One of the most prominent trends in modern business has been the migration of millions of workers from shared physical working premises to remote working or hybrid models of work. This trend was most notable during the recent COVID-19 pandemic when government restrictions on the movement of citizens and enforced lockdowns necessitated the move to remote working. However, as the worst effects of the pandemic have passed, remote and hybrid models of work have become an accepted part of modern employment. For employers, a remote workforce can represent a cost-saving as there is less need for corporate premises. It can also help firms to adhere to sustainability goals by reducing the number of unnecessary journeys (e.g., commuting to a central office). For employees, remote working offers opportunities for increased flexibility in how the working week is approached and can help to create the ideal work-life balance. In this article, there is a clear focus on how female business leaders can effectively manage a remote workforce, ensuring high levels of productivity and motivated staff.
Ensure that staff have effective IT setups at home
Firstly, female leaders should ensure that their staff have a suitable home-office working environment that allows them to work efficiently and comfortably. Staff should be encouraged to complete a home-office self-assessment. This will allow them to independently set up their home office equipment so that it complies with health and safety regulations and promotes efficient remote working. In addition, it is important to remember that a fast and reliable internet connection is vital for effective home working. Staff will need to use multiple online applications and attend video conferences regularly. Ideally, they will have access to fiber internet that has suitable bandwidth for effective online multitasking. If your business relies on remote staff who live in Connecticut, it is wise to investigate reputable Connecticut internet providers and signpost the best suppliers to your workforce. Look for companies that can guarantee minimum internet speeds that are suitable for your staff’s online needs and feature 24/7 customer support should your staff encounter any issues.
Hold occasional in-person team-building events
While you can create a culture of effective teamwork in a remote workforce by using teamwork apps and holding regular virtual meetings, it is also important to get your staff together in a shared physical location. Ideally, you will want to hold team building away days every six months with your workforce. These should include a mix of activities that are designed to foster collaboration and problem-solving, as well as being fun to participate in. Aim to create teams that do not often work together so that staff members can get to know their wider colleague base.
Set up staff feedback loops
As a brief final point, you will want to ensure that opportunities for service improvement are not missed in your remote workforce. An ideal way to foster a culture of continuous improvement is by setting up staff feedback loops. Online staff surveys that ask for service improvement ideas are a quick and effective way to facilitate this. In addition, make yourself visible as a business leader and encourage staff to contact you directly by email or mobile if they have a “eureka” moment and determine more effective ways of working.
