Leaders Across Industries Share Remote Work Advice

From workers spending less time and money on commuting to employers being able to access a wider pool of applicants for outside sales positions, remote work can provide some significant advantages for both employees and businesses. However, leaders across industries are also aware of a variety of concerns that come with working from home. More employees are reporting incidents of virtual overload and burnout from spending so much time in remote meetings and juggling remote work with the many responsibilities of sharing workspace with family. Fortunately, consistent production is still possible in the remote workforce even during a pandemic. Below we will cover some tips from industry leaders to make remote work even more effective.

Managers: Be More Flexible

The chances are high that project timelines will need to be adjusted more regularly when people are working from home due to unexpected delays and distractions that don’t typically occur at the office like time zone differences and internet instability. Leadership empathy is more important now than ever as a growing number of remote employees face the challenges of working remotely during a pandemic. Any success is heavily dependent upon creating flexible remote-work policies. Instead of focusing on time-based performance, managers should be more aware of actual work output.

Employees: Beat Monotony and Isolation

Self-care should always be a priority, regardless of where you are working. Remote workers are encouraged to separate official office time from personal time and to boost mental and physical health with exercise, meditation, and involvement in hobbies. The secret to consistent production is working smarter instead of harder by scheduling frequent breaks and getting a running start on important tasks to build momentum throughout the day. Working remotely can quickly become monotonous, so try setting up makeshift offices around the house to stay motivated. Sunrooms, dining rooms, and even the kitchen counter can be transformed into temporary workstations with minimal investment. The demand for co-working spaces continues to climb as more remote workers frequent them to overcome the feeling of isolation and to gain human interaction.

Employers: Provide the Right Tools and Supplies

Inside-sales professionals can still be just as successful working remotely if they have all of the equipment and resources they need. Collaboration and communication can be facilitated by promoting live-chat channels and video-conferencing platforms. But the sudden influx of new technology creates another potential problem for employers in the form of cybercrime. In addition to updating remote work policies, securing technology systems is a big priority right now.

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