how to manage remotely – Growing Forward

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It seems to be one of the key aspects of growing a business now, especially because it’s viewed as a very cheap way of growing your empire, remote working is proving extremely popular from both perspectives, from the employer, as well as the employee. We’ve all thought at some point how we would like to work from home, neither because there are certain strains in our life that we could do without, such as the dreaded daily commute, but does the remote work model actually benefit anybody? Let’s have a look at it from both sides.

The Employer

The main issue that employers have with remote working staff, once you take into account the reduction in cost, is the communication aspect can be very trying. Depending on your business, such as if you’ve got people working for you all over the world, this can add another layer of frustration to the issue. Time zones, not replying to emails as soon as possible, as well as trying to liaise even once a month with an employee, can be a bit like pulling teeth. Another frustration to add on top of this is all dependent on if you are working with very specific programs. Lots of companies communicate with their workers via commonly used tools, such as Hangouts, or use Google Docs for sharing documents and so forth. But if your company is niche, and requires the use of a specific program, or you need to develop software, it is vital that you have the adequate protection in place. There are business resources, such as Network Solutions, that you can utilize, to protect your servers, or to implement a sophisticated server that you would use for remote workers, but also you need to think about the impact of the amount of devices that are being used for this work. One small virus on a smartphone that uses the software, and potentially your data will be stolen, and your business will crumble soon after. Remote working has a lot of benefits, but communication, as well as computer usage, are the two problems that need addressing at the outset.

The Employee

There have been various debates on the work from home setup from the perspective of an employee. And while it is down to the person themselves to set up a productive working pattern, every person who works from home, regardless of their stance within a company, whether they are at the bottom of the pecking order, or they are running the company, can benefit from some strict measures to ensure they work productively. Anybody working from home needs to set a specific working pattern, and although the draw of sitting at home in their pajamas on the couch does sound very appealing at the outset, it soon loses its charm. From the perspective of an employer, you should instigate a two-way system of communication, one where they are able to check in on you first thing in the morning, or they are contactable throughout the day. This is one issue that will not only help the employer keep tabs, but it helps the employee to remain productive.

The idea of remote working is very popular, and it can work, but you do need to think hard about if it’s a structure that, firstly, lends itself well to your style of business, but also if it lends itself well to you as the employer. Would you rather people work in this disparate fashion or do you want a team of people that gel and work together?

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Have you ever been sat in the car on your way to work, stuck in traffic, just wishing you could have stayed at home? Of course, you have, it’s one of the most common feelings that people have when working any kind of nine-to-five job. They imagine being able to stay at home where they’re comfortable and not having their boss staring down their neck all of the time. Well, thanks to the rise of freelancing and remote working, for a lot of people that fantasy is very much a reality. Every day more and more people are opting to work from home instead of from the office, and there are plenty of benefits to doing this. It cuts down on your commute time, it allows you to work in a space where you’re totally comfortable, and it offers the kind of flexibility and balance that many people want but can only dream of. That being said, working from home isn’t always easy. In fact, it can actually be something of a serious challenge for a lot of people. Sure, there are benefits, but there are plenty of things that can turn working from home from a dream come true, into a waking nightmare. Here are a few things that everyone needs if they want to make working from home really work.

A quiet space

For a lot of people, one of the best things about working from home is the idea that you can work while relaxing on the couch or even while staying in bed. This might be fun for the first week or so but it wears thin pretty quickly. Not only that but being surrounded by all of the distractions that you have in your home can completely ruin your productivity. If you want to make the most out of working from home, then you’ve got to find a space where you can get away from all of that. Something like a home office is perfect but even a quiet corner of the dining or living room where you have a desk setup will work. The key is to create some kind of space where you’re able to keep your work life and personal life separate.

Somewhere to sit

The other big issue when it comes to working in bed or on the couch is that it can have an incredibly negative impact on your posture. Spending all day lying down might sound like heaven, but it can leave you feeling stiff and sore, not to mention potentially leading to even more serious problems. That’s why it’s so important to have a desk where you can sit and work, as well as a comfortable chair to sit in. The best office chairs are ones that offer a great deal of support, particularly to your lower back, while still being comfortable to sit in. Don’t assume that any old chair will do. If you’re going to be spending all day working at a desk, then you need to make sure that you’re comfortable and well supported at all times.

A decent routine

The other thing that is so great about working from home is that you often don’t have the same strict set of deadlines that you might normally have when working in an office. You’re offered a great deal more flexibility when it comes to your working hours which allows you to work around many of the other aspects of your life. However, a total lack of routine can cause as many problems as it solves. You need to make sure that you have at least some kind of routine in place so that you’re always using your time as productively as possible. Otherwise, you’re going to end up wasting time, working late, or rushing, all of which are going to end up causing the work to suffer compared to if you had just set out a specific time during the day to work regularly. It’s okay to be flexible, but it’s a good idea to have something that you can be flexible around.

Discipline

It’s great to be able to get on with your day’s work without your boss staring down your neck, but a lot of people end up finding that the level of freedom afforded to them by working from home can be both a blessing and a curse. The reality is that for those who are used to being motivated by their boss putting pressure on them, the total lack of pressure that comes with working from home is actually too much freedom. It leads them to become lazy in ways that they might not previously have been, and it can cause the work to suffer. It can be tough when there’s no one around to hold you accountable, but you’ve got to make sure that you’re disciplined enough to put your full effort it all the time.

Strong communication

Whether you’re working as a freelancer or you’re remotely working as part of a company, many employers or clients can often feel as though they don’t know what you’re doing, which can cause them to assume that you’re wasting their time and money. You shouldn’t be obsessing over spending every second of your day making sure that your employer knows exactly what you’re doing, but it’s always a good idea to make sure that you stay in communication with them as much as possible. That way, despite the fact that you’re not in the same place, they can be sure that you’re not wasting their time and you can be sure that you’re always providing the kind of work that they really want.

Of course, you shouldn’t look at this list as an attempt to discourage you from working from home. The reality is that working from home can be the very best option for a lot of people. The best thing that you can do is to do as much as research as possible to figure out exactly what kind of working situation is right for you.