Contributed post.
No, it doesn’t cost a business money; it helps it to turn a profit. This is how most entrepreneurs feel regarding their employees and remote working. After all, the workers are happy, content, and less likely to kick up a fuss. Plus, their productivity levels seem to be strong, so all is well.
But, take a look under the hood and you’ll find a host of problems. Yes, letting people work from home might seem like a good idea in the beginning but there are challenges which need addressing. Failure to do so will result in problems for the firm, and the fact that you might not be aware they exist is a warning sign.
Fear not though because all you need to do is to continue reading. Underneath you’ll find the biggest remote work factors which are expensive and the solutions. Don’t forget to check out content on the site for more quality mythbusters.
Workers Are Slacking Off
Employees are sneaky and they understand how to manage their workload so that it looks like they are grafting. In actual fact, they’re sat in front of the TV watching the latest episode of Homes under the Hammer. Bosses might say “well as long as they do the essentials then I don’t care,” but this is to miss the point. Allow them to slack off a little bit and they’ll gradually do it more and more in the future. People slip into bad routines.
What they and the company needs is a level of culpability. You need to be able to glance at their schedule and see what they are doing and when. Short of a camera in their home, which is illegal, you can get creative with deadlines. Set one per task and make them submit work throughout the day.
That way, you can be certain they aren’t drinking tea and taking an early lunch.
Lack Of Integration
You can track their daily routine at home and are confident they can’t slack off. Still, the hard work isn’t over. In fact, it might have only begun depending on the integration of the systems. Without access to the right files and data on the server, there is no way for anybody to work remotely and be productive. There will be too much back and forth and too many questions to crack on and produce quality content.
Before anyone rolls out of bed and picks up a laptop, it’s essential that both parties have perfect accessibility. This Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central partner points out that MS might be the best option because of its ubiquity. Almost every laptop and desktop have Gates’ technology, as do plenty of phones and tablets. So, there shouldn’t be too much change for users of Office programs such as Outlook and Excel.
You can mess around trying to sync Apple and Android yet it’s a waste of time, and it might not be perfect.
No Communication
Bosses tend to treat their staff like children: out of sight means out of mind. But, while they’re at home without any guidance, things are going wrong in the office. It’s tempting to believe this has nothing to do with the remote workers yet the truth is a workplace is a finely tuned machine. When one cog doesn’t turn, the entire mechanism will break down.
Managing people means speaking to them on a regular basis and ensuring they understand their role. For one thing, those that don’t will produce pieces which are below standard. Secondly, it’s easier for you to spot and solve problems. If they are going to miss a deadline, for example, you can call the client in advance and explain.
Waiting until the last five minutes will only result in an awkward conversation.
Running Costs
At first glance, it seems as if remote work has slashed the cost of running a business. That’s excellent because every owner wants to take a chunk of their expenses. There is a problem, however: rent. The lease is based on the needs of the company, overheads and all. Now there are fewer workers in the office, you’re paying more for space you don’t need.
Weirdly enough, working remotely can cost you money. There are two solutions. The first is to renegotiate the contract and find an office suited to your needs. The second is to mix up when employees come into the office and when they stay at home.
Typically, the latter option is easier because it doesn’t involve a landlord and an ironclad deal.