A Company Built to Work Remote

We find ourselves in interesting times that call for new ways of thinking, living and working. And while some companies find themselves making significant adjustments to keep employees safe, others have been built to be flexible and to acclimate to any climate.

Transitioning an office to work remotely can be incredibly challenging as it’s not just the physical aspects of a work environment that need to be considered. To create new and trustworthy ‘offsite’ relationships, communication will need to be much more deliberate.

The inherent benefits of physically working together are now gone but simple adjustments can actually lead to a very successful new working world. And companies like ours, have been operating this way for quite some time.

Ensure Your Team Has the Necessary Tools

If you haven’t already, the first thing you absolutely must do is ensure your team has all the technology needed to function remotely. This includes everything from the basics of access to internet, to mobile apps for payroll and scanning documents and video conferencing software.

It’s taken many of us some time to adjust to video software like Zoom but as our new world continues to shift, we will become experts at it learning how to mute, share presentations, chat and even share opinions via polls. We can even brainstorm using the whiteboard feature and save meetings so that we can revisit them later.

Communication Continues to be Key

Beyond technology and software, it’s important that a remote team stays tightly-knit and always connected to maintain effective ongoing communication. Zoom meetings, constant emailing, instant messengers and good old-fashioned phone calls allow the company to function as close to an office setting as possible.

Project management platforms are also incredibly useful in furthering projects and giving employees a place to communicate updates while making sure expectations are outlined and met.

This ensure employees have a proper sense of direction and a means to help them stay on track and complete daily, weekly and monthly tasks.

Keep an Emphasis on Building Culture and Trust

As important as it is to monitor and keep track of employees’ work, it’s equally important to keep them engaged in team-building and collaboration.

Working at home can have significant benefits like flexibility of schedule but it can also come with substantial distractions.

To maintain trust and positivity, try encouraging scheduled breakdowns, outdoor and physical activity and maybe even remote team activities. This builds trust and teamwork and also helps each employee establish a productive routine.

Our company has always put a priority on building a positive, collaborative culture, fostering good healthy energy among our employees and teams and flexible work. So the transition to a fully remote workforce has been somewhat seamless.

But for others, transitioning a company from a physical to a virtual setting has been daunting. Using technology to your advantage while emphasizing great communication and staying connected will set your organization up for success no matter what change brings.