In today’s workforce, remote work and telecommuting are becoming increasingly popular phrases being used in online job postings—and rightfully so! With technology ever-changing and younger people entering the job pool, telecommunication is one of the many ways to catch the digital native bait that is Generation Z.
Working remotely can pose as a challenge to employers as they aren’t able to keep an eye on their employees to ensure that their work is being completed efficiently and effectively. However, by opting out of telecommunication, companies are also eliminating a much newer and bigger talent pool.
Don’t let remote work scare you
The concept of telecommuting isn’t at all a new one. With that said, if you’re looking to verify that employees are being as efficient as possible while tippity-tapping away at their keyboards from the comfort of their own homes, there are definitely a few tools to use to make it a reality!
Social Intranet and Task Management Software
In terms of communication, social intranet software allows employees to be kept up-to-date in real time with company dealings. Although, if building software isn’t in the cards for your team, Trello, a web-based bulletin board is an awesome substitute. The application allows users to create board posts, tag users, embed content, and even create checklists with due dates attached. It’s a quick way to make sure all of your team is on one accord in a seamless fashion (no pun intended).
Chatting Tools
When an entire company is remote based, it is important to find ways to get in touch with one another that are less time consuming than email and phone calls. That’s where messaging software like Slack, Fleep, and Chanty come in handy. These chatting tools allow employees to screen-share, take advantage of file-sharing integration, as well as audio and group chat—in other words, your employees are capable of being present without physically being in office.
Time Zone Tools
Depending on how far spread out your team is at any given time, it can be a little difficult to differentiate between who’s up and working, and who’s asleep. Time differences render real time communication challenging. Every Time Zone is a website that *drumroll* displays exactly what time and day it is across time zones which can help you gage which times are best to communicate with specific team members.
Benefits of remote work
Millennials are the driving force behind the increase in employers offering telecommunication to their employees. As technology advances, the amount of jobs that are compatible with (at the very least) part-time remote work are increasing, which only spikes the benefits!
Productivity Boost
When working in a traditional office, employees are met with distractions more often than we think. From fellow employees passing by desks for casual conversations to sitting in cubicles under harsh lights for extended periods of time—being in an office everyday out can be a major productivity killer. Telecommuting allows employees to work where they choose with none of the distractions of a traditional brick and mortar office. According to Forbes, US employers lose around $1.8 trillion every year in productivity, whereas $700 billion every year could be saved if every worker that had a telecommuting compatible job was allowed to work remotely just part-time.
Carbon Footprint Reduction
It’s pretty evident that remote work increases savings, but another super sweet advantage of working from home are the decreased amount of Greenhouse gas emissions and use of office resources. There are people out there that don’t believe in climate change and therefore aren’t taking any steps toward reversing it, but if we don’t want the Earth to melt right beneath our grubby little feet, we’ve got to do our part.
By working from home, employees are in turn, reducing the miles driven during their commute to their jobs and decreasing the amount of paper and energy used to run an office.
Mental Health
Keeping your mental health in good standing is important, especially when it comes to doing a job. Telecommuting to work can definitely put a little more pep in your step. According to PGi Report, 82% of telecommuters say that working remotely has decreased their stress and 80% stated that it boosted morale. With the reduction in stress, comes the reduction in absenteeism meaning that more work is being done and productivity is being improved! Not to mention, just the act of sitting in traffic alone can totally increase your chances of having a heart attack.
No matter how much you try to resist it, the workforce is quickly funneling towards working remotely everyday with the force of nine million suns. More often than not, you’ll see a spring in productivity, savings, and morale if you implement a few of these tools to do it.
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