Working from home has become more commonplace in recent years. Although there are advantages to employees and companies when working remotely, challenges must be overcome. Studies confirmed remote workers are more productive, healthier, and enjoy a balanced work-life. However, remote working is not always smooth sailing and endless sunshine.
According to a United Nations International Labour Organization report, working from home can boost productivity. But it also brings its fair share of challenges, like longer hours, lack of motivation, work-home interference, and sometimes, increased stress.
So, here the question arises: are there any solutions for these challenges? The answer is yes.
In this article, we will discuss the difficulties of working remotely and productive approaches to overcome them.
Table of Contents
Communication and Collaboration
Problem:
Successful collaboration and communication constitute one of the biggest obstacles for companies with remote workers. While face-to-face communication is simple in an office setting, remote workers must find other means of coordination.
Sharing your thoughts and ideas, and discussing some important topics with your team in the office. After all, you are meeting with your team daily and discussing your daily goals.
However, the opportunity for unplanned, in-person interaction is lost in virtual workplaces. Intention and preparation must underlie all interactions.
Productive approaches:
- Keep the lines of communication open as much as possible. Schedule daily conversations to review progress toward targets, challenges, and individual performance reviews.
- Block time for quick meetings with remote workers, and ensure they can access your schedule.
- Put your communication skills to use. Invest in secure communication and collaboration software that makes it easy for workers to share information and work together effectively.
- Set up transparent interaction channels. Determine how quickly you expect a reply, how you wish to be contacted, and how available you will be. This level of specificity facilitates open dialogue and guarantees that all parties are on the same page.
Suggested Reading: The Definitive Guide for Productive Virtual Meetings
Maintaining Work-Life Balance
Problem:
Working from home can blur the borders between work and personal lives, resulting in weariness and decreased productivity. Workers may work endlessly or find it difficult to switch off their work brains without defined boundaries.
Productive approaches:
- Prioritization is the key to success when achieving a work-life balance. Your ability to effectively organize your workday through effective organizing and planning, managing your time, using collaboration tools, and efficient tactics will allow you to complete the items on the list you have created timelier.
- At every step, strike a healthy balance between your business and personal lives to maintain a positive connection between the two.
- Encourage workers to create an isolated workspace location distinct from their living areas. Encourage them to work throughout typical business hours while taking breaks at predetermined intervals, exactly like they would in a workplace.
- Promote employee self-care by suggesting they take time out of their busy schedules to relax and refresh. Advocate for frequent exercise opportunities, healthy eating breaks, and meditative practices to improve employee health and happiness.
Maintaining Motivation and Engagement
Problem:
You’re working with your team, seeing others working sincerely, and getting motivated to work hard. But when it comes to remote working, that motivation is missing, and seeing no one around you makes you feel lonely. Employees may find it difficult to remain interested and motivated, lacking being part of colleagues or a controlled office setting.
Productive approaches:
- Make friends in every way you can. To keep things feeling regular, arranging for remote interactions, starting a light-hearted chat channel, or even “grabbing coffee” (although digitally) can be helpful. Be supportive and encouraging to one another when you’re together, not just by listening.
- Create a sense of belonging. Initiate regular online get-togethers, celebrations, and bonding exercises for your virtual team. This contributes to the development of an accepting and safe workplace.
- Offer training and education for professionals. Give your remote workers a chance to learn and advance in their careers. Encourage and involve your staff by giving them access to virtual courses, seminars, and conferences.
Security and Data Protection
Problem:
Employees who work remotely open the organization to new security concerns because they can access company information and networks from anywhere. It is now essential to keep sensitive data safe and secure.
Productive approaches:
- Data breaches and hacks become more likely when workers can access business resources from off-site locations. Combat the risks associated with working remotely and safeguarding sensitive information.
- Take stringent precautions to prevent cyber-attacks. Provide your staff with safe VPNs, encrypted methods of interactions, and multiple authentication methods. Patch security holes in your software and hardware by installing updates regularly.
- Educate workers on proper procedures. Employees should be made aware of cybersecurity risks, including phishing and malware, through training sessions. Insist that they take precautions with company data, such as keeping their gadgets up to date and using strong passwords.
Conclusion
There are several advantages to both workers and employers when they can do their jobs remotely. Challenges unique to remote working can be met with strategies like regular breaks, open lines of communication, and ergonomic workplaces, which benefit remote employees and their employers.
It’s easy to see why telecommuting is rising; it offers several advantages, including more freedom, lower overhead, a larger talent pool, and higher output. Organizations and people can take advantage of virtual work’s benefits and overcome problems with the right preparation, set of rules, and ongoing support and encouragement.
