The Covid pandemic has changed the workplace forever. Most people have had to adapt to working from home, which has had pros and cons.
Remote work is not a suitable proposition for everyone. The advantages include:
- More free time.
- Freedom over your schedule.
- Saving on transportation costs.
- Avoiding office politics.
On the other hand, there are cons to working remotely, including loneliness due to increased isolation, more distraction, and juggling home and work duties.
Your remote employees may be struggling, but there is much you can do to support them, including:
Encourage Communication
Most people who work from home, especially those who live alone, have no one to communicate with for the whole day. Doing so has a severely adverse effect on most people, especially extroverts who thrive on interpersonal communication.
Therefore, opening various lines of communication between office employees will help those who are struggling. You can schedule one-on-one meetings with remote employees, even if it is over a video or phone call. Using technology to your advantage is vital in this regard.
You should also ensure that you are available for struggling employees as often as possible. If they have to come into the office or meet elsewhere, avail yourself.
Many remote employees state feeling that they are out of touch with their work. If there are open lines of communication between employees, they can feel part and parcel of operations as if they were in the office.
Sort Out Administration Issues
Another issue plaguing many remote employees is that administrative functions can be hard to get because they don’t have physical access to the office. These administrative issues can make their work very difficult, mainly if they cannot be sorted out remotely.
One of the most significant issues remote employees face is payroll issues. An example is missing pay stubs which can impact the filing of taxes and getting loans, among other things. You can easily solve such an issue using an online paystub maker. Other problems could not easily be solved using technology.
You should streamline your administration issues and establish ways for remote employees to access them from wherever they are. As the employer or business owner, it is your job to ensure that these issues don’t affect your employees.
Promote Healthy Work from Home Habits
Two main issues remote employees face are difficulty unplugging from work and loneliness. These issues are caused and exacerbated by unhealthy habits that remote workers develop while working alone. At least, if they were to come to the office, they would have to walk, go out and get some lunch with others and leave their work at the office when they head home.
Therefore, you should do your best to promote healthy work habits for those who work from home. Maintain gym memberships for employees so they can access the facilities even while working from home. You can also set up a home food delivery service for remote employees of healthy, nutritious meals, which will prevent them from overeating junk food.
Be creative and be willing to invest in your employees’ well-being.
Regularly Check in on Employees
Your employees are your business’s most significant asset; hence, you need to check on them regularly to ensure they are doing fine. I know it will take a lot of time and effort to check on each employee, but you should make the sacrifice for their wellbeing.
Doing so will make your employees feel valued and respected, which is vital. If your employees know you are willing to go the extra mile for their wellbeing, they will do the same for you.
Therefore, listen to what they have to say and make the necessary adjustments.
Summary
In conclusion, your employees should always be a priority, and you should treat them as such, even remote employees. The above are some of the issues remote employees face and how to support those struggling. Find other ways that may be more specific to your employees.
Authored by Claire Ward, Paradigm Digital