Many cynics touted remote working as a passing fad; a knee-jerk reaction to a global pandemic that would soon fade away as life returned to ‘normal’.
However, data from recent years suggests that the opposite is true. Before Covid, less than 5% of employees worked from home. As of summer 2024, 14% of workers worked purely from home, while 26% had some sort of hybrid arrangement with their employers whereby they travelled into an office some of the time.
Attitudes towards remote working have changed, too. Employees have reported an improved work/life balance from their new routine, and many also believe that there are fewer distractions and more work opportunities when they log in from afar. Employers who have embraced the trend have also noted better staff wellbeing, reduced overheads, and increased productivity as a result of introducing more flexible policies – so much so, that many of them are now keen to introduce home working as a permanent business model.
What are the key challenges of managing remote employees?
Though remote working has plenty of benefits, keeping tabs on a wider network of employees is no mean feat for business owners and managers.
It’s much more difficult to track output and accountability, not to mention create a cohesive team and a strong internal culture – and then there are the risks to the company’s cybersecurity provision to consider.
To help you lean into home working with confidence, here are 10 things you can do to better manage your out-of-office team members, wherever they might be in the world.
10 tips to ensure a happy, productive remote workforce
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Set clear expectations
Define goals, deadlines, and productivity standards to keep everyone on the same page. It’s your job to clearly outline your staff’s roles and responsibilities and explain to them how success will be measured.
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Communicate regularly
This means establishing consistent communication channels, whether this is through regular video check-ins, team meetings, or messaging apps. It’s important to maintain a sense of structure when it comes to communication but be prepared to be a little bit flexible; after all, everybody works differently.
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Use the right tools
Equip your team with reliable project management, communication, and collaboration tools (like Slack, Zoom, Asana, or Trello). This kind of tried-and-tested technology will help everyone better organise their tasks, track their progress, and stay connected with each other.
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Focus on results, not hours
Encourage a results-oriented approach, which involves assessing team members by their output rather than time spent online. This fosters trust, respects employees’ varied work styles, and avoids instances of micromanagement.
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Champion collaboration
Facilitate cross-functional team interactions by hosting brainstorming sessions or group check-ins to build that vital sense of teamwork, even from a distance. These can be formal or informal.
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Prioritise staff development
Those who are working remotely should have access to the same opportunities for progression. Signpost your staff towards further training and career development resources to keep your remote workers engaged, motivated, and growing within your organisation.
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Establish a recognition system that works for your business
This could involve recognising employee accomplishments publicly in team meetings or through virtual shout-outs. This helps remote workers feel valued and boosts morale.
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Promote healthy working behaviours
Remote working can sometimes create an ‘always on’ mentality amongst staff, but this is not always a good thing for their mental health. Encourage breaks and set boundaries to prevent burnout, and make sure employees know it’s okay to unplug after work hours.
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Be flexible
Recognise that remote work may have unique challenges, like distractions at home – and appreciate that some employees may be juggling other commitments alongside their 9 to 5. By showing understanding and accommodating flexible hours when possible, and you’ll find it easier to retain your best talent.
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Gather regular feedback
Conduct surveys or arrange one-on-one check-ins with members of staff to get their thoughts on their experience of working remotely. Then, make sure you feed their input back to HR so processes can be improved, and any concerns can be addressed quickly.
Security and data privacy
As we mentioned earlier, having a team of remote workers makes managing security protocols much more challenging. Using personal networks and devices can increase cybersecurity vulnerabilities, resulting in more frequent attacks and costing the business a great deal in terms of both time and money.
There are several things you can do to minimise risk in these areas. Firstly, introduce strong password policies and encourage two-factor authentication (2FA) for all work-related accounts to reduce instances of unauthorised access. VPNs (virtual private networks) are critical tools, too, as they encrypt data and protect information shared over public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
Ideally, remote teams should use company-approved devices. If employees are permitted to use personal devices, make sure they are equipped with antivirus software and endpoint security measures. Data encryption for all sensitive files adds another layer of protection, especially for data storage and transmission. Access to files and systems should also be restricted based on staff roles.
Regular security awareness training is key for remote teams, and this should focus on identifying phishing attempts, implementing secure browsing habits, and reminding staff of safe data handling practices. You may choose to create a clear remote work security policy to make sure communication is clear and help your employees understand and adhere to these best practices. This is something our outsourced finance directors often recommend to our clients.
While we primarily support businesses with their financial requirements, the team here at Dartcell often provides independent, unbiased feedback to help our clients tackle other common business challenges, including introducing and sustaining remote working policies. Get in touch to learn about the myriad other ways we can add value.