Now that the world has pushed past the initial adjustment of a suddenly remote workforce, there remain some obstacles that threaten its long-term success. Benefits related to business continuity, employee retention, and cost reduction may be outweighed by remote work challenges.
Remote workers must be equipped to operate on par with their in-office counterparts, but there are three areas where improvements are necessary:
Remote Technology: Employees may not be adequately equipped to work successfully from a remote location. From improperly configured laptops to inadequate access to network resources, only 65% of American employees working remotely say that their employers provide the resources necessary for a remote workforce.
Roles: Not every position is suited for working in a remote setting. Without a set of consistent guidelines and a plan for accommodating a remote workforce, the difference between remote workers’ circumstances and experiences can have a negative impact on productivity.
Stigma: Many company cultures are based more on time spent working than on the outcomes of an employee’s efforts, creating distrust around remote-work situations. Some employers may pressure team members to come into the office even when remote work is the better solution, believing that productivity is only possible at headquarters.
A rigid approach tends to work against the very productivity that enterprises are seeking to protect. There are some guidelines you can use to ensure you are encountering common remote-work challenges with sensible solutions:
Determine Structures for Remote-Work Suitability: Employees require a fair evaluation of their style and work, as well as clear provisions of what is expected of them. A complete evaluation will include four attributes: role, personality, performance, and preference.
Cultivate a Culture That Supports the Remote Workforce: Employees working remotely may experience a range of consequences, including exclusion, miscommunication, and even missed opportunities for advancement. By embracing a culture that celebrates trust, transparency, and empathy for teams both inside and outside the physical walls, an enterprise benefits from the full range of talent and contribution from employees.
Deliver the Right Technology: Don’t allow subpar technology to hold employees back that would otherwise deliver results. Provide the right solutions with remote access, prioritizing security and connectivity for enterprise resources and cloud-based applications. The goal should be an employee experience that is identical to that found in the office. Access to video conferencing should be particularly prioritized, but remote workers will also value tools like messaging platforms and shared workspaces.
As you evaluate remote-work challenges, the need to balance compliance with employee experiences will surely become part of the discussion. While security and compliance must be a consideration, it’s important not to forget the importance of employee access to that data. Having a good secure access service edge (SASE) can simplify these considerations and include your remote workforce in a unified security strategy.Are you moving into a phase where it’s time to reconsider the remote work challenges your team is facing? Contact us at ITBroker.com so we can help you assess any gaps in your security, productivity, and network connectivity needs.
