Remote work is here to stay. In fact, research from Ladders estimates that 25% of all professional jobs in the US will be remote by the end of 2022.
Firms that have not already made the transition to remote work should take steps now to at least offer hybrid work options (remote and in-person) to their teams. Why? Because if you plan on hiring staff now or in the future, they will likely expect to have remote working options.
Hiring remote workers also has benefits for your firm. For one, you are no longer dependent on hiring talent in your local area. Remote working removes the geographical barrier, giving you access to more quality talent.
But how do you make the transition to remote work at your firm? We are going to share some tips to make remote working a success.
How to Successfully Make the Transition to Remote Work
Set Some Ground Rules
Before you start the transition to remote working, it is essential to set some ground rules. Remote working gives your team more freedom and flexibility, but schedules and accountability are still necessary to some degree.
Setting ground rules ensure that everyone understands how remote working will work.
Set clear expectations
Employees should know what is expected of them, and the firm should also know what to expect from employees. For example, you may have specific hours of the day where employees are expected to be available and working. Outside of those hours, the firm should not expect employees to be on-call.
Get everyone on the same page
Make sure that everyone understands how and when they will be communicating. How will your processes change? What tools or platforms will you be using? Does everyone understand how to use these tools? The transition will be much smoother when everyone is on the same page and understands how things will work.
Give them what they need
Don’t overlook cybersecurity, technology and work from home office equipment. Determine whether new technology or equipment will need to be purchased for remote workers or whether these employees will be responsible for their own equipment from an approved list. Additionally, it is important to set clear policies and procedures for tech support and cybersecurity.
The more detailed and thorough you can be with your remote work policies and procedures, the greater the chances of your success. It will still take time to work out the kinks and get everyone used to the new routine, but the transition will be much smoother and less stressful if you have a plan.
Keep Everyone Connected
One of the biggest challenges of remote working is feelings of isolation and loneliness. One survey found that in 2021, 46% of remote workers felt isolated. Despite these feelings, 81% of surveyed workers want to stay remote.
Firms can take steps to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness by keeping everyone connected. Solutions like Slack and Microsoft Teams allow teams to communicate and collaborate, but firms also can host virtual happy hours or video chat sessions where teams can just mingle, catch up or get to know each other.
Before you start the transition to remote working, it is essential to set some ground rules. Remote working gives your team more freedom and flexibility, but schedules and accountability are still necessary to some degree.
Keeping everyone connected and making an effort to bring teams together can help stave off those feelings of isolation that many remote workers experience.
Transition to Video Meetings
Rather than hosting conference calls, host video meetings so that teams and clients can have face-to-face conversations. Several platforms support video meetings, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and more.
When all parties can see each other, the conversation becomes more productive and personal.
Make Work-Life Balance a Priority
Remote work can either improve or hinder work-life balance. Employees may feel that the line between their personal and work lives is blurred, especially if there are no ground rules for communication.
It is important for firms to make work-life balance a priority.
- Check in with team members regularly to ensure that they are not overloaded with work or feeling burnt out.
- Set rules for communication outside of work hours. Give employees their much-needed personal time.
- Allow some freedom and flexibility when it comes to scheduling. If a team member has an emergency or family commitment, consider allowing them to change their work hours or routine temporarily to accommodate their needs.
Active management of team workloads and regular check-ins can go a long way in ensuring that employees feel happy and fulfilled in their jobs.
Remote working can benefit both firms and their team members. Firms have greater access to talent, and employees have the freedom and flexibility of working from home. But the transition to remote work can only be successful if ground rules are set, expectations are clear, and steps are taken to ensure that employees are accountable and fulfilled in their roles.
Joseph Graziano, CFP® is the Vice President and Wealth Management Partner at FFP Wealth Management. Through FFP management, Joe and his team help manage over 2.4 billion in assets. FFP Wealth Management has served the unique needs of the accounting community for over 28 years and was formed out of a dire need for accountants and financial planners to join forces in providing premium services to their clients. If you have questions about transitioning to remote work, you can contact Joe HERE.
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