How to implement a successful remote work environment

The concept of remote working continues to spread and could become the norm going into the future. According to a Flex Jobs report, nearly 36.2 million U.S. workers could be working remotely full or part time by 2025.

And while the same report indicates that remote workers are up to 40% more productive than their in-office counterparts, the initial transition into a hybrid remote work model takes some getting used to.

A successful long-term remote working routine requires a mission-driven framework, effective technology, and new tools for running day-to-day operations.

Implement the following remote work best practices, strategies, and tips to lay down a solid foundation for a successful remote work environment.

Prioritize Clear and Effective Communication

Good communication is the crux of any successful remote work plan. Clear and effective communication will help virtual teams stay on the same page, build better working relationships, and boost the workforce motivation.

For managers, this means establishing the appropriate communication channels for urgent (synchronous) and non-urgent (asynchronous) topics.

There are several online management tools that can help team leaders to communicate effectively, whether it is outlining responsibilities, spelling out expectations and deadlines, or casually interacting with remote teams.

Depending on the message being passed across and its urgency, one of these tools might be suitable:

• Email
• Workforce messaging programs (Slack)
• Collaborative online documents (Google Docs)
• Video conferencing tools (Zoom, Skype, Cisco Webex Meetings, etc.)
• Project management boards (Trello, Asana, Monday.com, Basecamp, etc.)
• Pre-recorded videos to screen-share (Loom, Snagit, VEED, Camtasia, etc.)

Furthermore, team leaders should focus on getting everyone in sync with the right communication channel at the right time. This will help people know what communication method to use (based on the message) and when to expect a response.

Invest in an Employee Monitoring Tool

Loads of varying dynamics exist between remote working and in-office working. In other words, when and how remote employees work will look different from in-office employees.

When a team is working remotely, it’s easy for members to engage in non-work related activities that can hurt the team’s productivity. Or in a worst case scenario, take part in actions that lead to a deliberate or inadvertent breach of the organization’s confidential data.

For this reason, companies should have one central system for tracking employees’ activities without infringing on their privacy. When appropriately implemented, an employee activity monitor can shed light on employees’ performance, detect and prevent costly data security risks, and catch insider threats.

An employee monitoring system will give you comprehensive user behavior insights such as:

• Internet and app usage
• Active and idle times
• Logins and logouts
• Key logging
• Location stamp
• Data transparency

With these behavioral and analytics bio-data, you can track and identify underperformers, false overtimes, and overloaded employees. This will help you create a bespoke management strategy that optimizes inefficient workflows and boosts employee productivity.

Put a Remote Work Culture in Place

Just because your team is scattered across the globe doesn’t mean you can’t cultivate a healthy and productive work culture. One of the greatest pillars of a successful remote work environment is culture.

If a “remote first” culture isn’t firmly grounded in the strategy you put in place, you’re unlikely to achieve the results you hope for.  By “remote first” means you’re deliberate and intentional about creating engagement opportunities instead of leaving them to chance.

Some of the common hacks to promote a productive remote work culture are:

• Seek employee feedback and address concerns to continue improving.
• Scan and upload any documents needed by your remote workers.
• Utilize task management tools to improve productivity.
• Establish core working hours.
• Determine what your employees’ mental health looks like.
• Be mindful of privacy and confidentiality requirements.

A strong remote work culture, coupled with SMART goals and KPIs, can be seen as the heart and soul of a business and its workers. It gives you the opportunity to capitalize on remote work benefits while mitigating some of the challenges and risks associated with distributed teams.

Rethink Your Employee Perks and Benefits

Don’t underestimate the importance of actively rewarding and promoting the best performing employees. Remember, people want to feel recognized and appreciated for their achievement—and this doesn’t change when they work outside traditional office environments.

Make employee perks and benefits an integral part your remote work culture. Show appreciation for achievements so your employees know that they matter to you and your business.

You can consider subsidizing their home internet bills, providing pet and child care benefits, having a coffee or lunch stipend, hosting monthly virtual happy hours, and more. Actually, there is no shortage of ways to express gratitude for an achievement, big or small.

Final Thought

Implementing a successful remote work environment requires time and adjustment. From introducing a new work from home framework to setting up clear, succinct communication strategies and adopting new tools and technology, the process can seem tedious.

But when done correctly, the results can be rewarding. Implement our tips above and get started managing your remote teams successfully.