Architekst.
Reduce costs
You might stop paying rent for your huge empty office in the city center. If all of your employees commit to working from home, consider renting a smaller place to keep the unused equipment. For example, you could use this opportunity to look for peaceful small homes in the Colleton River area to convert into a new office. Look at other things you are paying monthly and see if there is anything you no longer need. Consult with your managers to establish a financial plan to analyze and calculate your income.
Support Your Team Remotely
To ensure a smooth working experience for your employees, consider investing in the tools described below. These tools are designed for different purposes that will make your employees’ work more accessible and convenient.
Use Tools for Remote Office Management
It is important to have a tool that will allow you to perform several administrative tasks remotely. Using a tool like this will enable you to keep track of the work completed by each employee and follow up with their progress. There are several tools that you can use for this purpose, depending on your business needs. For example, if you are managing a large team, you might consider using Asana, Basecamp or Toggl. If you are only working with a few people, then you should use Slack or Microsoft Teams. These tools will help you stay organized and give you an overview of everything that is happening in the office.
Use a Personal VPN
When working from home, you may experience problems with slow internet or lack of connectivity. This is why you need to set up a personal VPN. With this tool, you will be able to have a faster and more stable connection while staying protected from cyber-attacks. This way, you can effectively protect your business and ensure that your employees are productive at all times.
Make Sure Everyone Uses the Same Software
When running a business from home, one of the most important things is to make sure that everyone uses the same software. This will make it easier for you to communicate with them and ensure that each employee can contribute to the business growth.
Do Not Overwhelm Your Employees With Tasks
Do not forget that working from home has its limitations, and employees performing from home tend to be less productive than those who work in an office environment. However, there are many ways that you can improve their productivity without overwhelming them with tasks. For example, ask them to share their screen with you so that you can see what they are working on and give them feedback on their progress timely. This way, they will feel more motivated to complete their tasks on time and avoid procrastination.
Encourage Team Collaboration
One thing is clear: employees who work from home tend to resist group work more than those who work in an office environment. But there are ways in which you can encourage them to work together towards a common goal in order to achieve better results. You can set up bi-weekly meetings where everyone shares their progress on the projects and offers criticism on each other’s work in a polite manner. You can also organize activities outside of work where all team members can bond and enjoy time together without using work time for leisure purposes. At the same time, try to keep a balance between work and leisure, as this will help your team members feel more satisfied and motivated.
Conclusion
Working from home is a great way to run your business, but it can be challenging. It will take time for your business to adapt to a new set of rules and regulations. Stick to your plan and celebrate every milestone you achieve. By following these tips, you will be able to improve the performance of your business and make the most out of your remote office.
