Seven worries employers have about remote workers and what to do about them
More people are working from home than ever before. For most remote workers, that’s a great thing! They spend less time commuting to and from work and they don’t have to deal with annoying coworkers sitting at desks around them.
However, it can seem like a bad thing for employers. Letting your employees stay home while they work brings up a lot of concerns when it comes to things like productivity, but that doesn’t mean remote work shouldn’t be an option! Not only are there reasons not to worry, there are things you can do to make sure your concerns don’t become a reality.
Security
Security is a huge issue. It’s a little bit easier to make sure employees are using the right devices and following the right processes when they’re all under the same roof. When employees are using mobile devices, public Wi-Fi, and connecting to their own router at home, it can cause you to lose sleep at night.
Fortunately, there are many ways to maintain network security, like using multi-factor authentication, Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service, and virtual private networks. When implemented correctly, company data is just as safe when employees work from home than if they worked in the office.
One of the biggest challenges is making sure employees only use devices with these programs installed. Issuing work devices that employees only use on-the-clock is a good way to control safety and security measures.
Use of Time on the Clock
Productivity is a huge concern. Without the ability to drop by everyone’s desk on a whim, it can be hard for management to feel confident that their employees are doing what they should instead of baking bread or taking a nap.
Fortunately, there are plenty of tracking tools out there that can keep track of exactly what your employees are doing all day. Although they may seem a little invasive to employees at first, they provide information to management that is no different than what management would collect while employees are in the office working.
You don’t have to use specialized software if you don’t want to. Create performance-based standards instead of time-based standards. It ensures the work is completed, but it also makes employees feel like their employer trusts them to get the work done.
Less Focus
Not only do managers worry about employees doing things they shouldn’t when they should be working, they also worry about distractions that pull worker attention away from the task at hand.
Distractions that make it hard to focus are a real work-from-home problem. It may not be something you can get rid of completely, but you can help. For example, you could give employees extra money for childcare so kids don’t have to be at home while their parent is working.
It’s also important to remember that there are plenty of distractions in the office too, so it’s no reason to keep employees tied to the office if they would rather be at home.
Loss of Collaboration and Camaraderie
It’s true that it’s easier to collaborate and communicate when your coworkers are sitting right next to you, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible when everyone is working from home. You can still support a collaborative, friendly environment among your remote workforce by:
- Using video chat for meetings, and setting aside time for chit-chat
- Creating a group chat where employees can talk about whatever they want
- Create a virtual breakroom where employees can gather during the day
If you and your employees live near one another, consider hosting events, getting together for dinner, or having some meetings in the office. That way everyone is able to get together to collaborate and get to know each other in person while still having the ability to work from home.
Low Dedication to the Company
Although it makes sense intuitively that employees who come into work would be more dedicated to the company, the opposite is actually more likely to be true. Employees who are allowed to work from home are more likely to be dedicated to the company they work for because they are provided with that option!
Employee dedication is important. There are multiple things you can do to help employees become more dedicated and engaged, all without having to make everyone come into the office.
Focus on things like providing constructive feedback, being fair, and supporting employees in their professional and personal lives. You will receive the dedication and commitment you're looking for—no trip to the office necessary.
Higher Costs
It seems like letting employees work from home would be more expensive, but when you dig into the details, you will discover that it’s actually cheaper to let employees work from home because there are:
- Lower overhead costs
- Higher employee retention rates
- Fewer sick days
- Decreased travel costs
Employees get to save money too! Employees who work from home don’t have to pay for transportation to and from work, they are more likely to eat lunch at home than pay for lunch on the go, and they aren’t tempted by the vending machine during the afternoon slump.
Loneliness and Alienation
Employers really do care about the mental health and wellness of their employees. Working from home can feel lonely and alienating, which can impact productivity, quality of work, and overall quality of life.
It's important to remember that some employees don't feel lonely, even if they are alone. For the ones who do, offer stipends so they can work in a coworking space, or host a weekly virtual event, like a trivia night, to make sure everyone feels like a member of the team.
Having employees work from home seems like a bad idea on the surface, and it’s true that there are plenty of kinks to work through when your workforce doesn’t come into the office every day, but it can be done! With the right support, the right systems, and the right mindset, remote employment can work for everyone on the team, including management.
