Remote work isn’t new, but since the pandemic changed how and where we work, remote work is here to stay. In fact, 98% of workers now express a desire to work remotely, reflecting a significant shift in workplace expectations. Susan, Beyond the Chaos’ owner, has worked remotely for over ten years, and the team has been operating as a virtual business since its beginning. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite resources to help you and your team optimize the remote workforce. Enjoy our tips, tricks, tech guides, and communication dos and don’ts for thriving in a virtual working world.
Favorite Remote Work Tools
Using email to stay connected is not enough for remote workers, as we’ve seen with the explosion of Zoom and other video conferencing systems. If you’ve been following Susan or BTC for a while, it’s no surprise that Slack is our favorite communication tool. Check out how our virtual team uses Slack for daily communication, as well as some “Slackiquette” to help you respect your work-life balance and maximize work productivity remotely.
Of course, we can’t forget Teamwork.com, our favorite project management tool for managing tasks and projects. Whether you’re fully remote or working in a hybrid environment, it’s essential to prioritize efficiency and engagement. If you used it before moving to a remote office setup, you lost nothing in project status as you transitioned to employees working from home. Click here to see a more comprehensive list of project management process tools like Teamwork.com that can help you navigate your remote working environment effectively.
Tips for Managing a Virtual Business
Perhaps the stay-at-home orders from the COVID-19 pandemic were the first time you’ve ever considered taking your business 100% virtual. But you must weigh the pros and cons, considering factors like company culture and employee engagement, before making that decision. Here’s what Susan took into consideration when deciding to implement a remote-first policy and own a virtual business.
And just as important as managing a remote or virtual business is how you manage yourself. It’s probably the biggest challenge in the virtual world, where balancing personal and professional life requires careful attention. Read more here about how to monitor and adjust your output while managing a business, ensuring meaningful interaction with colleagues, whether they’re working from home or in person.
How to Create Virtual Relationships
The biggest challenge we hear from individuals who work remotely is the feeling of isolation. People miss the opportunity to grab lunch with coworkers or attend the company happy hour. But just because you aren’t going to a physical office environment doesn’t mean office relationships should stop. So, how can you improve relationships virtually and encourage your remote workforce? Check out our tips and resources for building relationships in a virtual world.
One fun thing our virtual team does every morning is an icebreaker question via Slack. Questions range from our biggest fears (roaches or being burned or buried alive) to movie sequels that should be made (The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension and Big Trouble in Little China). It’s something we look forward to every morning. It helps boost morale, engages the team, and gets the remote team to know each other better, wherever they are.
If ice-breakers or conversation topics seem to be running sparse, there are numerous online games you can play with your teammates. Virtual bingo over Zoom is a fun one that managers can use to distribute fun and inclusive activities across various teams.
Susan also participated in a small business webinar where she presented on how to improve communications despite the distance. This video is packed full of high-level insights and best practices from remote job experts.
Balancing Personal Life with Remote Work Life
The best thing about working from home is your ability to set your own working hours and schedule. Gone are the days of worrying about a commute taking too long, child or pet care, or if you have time to pick up that prescription. Working remotely allows you the flexibility to fit in aspects of your personal life that often drop to the wayside when you’re running to and from the office.
But, this new-found freedom can lead to two pitfalls:
- Never leaving your home office and working continuously, and
- Suffering from gaps in communication around team members’ schedules, including your own.
The best way to stay on schedule with work and your personal life is calendar blocking. Calendar blocking creates little Tetris® style blocks on your work calendar to hold time for walking the dog, finishing that expense report, cooking dinner, etc.
Why “Working from Home” Doesn’t Have to Be at Your Home
Because Beyond the Chaos is a virtual business, we can work anywhere in the world. For example, Susan feels lucky that she GETS to work when traveling, as opposed to HAVING to work, as one of the OneLife Mastermind members regularly reminds our group. It allows for much more traveling!
The pandemic pushed remote working – or working from home – into the category of normalcy. Let’s push it one step further. Working from home doesn’t mean you have to be at your desk at home. Why must you be tied to your home address to be more productive? If you have a stable WiFi connection, a laptop, and a charger, does it matter if you do your work from the mountains, a favorite coffee shop, or on a train in Germany? Work where life takes you. It’s definitely no different than working “on the road” while traveling for business.
Final Thoughts
Remote work is here to stay. Embrace it! Tools will continue to evolve, making it even more efficient for employees to work from home. Plus, if you’re a small business owner or employer, you get a whole other perk – your talent pool now widens to a diverse, global candidate pool. A physical address is no longer a priority or a barrier to finding the best talent around the world.
And speaking of the talent pool, you may also find yourself with another set of challenges. Remote work might mean fewer lunches, happy hours, and conferences where schmoozers can schmooze. That will be a challenge for those employees whose main job skill is socializing or networking. People who succeed in remote work will be those who can produce results with high-level autonomy without needing face-to-face contact. You may find yourself re-evaluating what it means to be a productive team member, as simply just “showing up” isn’t going to cut it when you physically can’t show up.
For additional self-guided tips and resources, visit our complete guide to successful small business operations.
Remote Work Real Talk: Your Questions Answered
We know that remote work comes with its own set of questions, especially if you’re new to remote office setup. To make your transition smoother, we’ve rounded up some of the most common FAQs. Whether it’s about finding the right tools, staying productive, or keeping your team engaged, these answers will help you navigate the virtual work world with confidence.
How can a company curate a productive remote working environment?
To curate a productive remote working environment, focus on implementing high-level tools that streamline communication and project management. Encourage a balance between autonomy and collaboration to minimize distractions and boost innovation.
What should employers consider when they hire for remote positions?
When you hire for remote positions, prioritize candidates who demonstrate strong self-management skills and can work independently. Additionally, ensure they have the necessary setup at home to maintain health and safety standards.
How can I balance privacy and collaboration in a remote work setting?
Balancing privacy and collaboration requires setting clear boundaries and using tools that support both. Establish specific times for collective meetings and encourage your team to schedule focused work periods free from distractions.
What are the best practices for managing health and safety in a remote work environment?
Health and safety in a remote work environment start with providing ergonomic setups and regular check-ins on your team’s well-being. Encourage breaks, curate a comfortable workspace, and remind your employees to step away from their screens for at least two days each week to maintain a healthy balance.
Excellent article – thank-you for all the tips and sharing when things didn’t go well too!
Thanks for stopping by, Rich. Glad you are enjoying our blog posts. And if we didn’t share the things that didn’t go right, we would miss a lot of learning opportunities. Let us know if we can be of service!