The trend of work-from-home just got a big push from the current global corona virus pandemic, but even before COVID-19 became a factor, increasing numbers of people have been saying goodbye to their onerous commute to work. It has been found that working from home would make employees happier as it lowers stress and boosts morale, that it drives employee efficiency and increase productivity rate.

Set clear expectation

The first step is to identify and hire talents who are self-starters and possess the will to work diligently even if given the work from home option. Expectations include the hours they put in and communication via instant messaging, video chat, or phone. Inform employees of meeting schedules and always be available for communications, priorities, and updates. Both employers and employees can demonstrate trustworthiness by being predictable, reliable, taking promises seriously and following through on commitments.

Communicate frequently

Effective communication is one of the biggest challenges in managing virtual employees. Since remote workers are only reachable by digital means, they might miss important messages when they’re engrossed in a task or dealing with connectivity issues. Instead of relying on textual exchanges, there should be multiple forms of communication in place. Encourage remote workers to keep their phones charged and close at hand, and to attend regular meetings via video conferencing software. Update their email, voicemail greeting, staff calendar etc. on a regular basis with a schedule, availability and contact information. Checking all communications platforms and voicemail frequently is imperative.

Ensure data and device security

Make certain to educate remote employees on basic security policies. This includes things like secure passwords, logging off when away from their devices, avoiding public Wi-Fi and can compromise the safety of corporate data. Ensure that your employee is allocated with a computer or a smartphone, an access to a reliable Internet connection back home, a secure remote access to the company’s internal network and databases and easy access to work emails or corporate messaging systems on their computers and smartphones.