How to Improve Your Remote Workplace, Tips for Online Entrepreneurs

Remote workplaces are growing quite fast among businesses given that most want to take advantage of benefits such as lowering costs, collaboration on different time zones, access to global talent pools, and much more. That said, it is not all unicorns and rainbows as there are hurdles that come with managing a distributed team. You ought to learn how to do it the right way if you are to build a successful remote business. We have compiled some tips that can help you get started and grow the business without spending too much.

Tips to Help You Manage a Remote Team

Get the right remote team

Hiring the right employees to work for your company remotely can be a problem, not just for new entrepreneurs. The problem is that not all qualified candidates are cut out for remote work. As such, you will need to consider the skills it takes to be successful in a remote environment. You can, therefore, look out for candidates with the following traits:

●      The propensity towards action: Hire a self-driven employee who will know what to do without having to be pushed around.

●      Ability to prioritize: Find an individual who can focus on the right tasks and one who knows to ignore the less impactful.

●      Proficient writing: Most communication is likely to happen through text. That is, via email, team chat, or even private messages. Well, you should hire someone who doesn’t struggle to write clearly and concisely.

●      Local support system: a remote worker with a support system around him or her will perform better. This is because they can share their worries and frustrations and get help even without having to reach you physically. 

You should strive to get the right remote team for your business first. That makes it easy to manage them.

Create the right work environment

Creating the right environment for your team means that they can do the work without having to be micromanaged. You can create this environment by setting clear goals and communicating them to your organization. As a result, your team members will spend the company time working to realize those goals.

Besides, you should set realistic timelines and describe how projects should be submitted. That way, you will keep them on toes, and hence, you will not need to keep following them every so often.

Improve your IT Infrastructure 

Managing and working with a remote team can be challenging if you lack the right tools. Fortunately, there are lots of useful technologies that have made collaboration easy, even for small businesses. Well, you can get Electric IT support to help you set up the right infrastructure that will help make your communication seamless. You are better off outsourcing IT support for a remote workplace than hiring in-house staff, given that you will save more cash.

Tip: Keep an eye on cybersecurity as you collaborate. It’s another reason why you should outsource IT services to help secure your workplace.

Hold regular meetings

Working remotely can make employees feel like they are on their own. That is why you should make a point of holding weekly virtual meetings via collaboration tools like Skype, Zoom, or any other appropriate video conferencing tool.

During the meetings, you can make a point of clarifying anything your employees may bring up. You can take the opportunity to ask them for ideas and contributions to specific topics. For example, you can engage them to find out how best they can be motivated. That will make them feel appreciated, and therefore, they will be more engaged with the goals of your business. 

You can also have ice-breaking activities with members discussing issues that are not necessarily about work. You can encourage them to talk about their diverse cultures, their hobbies, and such. This will help in bonding with each other and in creating a great work family, albeit remotely.

Be a good manager

Your team members want a person who can understand them and relate to their issues and position as employees. They want to feel that you trust them with advancing the vision of your organization. Hence, you should demonstrate to them that you trust their skills, knowledge, and talent are appreciated in achieving the goals of your organization. You can show your trust in your employees by letting them make independent decisions on how to go about tasks, and only get to intervene when they request you to do so. In the end, they will feel independent and free, and that will contribute to higher performance.

Additionally, you can show them empathy and demonstrate understanding during their points of need. A remote employee may request time to take care of their ailing loved ones. It is only gentle of you to allow them some time, and perhaps even offer them allowance during the leave. That will increase their trust in your leadership and foster their loyalty in your business organization. As a result, they will stay, and the employee turnover will be reduced to the economic advantage of your business.

Final word

Managing a distributed team is not always an easy task. However, with the right skills and tools, it is doable. We hope the tips we have covered will help improve your remote workplace and in turn grow your team’s productivity.

Top 10 Essential For Working From Home

Working from home has become a requirement for many people at short notice, and so this means that people haven’t been able to properly think about the essentials that they need in order for it to be successful. Being thrown in the deep end has left many confused, anxious, unorganized, and stressed out, however, it doesn’t need to be that way. It’s time to take a step back and assess your situation. For many, this hasn’t been a choice but there are some ways that you can make working from home easier. 

Working from home can be freeing, although at times it can be hard. In order to be productive, have a look at the top ten essentials that you need to work from home below: 

A Good internet Service 

It is almost unheard of to find a job that requires no internet access at all; this means that every person now thrown into working from home needs to make sure they have internet service at home and a good one at that. The internet is often the key to getting your work done, contacting the people/clients that you need to, and keeping in the loop of things at work.

Make sure you have reliable internet service with a decent speed connection to help boost your productivity. There is nothing worse than having to explain to your work that you couldn’t complete tasks because your internet wasn’t good enough. If you think that your service may not make the cut, contact your supplier and see they are able to boost your connection, even if you are only working from home temporarily. If your current provider isn’t able to give you the speed that you need to complete your work properly, then it might be time to have a look at a switching service online and comparing prices. 

Space To Work 

Although not everyone has a dedicated space in their home to be able to work from, setting up a work space is going to help massively when it comes to your productivity. You don’t have to have an entire room, let’s face it not many people are able to do this but try to set up an area that you can separate from your leisure space. Whether it’s your kitchen table, a corner in your bedroom, or using a laptop on your lap away from the kids, having a dedicated space is what you need.

If you are going to use a laptop on your lap, it’s best to make sure you protect yourself from things like Laptop Radiation Danger. If you are finding it difficult in the current situation to find a working space that is dedicated for you to complete your work, make sure you speak with your employer and explain the situation. Working from home isn’t suited for everyone’s home life and there will be a level of understanding with this. 

Work Attire 

Working from home can mean that it is far too easy to think that it’s appropriate for you to sit and complete your work in your pajamas or loungewear. In fact, you are going to much more productive if you still get dressed and ready for your day at work. Ok, so it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to wear a suit every day but getting dressed smart-casual clothing will mean you’re far more productive than you would be sitting in your sleepwear all day. Have a look online for some ideas around semi-smart work attire. There are plenty of ideas on all your usual clothing sites. And, of course, if you’re having a lazy day where you know you’re only going to dip in and out of work, then go for it and wear your loungewear. 

A Good Phone Service 

Just like your internet service is important for nearly every at-home job, good phone service is too. Ok so, this might not be as important, by virtue of email and services like Skype, but it’s still important to have good phone service. If you don’t already have a phone in your home, most internet connections rely on a phone line in the home so it may just be a case of calling your provider and requesting your phone number. You could always set up a dedicated mobile phone for work life, but try not to use your personal mobile for this. You don’t want to take work calls by mistake or vice versa. 

A Decent Desktop Set-Up 

If you can’t have a desktop then a laptop is, of course, the next best thing, however, it is worth considering setting yourself up with a decent desktop set-up for you to be ultimately productive. It’s worth considering expanding your capabilities with a few additions. From spreadsheets to help manage your accounts, to extra storage for your important documents, it could be worth investing in some decent business software or using your employer to supply you with what you need to do your job properly. Making sure you have the right set-up can mean that your work-life at home is much easier. 

Speak To The Rest Of The World 

Just because we are restricted from going out at the moment, it doesn’t mean you need to restrict yourself from the rest of the world. Think about signing up for some professional networking sites such as Linkedin, which is fast becoming a must-have in the business world. Using tools like this can enable you to reach out to others in your industry and also keep in touch with people you have worked with, in the past. For many freelancers and self-employed, Linkedin has already being a great heal in combatting the lack of work. 

Organized Space 

Just like your desk in your office, you need to ensure that your work-space is kept organized and decluttered. Just because you are now working from home, doesn’t give you permission to treat your work-space as your home space. This means you should make sure it’s kept clear of washing, kitchen items, children’s toys, etc. The same needs to apply to your computer. While you are at work, treat it like a work computer, not a relaxation center. This means no games, pictures, etc., should be open. It might be a good idea to pick a day of the week to sort through your workspace, using the last working day of the week is good for this as it sets you up ready for the week ahead. Go through all your paperwork, mail and emails and get it clear and organized for the following work week. 

A Clear Time For Working 

Time can slip away easily. You should make sure you pick a time for work and then stick to it. Although two days may never be the same and you might want to change the times every now and again, having a dedicated working pattern can go a long way to increase your productivity. If working from home is new for you and it has been forced upon you because of what is happening in the world at the moment, your working schedule may be different from what you are used to. It may be that you have other commitments such as looking after your children or for a vulnerable person, meaning you need to alter your work schedule to fit around this. Many employers are understanding of this and are allowing people to work when they can, even if this is in the evening and completely different from their usual nine to five working patterns. If you have any major problems, speak to your employer and see if they can help in any way. 

Contact With Your Employer

It can be really easy to slip under the radar or miss important information when working from home. You need to ensure you are keeping yourself well-informed and in the loop. Email, call, and follow up with your employer on a regular basis. You may find that they even have a protocol in place for how often you should be doing this. The main thing to remember is that you need to have a good line of communication. 

Distance

It can be really easy to bring your work life into your home life and think of them in the same place. You need to be able to let go of work when it’s the right time. You still need time to relax in your home. If you’ve gone past your work schedule, leave your work until til tomorrow. 

These top ten essentials should get you on the right track to working from home and be productive. Do you have any other tips that you could share in the comments below?