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How to successfully work from home
There are five key strategies to making the most out of working from home arrangements, according to an expert in the space.
Jerome Doraisamy
In order to assist businesses to establish a framework for successful telecommuting, specialised recruiter Robert Half has prepared five work-from-home management tips:
Communication is central to any working relationship, Robert Half Australia director Nicole Gorton said.
“Setting aside time for regular communication is a powerful way to work together – it’s also a faster way to address issues than typing emails on the fly. Moreover, biweekly status calls and regular feedback allow telecommuters [to] know that out of sight is not out of mind,” she argued.
“A regular Skype meeting or phone call can help the [team connect], discuss the progress of projects, share new developments and resolve any issues that could potentially arise. The start of group meetings is also a good time to acknowledge birthdays and encourage people to share personal updates, which in turn [helps uphold] staff morale.”
2. Set clear expectations
When it comes to quality and deliverables, Ms Gorton continued, there “should be no difference” between the work an employee performs remotely or when that person is present in the company’s office.
“Set equal standards for on-site and off-site professionals in areas such as client service, deadlines, office hours, and response times for emails and phone calls,” she said.
3. Choose the right tech tools
In a virtual environment, technology is everyone’s communication lifeline, she said.
“Slack, Google Hangouts and Skype for Business are some of the platforms employees can use to reach out to colleagues and employers throughout the day. File-hosting services like Dropbox, Google Drive or an in-house system also foster virtual collaboration and information sharing in real time,” Ms Gorton said.
4. Keep virtual team members in the loop
As opposed to remote working, Ms Gorton mused, unscheduled meetings and brainstorming sessions as well as impromptu moments of team bonding can often occur in office working arrangements.
“Managers can do much to help telecommuters and other remote workers feel like part of the team by encouraging virtual discussion boards or video meetings to conduct spur-of-the-moment conversations,” she said.
5. Don’t overlook the needs of on-site workers
“Employees who don’t have the option to telecommute – or may simply prefer working at the office – may miss out on some of the same conveniences of their telecommuting colleagues. For those who are working from the office, consider easing the office dress code, allowing flexible scheduling or offering commuter benefits like subsidised parking or transit passes for those workers,” Ms Gorton concluded.
“To make telecommuting work well for the workforce, employers need to make sure that remote team members never feel left out. Likewise, don’t overlook the need for in-office employees to maintain a better balance between their professional and personal lives and to work in a more relaxed environment.”
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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