Covid-19 has changed the way that many people work. More people than ever are now working from home and it looks as though it is something that is going to stick around. Many businesses are now offering working from home as a permanent option, and people are happy about it. 

From lower business running costs to happier employees with a well maintained work-life balance, remote working provides many benefits. That been said, it does also come with its downsides such as lack of colleague interaction, loneliness, bad work-life balance, and feeling out of the loop. Therefore it is important for you as an employer to ensure working from home is a positive experience for your employees. 

 

From providing the necessary equipment and online training to setting up virtual mailbox services make sure working from home is kept positive. 

 

Stuck on ideas on how to keep it positive? Have a look at some ideas below: 

Keep Them In The Loop 

Many working from home employees report feeling as though they are left out of the loop, especially when there is still a team of people working in an office too. If anything it would be better for your working from home employees to be more in the loop. It is essential for them to have all updated information and know exactly where they stand. Whether it’s a quick morning meeting, a mandatory once a month in-office visit or a bulletin board where they can find all the latest updates, make sure they are in the know, just like they would be if they were working in the office. 

Be Flexible 

One of the more positive parts of working from home is the flexibility that it can provide, however, it won’t be flexible unless you offer it as a flexible position. If you are too strict with your working times you risk losing out on productivity and positivity. Therefore you need to make sure you are as flexible as possible. For example, you may have working parents who want to work split shift days so they can spend time with their kids during the day. If you want to be flexible but still want to make sure all the hours are covered, have a discussion with each colleague and come to a decision together with the working hours that are best and productive. 

Have Frequent Check In’s

When you have a working from home team it is very more important for you to have frequent check in’s. Not necessarily to check up on the work they are doing, but instead, to check in on how they are finding working from home. Are they being as predictive as they can be? Do they have a good work-life balance? Do they have everything they need to do their job role? 

 

These three areas are all important if you want to have a positive working from home team and keep them positive. Is there anything else that should be added to the list? Please add some of them in the comments below.