Your Guide to Remote Working

SECRETS TO REMOTE WORKING SUCCESS

Those who work remotely or have staff who work outside the office will know that it’s not always easy to feel connected. Productivity and motivation are key but when distractions are rife, how do remote employees stay focused and equipped? Many of our IT support London clients have teams who work remotely. As a result, we know all about the struggles and how to overcome them using the right technology.

The following components help facilitate remote working:

• The team – whether you’re joining one or putting one together for your business
• The technology – from devices to connectivity
• The processes – remote working means tailoring standard work processes

It’s all about the team

Organisations that are putting together a network of people that work remotely need to choose candidates who are self-motivated and deadline-driven. Constant and reliable communication needs to be present so that remote staff are immersed in the business. This will help build the culture of the business, make sure everyone is on the same page and ensure that ultimately, the job gets done.

Technology trumps all

Every business relies on technology, whether it’s for remote working or a physical office environment. You’ll find that you won’t be able to facilitate remote working without reliable devices and efficient IT support. The same can be said for those on your team who are working from home or from offices in different cities. If remote staff have poor internet connectivity or out-dated devices, this will negatively impact their productivity. It will also create unnecessary breaks in communication, which could cause misunderstandings and missed deadlines. Ensuring that all involved parties are properly equipped will make remote working a more pleasant and effective process.

The right IT will make the different

There are some many ways to enable remote working. That’s why it is imperative that you choose what’s right for your business. If your business operates in multiple time zones, provides around the clock services or uses freelance staff, then you need IT support that maintains the same expertise, flexible hours and relative cost. A decentralised workforce stands the risk of duplicating tasks and overlapping duties. That’s why all staff, no matter where they are, need to be clear on what is required of them and the hardware/software that will help them achieve this.

Update company processes for remote working

Almost every company process will need to be tailored or amended to suit the demands of a new way of working. This includes briefing processes, reviewing of work and meetings.  Then, as your business evolves, your processes and applications will also have to be considered.

There are many useful apps that are built for remote working. For example, Skype for Business allow you to video chat and maintain a certain degree of face-to-face interaction; and an app called Slack allows each member of the team to be assigned tasks and chat about anything that needs clarification.

No matter what your specific processes and applications needs are, do be aware that moving across to remote working requires a little effort and some time to get everyone on the same page. Conosco has 15 years’ experience in providing strategic, robust IT solutions for a variety of clients’ needs.

So if you need a little help getting your remote division up and running please visit our website today. https://www.conosco.com/what-we-do/it-support/