Is Your Company Prepared for the Remote Work Era?

More than 70% of people globally work remotely at least once a week, according to a study released by Switzerland-based serviced office provider IWG.

The rise of flexible working attitudes has caused a massive shift in the global workplace landscape. And it’s easy to see why flexible work options are gaining popularity among employees and employers.

Companies can save money on desk space and equipment while increasing productivity. And workers enjoy the freedom to work where they choose and have a greater sense of work-life balance.

3 common issues (and solutions) to managing remote workers

While flexible workspaces can increase productivity, attract and retain top talent, and maximize profits, many companies struggle to manage remote workers.

Some of the biggest challenges include:

1. Different time zones

When you open up the typical workday to varying schedules, it can be hard for employees to connect and work on projects together.

The best way to solve this issue is by establishing clear time expectations. Try setting blocks of time where all employees are required to be online. You can also schedule recurring meetings so employees know ahead when they’ll need to be working in order to attend the meetings.

2. Poor communication

It’s easy for remote employees to be left out of the loop. An in-house employee might not know what their remote counterparts are up to, or they’ll simply forget to share information that was discussed in the office.

If communication is your biggest challenge, make sure you’re giving your employees the right tools to communicate. Stay in touch with your workers and set standards for email, messaging, calls and video conferencing.

3. Lack of accountability

Sometimes it can be hard to tell when workers are working if they aren’t in the office. Without a tracking system, you’re relying heavily on trust and employee honesty.

Luckily, managing remote employees is easier than ever with the help of cloud-based project management software. Employees can track the time they spend on different tasks and projects, while managers can see exactly what their employees work on, how efficiently they work on it, and which tasks still need to be completed.

With CORE, an all-in-one, cloud-based project management software, you can manage projects and employees from anywhere. And the CORE mobile app empowers you to run your firm on the go.

Managing remote workers is worth the challenge

Airbnb, CarFax, Oracle, and many other large companies allow employees to work remotely. That’s because telecommuting is one of the best low-cost benefits with a significant impact on employee happiness.

Other benefits include:

• Increased productivity - Two-thirds of companies report increased productivity by hiring remote workers, according to a study by IWG
• Reduced stress - 82% of remote workers saw reduced stress and 80% report a boost in morale, according to a study by PGI
• Recruit better talent - One-third of workers would change jobs for more flexible, remote schedules, according to a poll by Gallup

While managing remote workers can be difficult, the payoff for employees and employers is well worth the initial challenges.

Don’t let the remote work era catch you by surprise. Get started with a free trial of CORE today and set your business and employees up for success.