Working from home is becoming a much more common practice. Some companies, however, shy away from this workforce trend due to concerns about loss of productivity and perceived lack of management control.
Culture building is a natural development with team members who work in proximity, day in and day out. With remote work, it can be tougher to maintain team cohesion and keep morale up.
Remote work can improve employee productivity, happiness and general well-being. But leaders should take steps to ensure the corporate culture remains healthy and vital.
The Positives of Working from Home
Remote work sounds amazing to most people. Employees can work in their pajamas if they want and avoid frustrating commutes. There’s also the added convenience of easily stepping away from the computer for dentist appointments or to pick up kids from school.
There are work-from-home benefits for companies as well. Email, group chats and clear channels of communication can cut down on meeting time. Facetime and Skype add a personal touch when remote meetings are necessary.
Employers not only save money on office space but can expand the talent pool through this business model. Remote-based companies can select anyone from around the country or the world.
Keeping Your Remote Employees Productive
If working from home is such a great situation, why don’t more businesses do it? There needs to be clear-cut processes and expectations before implementing remote work opportunities.
- Have clear, consistent communication among colleagues. There should be a communal workplace and regularly scheduled meetings. New employees should have mandatory office days for onboarding.
- There should be structure. Along with the telecommunication methods, there need to be workflow tools and training for project management and document sharing.
- The structure must be complemented by transparency and clear-set goals. Employees need to receive regular feedback and professional assessment. These evaluations can ensure everyone is on the same page when it comes to standards like the length of the workweek and interactions with clients and each other.
Signet Screening can help determine if job candidates can work remotely through SkillSurvey and other online references. Are they responsible enough to stay on-task? Are they adaptable? Can they avoid home distractions?
“It’s important for companies to assess if candidates fit into the company culture that’s envisioned,” says Signet President and CEO Matt Messersmith. “Remote work challenges can be overcome with our pre-employment screening assistance that provides the most accurate information possible.”
For More Information
Our experienced Signet Screening team finds the right candidates for your business needs. Contact us and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for additional information on pre-employment screening assistance.
