Remote work is no longer new in the world of work. Without a doubt, it’s a path of no return, and HR needs to be prepared for this new model. It is a visible feature of the new generation of employees, who seek more quality of life and positive experiences in their professional career.
More than a trend, remote work may be required on several occasions and bring benefits to the company. Saving resources, such as time and money, is one of them. For the employee, flexibility is one of the positive points. After all, who never dreamed of working from home?
One of the biggest challenges of this new format is the management of employees who work remotely. This article will talk about the definition of remote work, what labor legislation says about the home office, and learn how to be persuasive. Also, we will give tips to improve the productivity of teams that work in this model.
What is remote work?
As its name says, the professional can perform tasks outside the corporate environment. Working from anywhere has become a desire that is increasingly at the top of many contributors’ list. Many studies have already revealed that this flexibilization of work can generate significant gains, as we will see below.
It must be said that not all work fits this new model. Functions that require machinery operation, teams of sale of products in-store, and health professionals demand physical presence at the time of work. So, as impressive as it may seem, remote work doesn’t work for everyone. And not in a single model.
What the law says
The main difference for employees hired in this scheme is remuneration. Instead of receiving payment for working hours, the professional is paid for tasks performed in a period agreed between the employer and the employee.
Another point is that control of the workday is not mandatory. Remembering that companies that have 20 employees or more need to do this management, efficiently. Also, the professional’s attendance in the company to perform specific tasks, such as face-to-face alignment meetings, does not mischaracterize the form of hiring.
Remote Work x External Work
These concepts are very similar and easy to confuse. It is worth remembering that external work and remote work are not the same things. First, external work configures the situation in which the professional performs activity outside the company, depending on his type of function – it is the case of drivers, construction professionals, or representatives.
In remote work, the employee performs his activities with the use of technology and communication tools. The performance takes place outside the company’s premises, for a certain period or not. It is the so-called telework or home office, as we will see below.
Home Office
Before deploying the company’s home office, the employer must be sure about the infrastructure needed to carry out the activities remotely. Furthermore, there must be a definition of working hours and the schedule to be fulfilled. All to prevent productivity from being affected.
Another critical detail on the subject is that the employer should have full responsibility to instruct professionals so that accidents or illnesses do not occur. To do so, the manager may request a term of acceptance of the professional, in which the trader undertakes to follow the employer’s guidance.
We can not deny that companies and employees can benefit, and much, with the deployment of remote work or home office in the business.
Why deploy?
- Cost reduction: Any savings can make a difference in business budgets. Everyone knows that having professionals working in a business environment generates ongoing costs. At the end of the month, every little bit, this account can get quite large. And the home office can help in this sense – the rental of physical space, for example, can be dispensed with. Or the environment may be smaller because some team professionals work remotely.
- Talent attraction: we have already talked here that working from home is most professionals’ desire today. More than a fair remuneration, those who work in the current scenario seek to enrich experiences in their careers in a flexible environment and encourage new ideas and creativity. Also, this flexibility is one of the main characteristics considered by the professional when choosing the job. Therefore, it is considered a differential in attracting and retaining talent.
- Productivity: This is undoubtedly one of the main concerns of companies when deploying the home office. On the other hand, many studies point out that employees who work from home are more productive. Because displacement, something faced every day by most professionals, leads to tiredness even before you get to work. And, of course, it influences the productivity of the employee.
Ensuring the productivity of employees in remote work is a significant challenge. The distance can interfere with communication, an essential element for good team management. However, there are already several tools available on the market that can assist in this task.
Productivity vs. cost
Many managers and team leaders still believe that controlling the workday of professionals is enough to ensure productivity. But it’s not like that. The reality is that, in addition to understanding what is done, it is necessary to know the result of the effort invested by employees.
Several project management tools can assist leaders in this process. You can define which activities should be performed in a certain period by the team. On the other year, employees signal their manager about the time dedicated to realizing each of them. With this, the manager has the power to know:
- The actual cost of each activity, project, or customer;
- The time invested by professionals in each task;
- What is the gain generated in each activity, considering the cost of the professional?
- With this data at hand, it’s easy to optimize team time.
Four Tips from Professionals HR can use to increase the productivity of remote work
Well, you may have realized that remote work works, but not for all companies. Still, some guidelines can help make the home office work, increasing employee productivity:
- Holly Zorbas, Assistant Editor at Credit Donkey suggests “Working remotely can sometimes be challenging because of the distractions around you. You may procrastinate in finishing your tasks; making you feel like falling behind. Therefore, you should come up with a schedule for your daily tasks. This will help you finish more tasks without overlooking urgent tasks while you can still spend quality time with your loved ones”
- Sam McCleary, General Manager at Fusion Culture & HR Coach suggests “Being a General Manager at an HR company, I believe to keep our team productive and promote continuous growth among the members of our department, our company is holding monthly virtual development and social events. This virtual gathering replaced our physical meetings”
- Chad Evertson, Founder of About Generators suggests “We encourage managers to trust their direct reports and convey that trust openly. Remote workers don’t want to feel that they always are under strict supervision and every moment of their time is being observed remotely. I believe that when there is mutual trust and understanding between a manager and an employee, the work environment is more likely to be a productive and happy workforce”
- Federico Anzil from Visme suggests “Increase and foster employee engagement at the workplace and to let everyone give their ideas and inputs in the organizational tasks and processes. Keep the communication going and let the employees express themselves without any hesitation”
If you’ve already deployed or are in the process of adhering to the home office in the company, share your experience with us!