2. The company is working to identify programs run by people in underrepresented communities. You'll have to write off the time and resources you spend to train an employee as a loss or unwanted expense, which certainly doesn't equate to cost efficiency. As millions of workers around the world start telecommuting for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, few know what to expect.They only know the image peddled by all those “Work from home!” ads littering the Internet. Many employers may have to amend and/or introduce new policies to regulate employees who are now working remotely. Several research reports suggest that employees working from home or a remote location are more productive than those working in an office. The IWG 2019 Global Workspace Survey found that 3 out of 4 workers around the globe consider flexible working to be “the new normal.” This was before the coronavirus pandemic spurred even more organizations to implement remote work policies. “But on the positive side, lots of future business opportunities arise having to come up with solutions to new problems in the new normal that are likely to be ongoing,” a professional services respondent said. Even just having a few square feet in the corner that I don’t use for anything else helps a ton with being able to switch ‘work brain’ on and off.” These issues obviously impact the individual but they also have an effect on the team they’re a part of, too. Here are some of the challenges people face as they work remotely. There’s been a 173 percent increase in people working remotely since 2005. Worry that your remote employees aren’t doing the work assigned, establish clear metrics of how they will be evaluated. Distract and redirect: Engage in activities that benefit your well-being, bring you joy and distract you from existing challenges. Others felt their business was suffering because employees are unable to staff brick-and-mortar locations and build relationships with clients. 38% of the virtual workforce says communication is the biggest issue. It can be tempting to work more while you have your work at home, however it can also be taxing on your health and well-being, so stick to a schedule with healthy boundaries. Handling 8 Common Challenges of Working Remotely as an Employee. However, being away from a day-to-day office comes with the challenge … Another important benefit of telecommuting is that you can tap into skilled global talent. So were the fitness events that the company sponsored as part of its wellness program, and the town hall meetings that helped bring people together. Karina Tama, founder of Senior Care Clicks caught up with Jason Barnard to share some tips, tricks, and advice. For many knowledge workers, there seem to be twice as many meetings (particularly video conferences) now that they’re working from home. The policy should address working requirements, productivity, employee accessibility, time and performance measurement, and communication with management, Werner said. I started my research by scouring the Internet for existing articles. Communication . Despite all the perks remote workers enjoy, there are a number of challenges that arise from working out of the office. 3. Remote working can present issues when following the law in terms of particulars of employment in terms of the BCEA. I’ve been telecommuting for over 12 years, first as an employee, then later as a freelancer and a virtual business owner. I've found that employees who don’t do well with self-discipline easily lose productivity without the usual supervision of someone who is physically present. But just as customers and staff are raising the bar, employers are having to confront the long-term challenges of managing a remote workforce. For example, telecommuters should be required to provide various contact details and possibly include the contact number or email of somebody (like a family member or acquaintance) who the employer can reach in case they can't reach the employee. Working from home: Your common challenges and how to tackle them. Employers, and their brokers, have the opportunity to get creative with their next steps. Karina Tama, founder of Senior Care Clicks caught up with Jason Barnard to share some tips, tricks, and advice. Then there’s also the advantage that they may not have to worry about office politics and bullies. There are some challenges of remote working that you and the organization you work for must overcome in order for you to be successful. We’ll also explore remote employee engagement strategies to ensure your employees stay connected and engaged. Over that time, we’ve gained many insights about overcoming the unique challenges of working across time zones and across continents. If you don't consider these factors, your business could end up with higher employee turnover, which leads to more costs for training new employees. Thirty-six percent of employers agree the shift to remote work is the biggest change imposed by COVID-19. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome is determining the suitability of the teleworkers you hire. DON’T. A mobile app addresses all of these HR challenges and pain points associated with poor communication. One of the challenges of onboarding training with a remote workforce is to integrate the new person into the organization. However, employers can botch them with poor hiring systems and decisions coupled with a lack of understanding of the nature of telecommuting. Possible challenges to existing social contracts. Despite the challenges above, remote work is very rewarding—as long as you know what you're getting into and can handle these common issues. Now, let’s focus more on your remote employee challenges of HR. Now, with social distancing guidelines in place all over the world, working remotely remains the only option to keep things running smoothly. You might find yourself slipping and failing to meet deadlines, or on the other end of the spectrum, overworking and exhausting yourself. You have probably read several articles explaining the different boons and banes of telecommuting. You should know how to make the most of the remote work setup while addressing potential problems or drawbacks. “A mission-driven culture, transparent leadership and career opportunities are always hallmarks of Best Places to Work winners,” says Glassdoor CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong. But let’s face it, being a remote employee isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Distractions at work. Read more about remote work in our guide to remote work. Some of the challenges are obvious, but others you may not have considered. Managing remote employees comes with a set of unique challenges, and overcoming them should be a top priority for many employers. Employers should consider adding student loan benefits, if they want to attract potential hires. We provide services to those businesses who want to expand worldwide.…. 2. Although it provides flexibility, work from home can bring with it a lot of distractions — the hustle and bustle of a household, a television playing in the background or kids sneaking around. • Be transparent. Conduct a rigorous screening of candidates. Here, I present the advantages of telecommuting while discussing the potential issues that can derail these advantages. Your employees need to understand the company they’re working for and what your mission is. Challenges of Managing Remote Employees. The IWG 2019 Global Workspace Survey found that 3 out of 4 workers around the globe consider flexible working to be “the new normal.” This was before the coronavirus pandemic spurred even more organizations to implement remote work policies. The following are the main reasons I see for this increased productivity: 1. You should conduct the recruitment process systematically and take the following steps: • Thoroughly verify the candidates’ credentials. “Relying on the internet has not been a good experience. This post is a bit different. Managing Remote Work. In honor of MLK Day, here are employers who are working to create a more inclusive workplace. When you hire remote employees, you can eliminate the need to add more computers to the office, reduce electricity consumption for air-conditioning and other energy needs and eliminate the need for more workspace. “We have shifted the bulk of the workload to a virtual environment, but had the infrastructure in place to do so. Here are some of the issues you should consider. Not everyone performs as expected, especially those who are forced to telecommute but may not prefer to do so. Remote work can be challenging - here are the stories of 15 remote employees about the challenges they face, and the ways they deal with them. It seems that working remotely is not problematic when it comes to time management. Better wellness and work-life balance: Working from home could make for healthier employees as they may be exposed to fewer seasonal illnesses, such as cold and flu. We provide services to those businesses who want to expand worldwide. But the transition to remote work hasn’t been seamless for every employer. Our Rising Star Awards nomination deadline has been extended. For example, one of the most difficult challenges is managing workers across several time zones. Hiring telecommuters can be rewarding in many ways. Related: How To Overcome the Communication Barriers for Remote Employees. The remote work setup has its advantages, but it also has some drawbacks and obstacles that companies and employees should overcome. For the most part, employers appear to be embracing the transition to remote work. #7: Maximising productivity. You may opt-out by. Hiring remote workers supposedly lowers operating costs, as well as some capital expenditures. A flexible schedule, the ability to work from any location, and no more commuting were the top reported benefits. 2. Demotivation – an in-depth study by the Martec Group found that working from home during the COVID-19 crisis has reduced job motivation by 20% 1. Now almost all of them rushing to build remote work strategies. While there are great potential benefits of allowing remote work on your team, there’s a problem: most founders and managers still aren’t familiar with the challenges of managing remote employees. But how do you know if your remote employees or those working from home are being productive? Challenge #1: You Have Trouble Managing Your Time Additionally, employees who work from home may be able to spend more time with their families. The report “Remote Working: From Surviving to Thriving” finds that nine months into widespread full-time remote working, customers are no longer tolerating disruption. Top Challenges When Managing Remote Employees . 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There are some excellent opinions out there on the disadvantages of working from home, but most of the responses I got were from online communities. ; Loneliness, time … There’s a popular perception that telecommuters are more productive than their 9- to-5, office-based counterparts. Banks, regulated industries, and many financial services companies did not encourage remote working. Internal Communication Problems; We could write an entire 2,000+ word blog on this issue alone – communication is a huge issue when managing remote employees. Even though we have the second highest level of speed available in our area, many times the internet is running very slow,” an accounting firm respondent said. “Our area does not have the necessary level of high speed broadband internet. To get the necessary speeds we would have to move our offices 50 to 60 miles, which is not practical for our tax clients.”. You won't immediately obtain the cost-efficiency advantage when you hire telecommuters. Less stress: Remote workers don’t have to worry about commuting or driving to the office, getting up early in the morning to avoid getting caught in congested traffic, and dressing presentably (but often uncomfortably). Loneliness is the second most common problem (19%) while collaboration (17%), distractions at home (10%), time zones (8%) and staying motivated (8%) are all issues that affect remote workers and the companies the… Ninety-nine percent of employees polled in Buffer’s 2019 State of Remote Work survey expressed interest in working remotely for at least a portion of their careers, citing a flexible schedule as the top benefit. Banks, regulated industries, and many financial services companies did not encourage remote working. However, doing so does not mean you won’t face some challenges as a remote professional. Working from home is a wonderful arrangement for those who want to escape the daily commute and wasted time on the road, or be home for their kids when they hop off the bus. The vast majority of employers reported that their organization’s “digital preparedness” for the transition to remote was positive (43% rated “excellent” and 40% “good”). Many remote employees work from home, which means ample distractions (the dishes, the laundry, the un-mowed lawn, maybe your children and spouse)—and it’s all too easy to get sidetracked. During employee reviews, effective processes can make sure there is an ongoing focus on skills development. Remote work, once a rare and innovative strategy reserved for tech companies, is no longer a fringe business practice. “I realize how dependent upon a solid internet solution and dependent upon my employees having internet in their homes in order to use remote access,” said a respondent in professional services. 5. Working from home offers a great deal of flexibility to the employees, but is equally challenging for the employers. Only a small minority of employers reported negative experiences (4% “poor” and 2% “terrible”). One of the many challenges of managing a remote team is that the typical day-to-day interactions can’t be replicated virtually. The Challenges of Managing Remote Employees. Challenges arise from remote working when there is no central strategy. The transition to remote work culture is not as seamless as it seems. Lay out all of the conditions of employment clearly and get a definite answer about whether or not the job candidate is willing to comply with them. Managing Remote Work. Remote work challenges for individual team members. The COVID-19 crisis is confronting companies with a large number of challenges over a short term. 2. Opinions expressed are those of the author. The top issue faced by remote workers was “unplugging” from work. Efficient communication has been a challenge for workplaces even before the outbreak of the virus. Remote working is one aspect of organisational life which is currently undergoing profound change. Offer recognition when your remote employee goes above and beyond. Access to a larger pool of talent may also mean you have a greater chance of hiring the wrong people.