Working as part of a remote team is something that more and more people are turning to recently. The internet has opened up a whole range of new ways to work, that allow you to get stuff done no matter where you are in the world. If you’re new to this way of working or are thinking about making the switch to hiring remotely, why not take a look at a few bits of advice from someone who has been there and done it?
You Save Time the Moment You Start Working
This sounds like a bold claim, but the great thing about it is that it’s true! Think about the working day in your office; it doesn’t actually start when people arrive at their desks. It starts when they have to get ready first thing in the morning at the same time each day and then go sit in traffic on their way to work. Then there is the same gauntlet to run on the way home.
This means that people actually work longer than the eight or so hours they spend at the office, and have less time for themselves. If they had the opportunity to work from home, they could forgo the commute, wake up later, or simply get more things done during their day, all of which makes for a happier and more productive employee.
Flexibility is Everything
To expand on that notion, just think about the number of days off your team may need to run errands – they don’t want to miss work, you definitely don’t want them to miss work, but it will inevitably occur. When you have a remote team, they know they can run out of the house to go to the bank if they need to, and make up for that one hour later in the day.
Working remotely allows you to take a task-focused approach to work whereby you can focus on getting stuff done, rather than being present for a set amount of time each day. If you’re someone who wants to maximise productivity then this could be ideal.
Working from Home is a Balancing Act
Ask anyone who harbours dreams of working from home and they’ll conjure up images of working in front of the TV and then having a BBQ in the garden for lunch. This may sound appealing, and they may actually be able to pull it off every once in a while, but don’t fall into the mistake of thinking this is what it’ll be like.
Working from home is great in that it means people can work in the environment they feel most comfortable in, but with that come a whole host of distractions you wouldn’t find in the office. This means that it’s definitely not for everyone. Some people simply need to be locked in an office to be productive, and they will fall prey to every distraction in the book at home.
This is why you need to set up a clear way of checking up on your people, and making sure they are actually working, not just clocking in random tasks.
The Intricacies of Remote Management
If you people no longer work from an office, you will need a way to communicate efficiently – try a chat app or a project management tool you all like. You will also need to find a way to meet in person, which will be easy if you all work in the same city, and a bit more difficult if you live in different time zones.
Another thing to consider will be payments – how to establish a payment method that will work when your team is scattered across the globe is something you might want to ask an accountant about.
Figure out a way of setting things up that works for all of you, and you will start to see the benefits of remote teams soon – as soon as you realize the commute is over, and the day has suddenly become longer.
Guest post courtesy of Michael Deane