If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that remote work has a plethora of benefits waiting to be uncovered by savvy business owners. Though the transition from an office setting to a completely virtual company can seem daunting, the gains more than outweigh in the end. By investing in the right technology, communicating clearly, and refining your strategies, your company will be on its way to the fully remote hall of fame in no time.
Invest in the right technology
Because of the online nature of a fully remote business, you and your employees will heavily rely on technology to facilitate your company’s progress. For example, securing a digital mailbox from iPostal1 can quickly elevate your presence as a remote company. Not only are digital mailboxes eco-friendly, but they are also highly secure and cost-efficient. With this tech addition to your repertoire, you can spend less time and money on admin costs and focus on the big ideas that make your business better.
Prioritize company culture
Just because your physical office presence has run its course does not mean that your company’s presence in employee’s lives has to disappear with it. With a fully remote business transition on the horizon, it is more important than ever to keep your employees engaged and excited about their coworkers and their shared goals to make the company better. Small rewards like quarterly gift boxes or a bi-weekly expensed lunch can boost employee satisfaction with little effort. Additionally, offsite retreats or virtual happy hours are sure to keep those happy employees friendly with one another, increasing retention and productivity.
Learn the opinions of your employees
As wonderful as it would be for every employee to be utterly complaint-less, it is unlikely that pretending everyone is happy will spare your office transition of any grumblings. The best way to handle this is to get out in front of the opinions and make your workers feel heard. Better yet, see if there is anything you can actively do about the concerns. Everything you invested into the office needs to be invested into the individuals – even if they are out of sight.
Refine your digital hiring strategies
Your screening senses and your super-human abilities to read the intentions and personalities of job applicants may fall short when you’ve never met your new hire in person before. Because of this hiccup, it is even more vital than ever to refine the perfect digital hiring strategy for your company. Find ways to synthesize the traits that you would like to see in a new hire. From there, you can devise a no-fail strategy to showcase the best parts of your company’s culture, attracting like-minded applicants.
Communicate guidelines and expectations
Making sure everyone is on the same page will save you countless headaches in the long run. As a leader, you can’t expect your employees to hit goals that you don’t set. By communicating clear guidelines and quantifiable expectations, your employees will have a mark to hit and a path to get there, which will enable tremendous long-term success and clear metrics on how the transition is going.
Conclusion
While many moving parts contribute to a business’s shift to a fully remote structure, the benefits can be monumental. By communicating, refining hiring strategies, and more, smooth days are ahead for your remote company.
–