How to Transition Your Company from Traditional Office to Remote Work

by | Apr 20, 2021 | Remote Work, Uncategorized

According to the 6th Annual Survey initiated by the FlexJob and was participated by almost 5,500 respondents, 66% of the professional workers claimed that they are more productive in their chosen field when they adopted remote work rather than staying inside the office.

The results also found out that these remote workers tend to increase their performance level when their jobs or tasks were done at home. It is probably because they can properly manage their tasks and obligations at home and their personal concerns that are non-related works. 

In this pandemic, work from the home scheme is indeed an important strategy for all business types. It helps both remote workers and employers to work without compromising their health. It is only a matter of strict monitoring and supervision so that the employees’ duties and responsibilities can be made and done based on the guidelines, requirements, and timeframe. 

Most professional workers seek flexible working options to render services based on their company’s related tasks. And it was notably found out based on the survey that the top 4 reasons why many workers seek flexible working alternatives are the following:

  1. Proper balance of work versus lifestyle 
  2. Family concerns
  3. Time-savings
  4. Commute stress

It is a mere fact that stress on commuting and time-savings are said to be interrelated because most of the company workers do commute every time they report to their respective offices or companies.

Aside from those 4 top reasons why workers tend to seek flexible working options, some other factors have been mentioned, such as health insurance, flexible salary & schedule, required amount for traveling, and others. 

Since the work-from-home arrangement is undeniably beneficial, especially in this time of COVID-19 pandemic, many people still love to have this kind of scheme in performing their duties and responsibilities.

Remote Work as a More Productive Option

Based on the previously mentioned annual survey, which was initiated the previous year, professional workers in different companies became more productive and efficient at work when they are remotely working from their office because of the following:

  • Less interruptions from the colleagues or co-workers – 76%
  • Less distractions from other factors which may happen in the office – 76%
  • Less stress from traveling from home to office work and vice versa – 70%
  • Reduced office politics – 69%
  • Perfect ambiance because of the quiet place at home – 62%
  • Less regular meetings – 46%
  • …and many more

With these reasons mentioned above, the majority of the respondent who is workers from different companies were confidently claimed that they can perform their tasks well. They just need to keep in touch with the upper management through a team collaboration tool to consult or raise some concerns once needed. 

Remote working is said to be efficient for some workers. However, this is not applicable to everyone because there are some instances that embracing new strategies at work and means to operate the business transactions are quite difficult to do.

Adapting to the Remote Work Setup

Of course, a comprehensive plan and strategy are needed for you to adapt to the new normal situation normally. If the company business is prepared enough to support all mechanisms and needed by every employee while ensuring business continuity, even working remotely, then this could possibly be a good idea for everyone. 

At some point, companies need modern technologies, the internet, and devices for them to be virtually connected to an internal knowledge base. These digital channels would help them reach everyone’s concern towards achieving organizational goals.

However, some industrial companies find it hard to fully embrace the so-called “remote workplace” because of the lack of the equipment and digital devices needed for effective project management. Some of the employees are still working in the office while others are working from home. 

Suppose this work-from-home scheme will be applied to the company businesses. In that case, it is a must to know if how proactive and flexible the company’s employees and managers are pertaining to the tasks and jobs related to the usual business.

As managers, it is essential to create innovative ways to help the employees do their tasks at home. And as employees, it is also our obligation to fulfill the expectations of the company’s business leaders and managers. 

Challenges of Remote Work

In adapting to this new normal situation, it is already a part to work remotely from your traditional office or workplace. As one of the company’s professional remote workers, you should be flexible enough with your time while aiming to finish and comply with all the requirements and tasks being given to you by the management.

A new culture and time await in your new environment at home. If you have some concerns or queries, then make some way on how you can tap the upper level of management of your immediate superior so that the tasks will be successfully made and done. 

Along with this work-from-home scheme, it is also expected that you should understand every situation or consequence that may hinder your work at home. These external barriers would negatively affect the output you may produce in a day, especially if the job is output-based.

Difficulties of the tasks, blackout or lack of electric current, and some other impediments that you may experience at home may arise. So, it would be better if you have alternative solutions once these things may happen. These things are inevitable; thus, it is a topmost priority to recognize the possibility that these may happen unexpectedly.

Things to Do for Transitioning Your Company to Remote Working Scheme

There are several ways on how you can transition your company from a traditional office to a remote working scheme. For you to successfully do this, it is important to perform and take the following things and considerations:

1. Conduct a survey/research and trust the gathered data

This process should be a part of the comprehensive plan that you will make in transitioning your company to a remote working scheme. It is crucial to do a survey or do some research first about the company’s strategy pertaining to working remotely. In this way, you may learn how effective your strategies are when you already observed a work-from-home arrangement. The data should be secured, maintained, and used for future references. Thus, these data from your survey will help you eventually create additional means and plans for your business operations’ sustainability. 

2. Manage expectations of your employees

How do you manage the expectations of your employees? This could be quite challenging on your part as managers since you should properly address the employees’ concerns. Learn how you can open with their expectations so that they will be inspired to perform their duties well even without maximum supervision. If you properly manage the employees’ expectations, you can surely achieve the company’s goal. 

3. Develop new parameters and guidelines

Guidelines from your traditional office may be different from the guidelines and parameters that you need to set for remote working. Make sure that these internal guidelines are understood by every employee who will be working from home. These parameters are expected to be followed so that overall organizational goals will be successfully attained.

4. Invest in technology for ease of communication

Communication is very important for business operations, especially in times of this COVID-19 pandemic. Since you will be adopting the new trend for this working scheme, it is advisable to invest in those innovative technologies that can help you and your employees for better communication.

The use of mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and internet connection are the top priorities for the success of the business. In the new set of work-from-home arrangements, digital technologies like team collaboration tools and productivity apps help everyone do proper reports, conduct meetings or updates, and even delegate tasks to other colleagues. Online applications will become crucial to communicate and perform tasks well.

5. Be clear in your new metrics for success

Since delegation of tasks is more on digital mode, it is important to have clear instruction for the new metrics which you want for the tasks. Let the whole team understand how to perform the tasks and how to gauge the performance level of every individual.

As much as possible, set other parameters on how you can measure team productivity and efficiency of the team or individuals for the tasks being given to them. You can also use some types of productivity tools in measuring their efficiency at work even they are remotely working. These project management tools are necessary to improve the handling of tasks, employees, and overall operations in your business. 

6. Prepare your budget for their home office

Working remotely may somehow incur additional expenses for the company. However, this is for the sake of the majority. Make sure to allocate a budget for their home office if needed. Ask the whole team if what specific things are needed for them to work even at home continuously. 

7. Dedicate a time for a test run

Running a test prior to deploying them to their specific workplace at home is indeed an essential step that you can do from the beginning. This is to test and know if working remotely is applicable for them or not. Once the result is successfully done, then you can continue your best strategy for the team. 

8. Laid out all the legal requirements and considerations

These legal requirements must always be ready for some specific purposes. You need to make sure that your business still considers the proper procedures, adhering to the rules and regulations of the country. These will somehow become handy in your future days. 

9. Create an internal knowledge base

Internal knowledge management software is another factor that you need to consider when transitioning your traditional office to a remote working scheme. This will serve as the center of the instruction among workers in the team. There should be someone who can oversee the overall tasks of the team and will provide equivalent assistance and knowledge management if needed. 

remote work

10. Manage employee’s health, compensations, and benefits

These things are all important things to be given by the company to the employees. It is imperative to provide them the compensations and benefits which they really need in times of pandemic. Likewise, health benefits must also be prioritized so that they can continuously work for the company. 

These things that were mentioned above are the important things that you need to prioritize when transitioning your company from traditional office to remote work. Generally, these are already the topmost priority of all companies to ensure business continuity in times of situations like what is happening right now in the world. 

Top Benefits of Working Remotely

remote work

Businesses arrange work-from-home schemes for remote working, which is inevitable because of the pandemic crisis in the world. Although it becomes a new trend for different types of business, remote work has numerous benefits for both employees and employers. Aside from business continuity assurance, the following are other benefits and advantages of remote working:

  • Cost reduction
    Those business companies that already observed remote working can reduce costs and expenses. In fact, there’s a study in the United States that almost $38.2 million was saved for office costs only. Moreover, some workers would like to accept lesser pay if they will opt to work from home. So, cost reduction would be a benefit for the company as well. 

  • It enhances team productivity and efficiency.
    In the survey, there’s a higher number of workers who are more productive and efficient while working remotely compared to working in their office. They can manage their time well for both personal and work-related chores. 

  • Your team values remote work
    Employees have no choice but to adopt a new environment to work for business continuity. If they want to earn for their own needs, it is equal to providing excellent services. Thus, remote employees can somehow understand the true essence of working from home while achieving the best things that they can do for the business.

Remote working will somehow be an alternative way of making your business flow and perform based on your expectations. Just learn the basics and complexities of some things related to remote working to eventually expect some possible things or risks that need to be solved. 

Conclusion

If you want to run your business without impediments, then you need to observe remote work policies within your team and utilize an internal knowledge management system. Just make sure to observe proper transitioning procedures for you to adopt a new working environment with your colleagues successfully. 

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