Working from home (WFH) could be as effective as usual if you have a clear structure in place. Here’re some remote working tips for both employers and employees.
As the pandemic continues to be a global concern, many organisations are still having their workforce work remotely in consideration of their health and safety.
For a lot of employees and employers, this could be a complete departure from the norm. And once all the necessary kit is in place to make it achievable, the next priority on the list for many organisations and leaders is to make sure everyone can stay as productive as possible in trying times.
Navigating what works best for your company, you’ll find it’s best to stay flexible, while providing a clear structure to work within.
Here are a few of the many ways you can help your workforce work just as effectively as usual from home:
- Maintain a sense of structure – create a framework for individuals and teams by keeping up regular one-on-one and team meetings.
- Stay in contact – use a business conferencing platform that allows your employees to have live conversations with you and each other.
- Encourage video calling – seeing each other live helps keep that human connection and you can have the conversations you’d normally have in the office.
- Focus on deliverables – adopt real-time collaboration apps to help facilitate collaboration.
- Schedule down time – remote workers may miss the time they would normally spend bonding with their colleagues. Encourage virtual coffee breaks or host a virtual Friday afternoon socialising hour.
Tips for employees to help make remote working work for them:
- Maintain a level of professionalism – get dressed as you would for work so you’re in the right frame of mind, and you’re camera-ready for any last-minute video calls.
- Keep your calendar updated – let people know your availability and update your online status, especially when you’ve stepped out of the office.
- Create a designated workspace – if you don’t have a separate room, choose a space and make it yours 9am to 5pm.
- Take a break from the screen – keep your energy levels up by going for a walk or moving about the room.
- Use your best hours effectively – get to know when you work best, then prioritise your most important tasks or schedule meetings for these times of the day.
- Retain work life balance – working remotely can make it hard to set boundaries between work and home. When the day is done, shut off your computer and walk away.
Keeping your employees engaged during remote working also requires seamless cloud-based HR technology that can provide consistent experience to them regarding pay, leave, learning, etc. Check how ADP’s payroll solutions for Singapore can help you stay strong during these difficult times.
