With remote and hybrid work well and truly here to stay, businesses need to know how to support the practices in their workplace.
We live in a post-pandemic world. That may not mean that the dangers are behind us, but it does mean that the die has been cast in many different areas of our lives – one very significant area is with work. The new normal of remote and hybrid work has well and truly been set in stone, and increasing numbers or organisations are coming around to the concepts. We reached out to some IT support companies London-based organisations have been using during the past few years to help them adapt to these practices. When asked, the companies listed some of their main pieces of advice regarding implementing hybrid work.
What are the Foundations of Remote / Hybrid Work?
Firstly, let’s look at what it takes to create a work environment that is fit for remote and hybrid working. The following points take into account both the necessary work culture that is needed, and the types of tools and solutions that are needed…
Communication
Naturally, the first thing a business should address is communication. Communication in the office is easy and can flow naturally, whereas if everyone is working remotely – or even if just a few key players are working remotely – the organisation as a whole needs to be more conscious of facilitating good communication. This ensures that no member of staff feels excluded or out of the loop. In this case, a robust communications solution is essential. Instead of adopting several different solutions – i.e. one for chat, one for video meetings, etc. – look for a unified solution that enables users to view all of the communications in a single interface.
Collaboration
Tying in with the previous point is the importance of having good collaboration in a remote or hybrid business. Collaboration is essential for any business, regardless of where their staff are working. But for remote and hybrid working, the usual means of collaboration – such as brainstorming sessions and in-person conversations – need to be replicated using digital solutions. Video meetings are the most obvious solution, hence why this ties in with communication in a business.
Security
If a business is able to support strong communication and collaboration, they must also make sure that it is happen through secure channels. Remote working, when handled improperly, can be risky. We discussed this with companies providing IT support Financial Services organisations rely on; for businesses whose data is of a sensitive and confidential nature, measures need to be taken to ensure said data doesn’t leave the network. The challenge is that remote and hybrid work inherently forces data to the edge of the company network. Thankfully, with solutions like cloud storage and endpoint management, it is possible to keep data protected even at the edge of a network.
Tips for Supporting Remote & Hybrid Workers
Enabling remote and/or hybrid working is just the start of things, however. Organisations need to make concerted efforts to support their remote workings. We spoke to some companies that provide IT support for Healthcare, and a number of other sectors where remote and hybrid work is on the verges of becoming commonplace. Below are some tips that they recommended…
1. Promote Visibility
Sometimes, remote workers can feel less valued or noticed by their employers, compared to their on-premises colleagues. It is important to prevent remote workers from becoming an afterthought. Making a concerted effort to notice remote employee’s work, and giving credit where it is due is a must.
2. Project Management
In terms of ensuring that all participants in the business are on the same page, project management can be very useful. Having frequent communications is one thing, but having a centralised platform for managing work across remote and on-premises employees can take the stress out of managing hybrid teams.
3. Promote Socialising
Although there are many benefits to remote work, one of the most frequently cited downside to it is the reduction of social interaction. The social aspect of work should not be underestimated, and socialisation must be encourage between remote and hybrid teams. Remote work has many advantages, yet it does come with a price; one of which is the lack of socialization. The importance and positive effect that socializing can have on teams should not be taken lightly – this is where PEO Spain comes in! Our expert services will help you grow your team globally by finding talented professionals from abroad who are ready to collaborate remotely or hybridly while upholding important workplace interactions.