Is Remote Work Here To Stay?
Mariela Kashukeeva is a Marketing Еxecutive at SaaS BPM, a productivity process management system solution designed to manage the recurring activities of teams and entire organizations. With over 2-year experience in SEO, she is responsible for establishing collaboration opportunities with high-authority websites and creating amazing content.
Up until a little more than a year ago, just about the only people who got to experience remote work were highly paid managers and white-collar professionals. COVID-19 quickly put an end to the mindset that employees need to be present at the office at all times, forcing businesses to adjust to the new normal.
In many cases, implementing a hybrid or entirely remote business structure necessary to continue operations has taken a lot of work. Still, all things considered, most companies have done a remarkably good job adapting to the pandemic and carrying on with business.
This has only been possible due to the advanced technological tools that we had at our fingertips even before the onset of COVID-19. Video calls, BPM software, file-sharing services, and collaboration platforms have all been around for some time. They have always been useful, but once the lockdowns hit, these tools became essential for running a business.
However, after a year or so of legal and societal restrictions, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Many countries are easing the lockdowns that hamstrung companies so badly, and it seems like businesses could finally return to the way they were a year ago. But can they really do that? Is remote work going to outlast the lockdowns, and how can businesses adjust to it long-term?
When talking about the massed implementation of remote work practices across so many industries, we’re naturally talking about white-collar jobs. Those positions are realistically the only ones that could effectively be moved off-site and adjusted to a remote setting.
However, even when it comes to these jobs, it’s difficult to make a judgment on whether or not the paradigm shift was for the better.
From the perspective of the employee, cutting down commute time has been a dream come true. Most employees reported a boost in productivity and motivation during the first few weeks and months of remote work. This is probably at least part of the reason why most workers expect remote work to be the norm going forward. Many employees have found the increased flexibility afforded by this new normal extremely appealing. However, a month or two away from the office turned into four, then six, then a year, things started to change for many remote employees. Burnout and depression have become serious issues for an ever-increasing number of people.
Employers have had to deal with their own problems when it comes to remote work. Setting up the necessary infrastructure and rearranging business processes so that they function in a remote setting is no mean feat. Now that everything is all of that up for that arrangement, is it really a good idea to put even more effort to return to the past way of doing things? What if the lockdowns don’t lift completely, or return in full swing?
The complexity of the situation means that the answer to the question “Is remote work here to stay?” can’t be a simple emphatic and universal “yes” or “no.” Every single company has different needs, a different structure, and has put different business practices in place. It is up to each organization to decide whether it wants to return to how things were a year ago, continue as they are now, or adopt some hybrid model.
However, whichever path a company decides to pick, making full use of all the tech tools available to it will become even more crucial than ever. Here are some of the essential bases that a company’s technological arsenal will need to cover to stay competitive, or even remain afloat in the days to come.
A remote office necessitates the tracking of every employee’s efforts through some manner of software
MARIELA KASHUKEEVA
Establish Line of Communication
In this day and age, establishing a clear line of communication from every point in an organization to every other point is crucial for maintaining a healthy business process. Nothing is easier than communication in the age of the Internet – there are dozens upon dozens of platforms that facilitate communication of one sort or another between individuals. Picking one and training all employees to use it efficiently is key for ensuring all business processes run as smoothly as possible.
This creates uniformity within a company and ensures that everyone knows where to find anyone they may need to resolve an issue, deal with a bottleneck in a critical process, etc. BPM software is particularly well suited for this purpose, as it also keeps a log of all business communication for future reference.
Implement Time Tracking Tools
In an office setting, the utility of a time tracking tool is somewhat limited. Everyone knows their working hours and is expected to perform their job during that set time, and it’s easy to keep workers disciplined.
A remote office necessitates the tracking of every employee’s efforts through some manner of software – if only to avoid distraction and enforce discipline. There are a plethora of tools that make this possible, but by far the best one is a good BPM solution. Every good BPM system has an inbuilt functionality that allows for time tracking, planning, scheduling, etc. Using that to stay on top of things is essential for both managers and workers.
Ensure Easy Access to Essential Data
Sometimes, employees need access to additional information in order to perform their assigned tasks properly. Having an established repository where answers to pertinent questions are readily available does wonders when it comes to productivity.
BPM systems are the perfect tool for taking care of this technological necessity. What’s more, even if crucial data is not available in the system itself, a BPM solution allows the employee to easily contact people who have it or at least may know where it can be found.
Optimize Task Assignment and Management
Being able to hand out and supervise tasks remotely is the cornerstone of running a remote office. The importance of being able to do so quickly and effectively simply can’t be overstated. Adopting а software solution that fits the company’s needs is crucial here, as the system’s effectiveness directly affects the productivity of all remote workers in the company.
BPM software is ideally suited for tracking assignments, as it is designed with this functionality in mind. Moreover, it collects data on past and present tasks and even provides the tools necessary to analyze that data to help management come to informed conclusions about the business process.
Facilitate the Onboarding Process
Onboarding is a challenging process even at the office, where senior colleagues are at hand to mentor new recruits. Remote onboarding is another kettle of fish entirely – and building company culture via a screen presents its own set of challenges. Nevertheless, both of these things are essential for ensuring the worker’s productivity and wellbeing, so finding a way to do this remotely is a top priority for any business with remote employees.
BPM software is uniquely positioned to facilitate the onboarding process, as it is designed with transparency and onboarding in mind. What’s more, it is a convenient all-in-one system that allows recruits to effortlessly reach out for help if they need it.
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