Employees want flexibility – the ability to choose when and where they work. And, more than ever before, companies are hopping on board. The idea of having remote employees – also known as remote culture – may seem unorthodox and even a bit intimidating. Is it really worth it? Will it help or harm your business?
How a Remote Team Will Benefit You in the Long Run
Entrepreneurs who have built a remote team know that the remote culture benefits not only their employees, but the business as a whole. How so?
Sara Sutton Fell of FlexJobs.com – in an article for Entrepreneur.com – notes that the old way of doing things is causing stress within the workplace. Office politics take a huge emotional toll and affect focus of everyone in the office.
Having the ability to work remotely gives employees space. Then, when they do have to work side by side, there is a deeper sense of camaraderie and focus on the goal and task at hand.
Additionally, the remote culture can save a business a lot of money. Sara Sutton Fell points out that working in an office can result in monetary loss due to workplace distractions. Also, employees are often so intent on flexibility that they are willing to forego health benefits, take pay cuts and work more hours from home.
Offering remote work options will also give you a desirable company culture and reputation. You’ll make a better first impression, both with recruiters and prospective employees.
Building and Maintaining Your Remote Team
Now that you know some of the benefits, how do you go about building and maintaining a remote company culture?
- Promote open communication. Remote team members can sometimes fall victim to “out of sight, out of mind”. This results in mistakes, miscommunication and sometimes major frustration. Promote good communication by using instant messaging apps like Slack. Everyone on and off-site will be able to communicate effectively in real-time.
- Google Apps. Google is perfect for modern company culture. Choose from Google Hangouts (it’s almost like working side by side) or Google Docs (anyone who has access can edit the doc). This is just the tip of the iceberg – there are many ways to utilize Google to maintain your remote culture.
- Trello App. A virtual sticky note app like Trello is a great way to keep everyone on task!
- Keep regular tabs on your team. Just because someone gets to work from home or have reduced hours doesn’t mean they’re not going to experience burnout. According to Benjamin Brandall, a remote writer for TrackDuck.com, any employee can feel burnt out if they don’t take time off and/or have huge workloads. If you notice an employee’s work isn’t up to par, quite often it is because of burnout, not slacking off. Take the time to communicate with them and discuss what options they have for reducing their workload and/or stress.
Finding the Support You Need In Business
Building a remote team doesn’t mean you won’t have any employees in the office anymore. There are plenty of options to consider, including: semi-flexible working hours, telecommuting (even if only occasionally) and alternative schedules for your employees.
The options are almost endless. If you’re interested in knowing which type of remote work might work best for your company, as a remote company ourselves, we can help! Building a remote company culture is not something you have to do alone. Contact us at Thrive Internet Marketing today and we will be happy to help you figure out how to build the best remote team for your business.
