Working from home may require some adjustments in order to maintain productivity. You’ll need to consider both the technology solutions you use and how you use them. For this week’s tip we’ll take a look at enhancing your productivity when remote working and share a few best practices to adopt.
Selecting The Right Technology
Without the right technology it can be hard to work as effectively as you used to do in the office. That applies to everyone in the team. It’s not necessary for everyone to have the same tech setup as you had in the office, but you should aim for some consistency across the team’s equipment. For example, it’s not a great idea for some team members to have to rely exclusively on a cell phone.
Cloud solutions are ideal for remote working conditions. You might have all the equipment but easy access to the tools you need to accomplish your work is vital if you’re going to coordinate properly and keep moving forward. With cloud storage anyone can get the access they need to essential operating resources, like software and data.
When remote working, it’s always a good idea to use a virtual private network (VPN) when connecting to your in-house infrastructure. It’s not a complete security solution but it goes a long way to protect sensitive data that’s traveling between your remote workstations and the office.
Maximizing the Work Routine
You may have to make some adjustments to your routine if you’re working from home but, where possible, try to stick to the work schedule that you were used to before. Resist the temptation to work longer hours. You’ll have extra time in the day because you’re no longer having to commute to work. Don’t feel as if you or your team have to use it for extra work. Burning out won’t help productivity in the longer term.
Create a suitable working space. There will probably be all sorts of distractions at home that you wouldn’t have at the office, and there’s typically no ongoing supervision to keep everyone on their toes. If you can set up a place in the home that’s less likely to be subject to distractions or intrusions, that will be good for boosting focus and productivity levels.
Pay attention to team communication. Obviously, communication with co-workers is easier when you’re all working in the same space, so compensatory measures will be needed. Err on the side of over-communication – a lot of contact is better than too little. Establishing what the most appropriate level of communication is should become apparent over time as everyone settles in to a new working regime. Team leaders can lead by example, so everyone attains the most productive level of remote contact.
Would you like to tell us about your experience of remote working? Share your thoughts in the comments, as well as any additional tips that you recommend…and don’t forget to subscribe to our blog!