Remote work isn’t just possible, it’s necessary and productive.

Small business owners should start considering whether remote working would cut down on commute time, save money on office space, and that all important happy employees. It’s all up to you!

In this age of pandemic and global warming, many small businesses have been forced to move to some form of remote working since the pandemic forced us all to live in closed communities.

One such company is Evergreen Connect, a marketing company that specializes in connecting brands with markets in a sustainable way.

While some people have been struggling in adapting to this shift, it is not a new phenomenon that began in response to the pandemic. In fact, remote working had been on the increase over the past few years with the advent of technology and shifts in management styles.

I recently had a conversation with a small business owner who told me they wanted all of their employees in the office so she could ensure they were doing their work.

Setting aside her control and micro-management issues, it is not proven that being on-site will lead to a better work product or increased efficiency.

It has been an adjustment and we’ve learned that there are things that can’t be replicated: like the smell of freshly brewed coffee and the people interactions.

But we’ve also found:

• You can’t tell your team that they’re not allowed to work from home. They’ll ask. And then they’ll start looking for a new job.
  
• Global talent acquisition is about finding the right talent to match the needs of your company. For some companies, this means looking for high-performing employees in locations where they might not exist yet. Being remote lets you access this immediately. The right kind of work environment can attract top skills. That means creating a remote workplace that will pave the way for only the best employees to come on board.
  
• Working remotely is something that many small businesses are offering to their employees. There are many reasons for this. One of the most prominent is the happiness and satisfaction that comes with being able to work from home. It has been proven that working remotely leads to less stress, better sleep, and more family time. Its a good leveraging tool for employees.
  
• Giving employees time to focus on their wellbeing lowers their stress levels. By trusting your team, you are giving them the freedom they would need to take care of themselves and do the work at home if required. Benefits like these are invaluable to any company.

When done right, working remotely can be a great opportunity for small businesses. They are given the chance to work in the comfort of their own homes, have better control over their personal schedules, and are able to save money on office space.

When transitioning to fully remote you can really help yourself by considering these below pointers:

Have your team got the right tech stack?

Employees are now multimodal and multichannel thinkers and doers. They need devices and the right tools to enable them to work in a way that best suits how they work, not what we think they should do.

Employees are now able to work in a variety of ways, and they need the right tools and technology to do this. They can work from home, at their desk, and on the go and they need devices that support these needs. They also want tools to learn new skills or develop ones they already have.

Bespoking productivity training for team members

There are many things that can help you become more productive at work, including the use of AI writing assistants. These can save you time & effort, allowing you to focus on other aspects of the business. Plus the quality they provide is similar to that of human copywriters.

Every individual looks at productivity differently.

On any given day, we have a lot on our plate. We all want to be productive and make a difference in our work and life. This is why it is important to learn what helps us with our productivity.

Productivity can be defined as “the state or quality of being productive” or “the degree to which someone is productive.”

The question is how do you help your team members with their individual productivity?

There are three things that you can do:

First, ask yourself what activities allow the team member to focus for long periods of time without distractions? Next, assess if those tasks are helping them reach their goals. Lastly, if those tasks are not helping reach their goals then review and refresh.

Finding a balance is important, when fully remote more than ever.

Remote workers need to stay healthy and happy in order to be productive. This is why they also thrive in smaller businesses where it’s easier for them to keep up with their own workflows better.

Remote work is becoming more and more common with the advent of new technologies. But it’s not just the remote worker who benefits.

The small business owners themselves can feel immense relief in knowing that they can keep their team happy and healthy, which leads to increased productivity and lower absenteeism rates.

Remote employees also often report higher levels of engagement than office-bound workers, since they’re able to be more creative.

Trust your employees and focus on outputs not processes.

As a manager, your initial reaction is to worry that you will be unable to relinquish authority. However, the best thing you can do now is put your trust in your employees and believe in their abilities.

A recent study found that managers who had confidence in their employees tended to have more engaged, productive workers. Managers with high levels of trust and confidence in their employees tend to have more engaged, productive workers.

Managers may feel like they are losing control of their team’s work with the rise of AI. Chatbots can provide managers with up-to-date reports on their employees and keep them informed. The manager can also use chatbots for scheduling and other tasks, freeing up their time.

If employees know that their efforts will be recognized, they’re going to work harder.

When a company is undergoing a period of disruption, employees may want to be recognized for their contribution when there are other significant changes happening.

The lack of recognition for work done in the workplace is a major cause of discontent amongst employees. Most people want to be recognised for their accomplishments and contributions at work, but this is often overlooked when there are disruptions happening in the company.

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