With more employees looking for flexibility, businesses of all sizes are shifting to remote work business. While some managers worry that remote work could hamper productivity, research shows that when companies maintain an effective policy of remote working it actually improves key metrics and employee morale.
There are numerous questions about remote working, including how it compares with flexible hours or whether companies have a fully distributed workforce. There are numerous benefits to offering remote work options. From reducing the commute (according to a survey by 2020 FlexJobs) and enhancing employee engagement and retention, it is an excellent way to give employees the flexibility they need.
Flexible work arrangements can be described as any time an employee or team doesn’t have to report to a physical office at least a portion of the time, whether that’s working from home for a couple of days per week or being completely remote. This can also mean working in a satellite office like a coworking area or cafe, and even working from a mobile workforce.
No matter how your business determines flexible work arrangements it is essential that managers and leaders provide regular feedback about the performance of their employees and communicate. It’s also recommended to organize regular standups and virtual meetings to encourage collaboration, innovation and communication. Don’t forget to thank your remote employees whenever they merit it. If your employees feel undervalued or uninspired and unmotivated, their performance will suffer.