March 2021
One Year On: Making Remote Working Work for You
For many office workers across the UK, remote working has been their new normal for that past 12 months after the pandemic saw the UK government instructing people to work from home where they can. In response, some businesses even went as far as not renewing rented office spaces (or selling space), with plans to keep their teams remote in future.
If you’re among the many UK businesses now considering offering remote working as a possibility, or perhaps your business is now entirely remotely operated, you may be wonder how to get the most out of it for your business. From freelance talent to time saving tools and security, there’s still a lot to consider improving, even if you’ve been doing this a while now.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the benefits of remote working, and how to ensure it’s working for you…
The Benefits of Remote Working
Let’s take a look at some of the top benefits to your business in return for offering remote working:
- Reach talent both near and far: location no longer has to be a restriction on hiring new talent. With so many people having been displaced from jobs in the last year, you could be providing a lifeline to talent across the country. With a cloud-based CRM in place, your team will be able to access all the data they need from your business to go about their daily work schedules. All they’ll need is a WiFi connection.
- Boost moods: burnout is still sadly on the rise in the workplace. Commuting, uncomfortable environments, distractions and generally feeling watched or monitored add to feelings of stress and anxiety, limiting creativity and productivity. That’s not to mention the feelings of being at risk outside the house this last year. Remote work allows your team to work in an environment that allows them to feel safe, improving morale and in turn improving your employee retention.
- Cost cutting: save on the cost of office maintenance by eliminating the need for an office. With employees being able to work from any location, you’ll also save on offering relocation packages for distant team members. In addition to all the cost cutting, you’ll be happy to know that remote working limits your business’ impact on the environment.
Making Remote Working Work for You
The success of a remote working office comes down to a few key points:
- Communication: there needs to be a line of clear communication, visibility and accountability established early on in a remote working relationship. Setting up a regular communication schedule and using the report building features of your CRM to ensure progress is being made and targets are being met.
- Trust: It’s important to not be overbearing or micro-manage too heavily with a remote team. It can be tempting to overcompensate when you don’t see your team daily, but checking in too regularly can be a distraction and show a lack of trust. Let the data reassure you that your team are working and maintain your communication schedule rather than checking in at any time.
- Flexibility: one of the key appeals of remote working is the flexibility it offers. Both location and working hours are, for the most part, down to your employees. As long as targets are met and your business doesn’t rely on your team working specific hours, there’s no reason your team should be stuck in a restrictive 9-5 schedule.
The Future of Remote Working
What was once considered a temporary trend among start-ups became an overnight reality for many businesses in 2020. With that, many eyes were opened to the possibilities of working remotely, and the positive impact it can have on a business.
As some businesses look to the future of getting back to the office, the flexibility of working remotely seems to be a more appealing option to others. When it comes to the future, as we look beyond the pandemic and as more business open back up fully, don’t be too quick to snatch the option of working remotely away from your team.
We’ve seen how remote working can improve the mental wellbeing and productivity of employees, while cutting down on costs for businesses and reducing environmental damage. Perhaps, as we see a slow return to normality, the new normal for your business could be working remotely?
Looking for a bespoke CRM solution that grants you the tools to allow remote working to your team? Try a free demo of Lunar CRM to find out how your business could benefit.