For a long time, remote work was either a way for a lean business to save office costs or a way to organize cooperation between people who could not work together otherwise (e.g., those living in different locations). However, the pandemic turned everything upside down in a matter of weeks. Now working remotely is the new norm, and even after the restrictions end, it is hard to imagine that the things will get back to the way they were. Remote work is here for a long haul, but many businesses still find it difficult to acclimate to it. So what does transitioning to this new model entail? Let’s take a closer look.

1.    Remote operation

Not all businesses are capable of remote operation. This can be due to their consumer base and/or the products or services offered. Companies considering a move to remote operation need to perform an analysis of their brand and establish whether or not it is actually beneficial, or even realistic.

Considerations to make include:

• Efficiency and practicalities.How will remote working impact your ability to complete the tasks you and your workforce normally perform?
• Consumer satisfaction.Is an office or storefront part of your core service delivery process?
• Will the money you save by going remote be countered by rising operational expenses?
• Growth opportunities.Could going remote hinder your ability to grow? Like, PapersOwl could be good to research into the subject and general reasoning. While it could be also beneficial in some circumstances, operating a physical location within vibrant, industry-leading areas can be important to attracting investors and building relationships.

2.    Using Project Management Software

Project management tools can be extremely helpful for any business, but they become truly indispensable once your team starts working remotely. When everybody is in the same office, it is relatively easy to keep track of what everybody is doing and how each project progresses. Project management software allows you to do the same no matter where everybody is.

Software exists to manage all facets of remote working life, covering everything already in place in your typical workplace headquarters.

• Work connectivity. Cloud-based software allows you to connect your business to any location in the world. Many applications provide helpful tools for maintaining long-distance workplace connectivity.
• Industry-specific software.Most industries have specifically tailored cloud-based software that supports remote work. You just have to do your research and find what works for your brand.
• Task management. Setting and managing workplace tasks can be a major obstacle to remote working.
• Time management.Time management apps exist to track everything from work logs to activity levels.
• Client and team communication.Of course, emails and telephones still exist, but unique software can also be utilized for better connectivity.  There are many apps that work well for online workplaces, enabling multiple channels of conversation that range from direct messaging to large chatrooms with hundreds of individuals.

3.    Establishing a VoIP Phone System

Once a business reaches a specific size, it cannot do without a dedicated phone system. However, while a single-office company can do with a traditional landline, once all your employees are spread out, VoIP (Voice over IP) becomes the only viable option. Fortunately, these days there are plenty of ways to set up a business phone system using this protocol. The only hardware you need for it are desktop phones – and you can do even without them.

4.    Using Time Tracking Tools

While some studies show that people working from the comfort of their home show a boost in productivity, this does not apply to everyone. A lot depends on the personality and temperament of an individual, as well as corporate structure and culture. Some people find transitioning to the home office environment to be incredibly difficult: they cannot focus on their work, procrastinate and overestimate their ability to finish this or that task on schedule. If you find the productivity of your team taking a dip and staying at a low level even after the initial transitional period, it may be wise to invest in time-tracking solutions to give more structure to the new arrangement.

5.    Using Video Conferences

While email, messengers and phone calls serve well for urgent and relatively impersonal tasks, they do not help to deal with a very common problem of remote work: growing distance and alienation between team members. When your colleagues turn into nothing more than occasional lines of text and voices in your headphones, it is easy to lose the sense of connection and belonging. Occasional video conferences gathering numerous team members simultaneously, while not being able to replace face-to-face communication, can let colleagues retain connections with each other and the sense of working together. Using conferences for scheduled team bonding events is especially useful. The fact that everybody stays at home should not prevent you from having a nice talk over a coffee.

6.    Making Documents and Information Commonly Available and Shareable

Newly remote workers may find it surprisingly challenging to get the necessary documents and information from their colleagues. What used to be a matter of dropping by and asking a question now requires getting through using electronic means of communication, and there is no guarantee that the person in question will be available when you need him/her. It can be solved by using cloud solutions to make the majority of documents available for all members of the team so that they can access them on their own without wasting anybody’s time.

While the transition to remote work became an unpleasant surprise for many, it can become an opportunity to make yourself and your team more efficient – do not forgo it!