Flexible working options and working from remote locations has certainly been on the rise in recent years. In 2019 a survey found that 61% of global companies were offering some kind of remote working policy. The global pandemic of COVID-19 has accelerated the need for businesses to accommodate home working. For those that have long been championing flexible working arrangements, and those that have been eager to broach the subject with their employers – this time could prove to be an invaluable experience. It could demonstrate to both employers and employees that remote working can create a happier and more productive workforce.

Tips for employees

1. ROUTINE – If you ask anyone who works remotely they will tell you that sticking to a routine is key to a successful working week. Much as you would if you were commuting to an office everyday, it is important to start and end your day the same way, remembering to take breaks and set your priorities accordingly.
2. WORKSPACE – Where possible it is helpful to keep a separate working area. It is not viable for everyone but if you have a separate room that can be used as an office space then it helps to be able to leave and pick up where you left off. Understandably not everyone has the luxury of a separate office space but just making sure you have somewhere comfortable to work for long periods of time can make a huge difference.
3. CAREER DEVELOPMENT – Remote workers could potentially miss out on training opportunities that would otherwise be available if they worked in a central office. Remember to seize the opportunity to join webinars or online training courses to keep up your skills or learn new ones. It is the perfect opportunity to take complete control of your career development and lifestyle.
4. COMMUNICATION – Staying connected with colleagues is really important. Set up regular conference or video calls and send frequent updates of your schedule and priority workload. Keeping those communication lines open will help you to feel less alone and make you feel part of the team despite being in separate locations.
5. BOUNDARIES – Setting boundaries is the biggest obstacle that individuals can face when working from home. When your workspace is also your home it can be hard to see where working ends and home life begins. This is where setting a schedule and dedicated work space can really help. It is also vital to align your mindset so you are setting your day exactly as you would if you worked in an office. If you wouldn’t work in the evenings and at weekends then don’t do it when working from home either.
6. WIND DOWN – Commuters often use their journey home from work to wind down and detach from the working day. With 22% of home workers saying that ‘switching off’ is something they find difficult to do when working remotely it is important to make a clear division between work time and home life. Find a method that works for you and helps you to relax into your evening. It could be that cooking a meal or taking the dog for a walk will help you ease into the latter part of your day.

Tips for Employers

1. TRUST –Developing a culture of trust and respect is imperative if you wish to create deep-seated loyalty among your team. It is impossible to have pride in what you are doing if you are constantly being told what to do and how to do it, and perhaps for some this includes when and how to work. Many employers have shied away from giving employees the freedom and flexibility to work from home because they fear that they simply won’t get the job done.
2. EMPOWERMENT – The aim of any business is surely to make employees feel empowered. There may be stumbling blocks when an entire team suddenly has to work from home, especially if that is unexpected as in recent times. Listen to your employees and their ideas – they will bring solutions to these stumbling blocks and it will make them feel empowered in their new working environment.
3. DEVELOPMENT – Flexible working allows an employee’s productivity to increase due to fewer distractions from a busy workplace, so perhaps working from home offers new opportunities to develop your team too? With no commute and full control of their workload, it could be the perfect circumstance for employees to put that extra time into their career development. Online courses and training can be incredibly helpful and make your staff feel valued members of the team.
4. INFORMATION – Sharing information is the most important yet difficult element of achieving an engaged workforce, and with having your team work from home it could prove problematic. As a business you want your employees to feel as though they are important. It could be very easy to slide into a ‘closed-door approach’ but putting in place daily meetings via conference calling will make the team feel that they are kept in the loop and still very much valued.
5. CONNECTION – Whilst employees are working from multiple locations it is important to keep a team together and communicate efficiently. Schedule in online video calls to catch up.
6. APPRECIATION – Above all, as an employer it is imperative that employees feel their work and efforts are appreciated. Showing that you trust them, want to empower them, share information and stay connected is brilliant, but the simple act of showing you appreciate them will help morale immensely. If individuals feel appreciated and listened to, as well as appropriately rewarded, they will give more of themselves.