A remote working guideline to ensure success for your business

While some businesses in other countries had adapted to remote working long before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, South African companies had to make the big adjustment to move into this foreign territory. Although this may be a move in the right direction, South Africa is still a work in progress. We require certain technological advances to make it possible to work from anywhere.

To see the benefits of remote working; greater productivity, reduced stress and more engagement, improved employee retention and attracting valuable employees, South African businesses need to move towards a digital transformation mindset. They need to invest in the necessary resources, and infrastructure, to ensure they’re able to overcome any working from home barrier. Bridging the gap won’t be easy, but it ensures that your workers are fully equipped to make working from home a success. 

To get helpful remote working tips that you can utilise in your business, continue reading. 

Address the common fears employees will have

For your company to succeed during, and after the pandemic, you need to understand the ins and outs of how to work remotely. This means ensuring that you and your employees are on the same page at all times. To do that, you need to be proactive and consider all the issues your employees will face during this transformation period. For example, are they worried that they will have less information about the company and what is happening from within? Or will they fear that they won’t have the same management support as they did when working in an office? 

These are a few examples of common issues and challenges that workers face when it comes to digital transformation. Employees have no problem with working from home; the issue comes when businesses move into a digitally-led environment. This is because the idea of moving to automation threatens the need for their jobs as they may become redundant in the future. It is in your company’s best interest to keep your employees informed about the changes and any other issues to ensure that onboarding to remote working is a success. Addressing issues needs to be done frequently to ensure everyone is on the same page, and no fear or doubt will hinder them from doing their work efficiently. 

Deal with technological issues

Remote working can save a business a lot of money in terms of electricity and internet usage. But it can come with technology issues as your workers’ internet may not be as reliable as it is at the office. 

For digital operations to progress within your organisation, there needs to be tools and procedures put in place to ensure working offsite is effective. By doing this, you ensure that every employee has good connectivity, equipment that is in good condition and the necessary file hosting services. 

The biggest tip for working offsite is to ensure your employees have the means to do their work without any issues. Having issues with connectivity while working remotely not only impacts on productivity, but it also lowers morale and can be frustrating for an individual. Communication when working remotely is key, so always ensure your staff has a good internet connection, well-working computer, and there are systems put in place to ensure effective communication and working. 

Adapt to a digital transformative environment  

As a business, now more than ever is the right time to move towards a digital transformation mindset. Not only will it help your business, but it will also aid economic growth within South Africa. COVID-19 has weakened the economy due to elevated government debt, job losses and businesses closing down. 

A weak economy isn’t beneficial and will hinder any remote working strategy you wish to implement. However, organisations which were able to weather the storm of COVID-19 need to work together with development finance institutions to get project funding for digital transformation. This will ensure that the country’s economy is able to pick up again and hopefully expand the job market.

Set clear expectations

Having clear expectations will ensure everyone knows what is expected of them. 

You do not want your managers to have to constantly check on their teams as that also creates a hostile environment for employees. Remote working is all about trusting one another as you all wish to fulfil the same goal; making the business a success. To ensure a stress-free environment for everyone, set expectations and have a strategy to ensure they are implemented. For example; 

• Remind employees that you have an open-door policy. If they have any issues or concerns, they can speak with management directly. 
• Have daily check-ins to ensure everyone is on schedule and on the same page. 
• Set clear deadlines and all communication needs to be documented, preferably via email. 

This will ensure everyone understands what they need to contribute for things to run smoothly. 

Final thoughts 

The pandemic has shown us the importance of evolving and how digital technologies can offer assistance in critical moments. When done correctly, digital working can have a large impact on your business’s bottom line. So, follow the above tips, adapt your business and best of luck for the future!