Are you interested in adding remote work to your business, but you’re unsure if it’s the right move? In this article, we’ll take a look at the top remote work myths that might be holding you back from taking the leap. You’ll see that the quality of the work, productivity, employee happiness, and much more can be improved when you consider the revolutionary work format.
98% of employees show an interest in working remotely at least some of the time. This means that to attract the best employees, you may need to consider letting some stay at home a few days a week. Let’s look at some of the top myths to help you decide for yourself.
Myth 1: Remote Work Makes Employees Lazy
This is wrong since many people are self-motivated and will actually get more done at home. Yes, it’s true that lazy people can get away with more relaxation when nobody’s looking. But you shouldn’t assume that everyone is because of a few bad apples.
Fortunately, there is plenty of tracking software to keep tabs on how much work employees are doing at home. Hence, you can keep track of the employees that aren’t pulling their weight and the ones that are getting on with the work.
Running a business should be about what’s best for the whole and not individuals that are outliers. Therefore, implement remote work and look at the results for yourself. If productivity is increased as a whole, then it could be one of the best changes made for your business.
Myth 2: Remote Work Leads to Poor Communication
Let’s face it, there is nothing like being able to sit across from your co-wokers and go over the details of a project. This isn’t possible online, but with video conferencing and team collaboration apps, you can keep communication where it needs to be.
In fact, some employees prefer communicating online since it keeps the unrequired meetings to a minimum. For example, you can hold meetings with Zoom or Google Meet and share files with Trello.
Cloud-based team project management software allows everyone to see where each task is along the process, and they are used in the office environment anyway. Therefore, remote work doesn’t lead to poor communication, and in fact, could teach your business new ways to improve it.
Myth 3: Remote Work Companies Have No Culture
This is another remote work myth that you shouldn’t believe. That’s because company culture can be conveyed in all aspects of the business – including remote work. The type of employees that you hire and the way they interact online will play a big part in setting the standards for online culture.
Also, if many remote work employees are living in the same city or country, then it’s possible to hold events every few months. These could be weekend getaways at golf resorts or team bonding activities like paintballing. The culture setting that can go on during these events could be priceless.
If you’re struggling to create the company culture you want with the remote work approach, then look at other companies who are getting it right. Getting inspiration from examples will help you improve the quality of your culture building.
Myth 4: You Don’t Have To Help Remote Workers as Much
Some companies believe that when you hire remote workers, they can be left alone to complete tasks on their own. However, you’ll still need to empower employees to do the best job possible, just like you would with office-based employees. Here’s a summary of the help you could give your remote employees:
- Supporting documentation: you should provide as much supporting documentation on the tasks at hand as possible. These documents could be Google Docs that are easily shared with every new employee via a link. It means you don’t need to be as hands-on with every employee, thus saving you time.
- Project management software: make sure that your business uses competitive project management software that’s the right match for your tasks. This will help new employees understand the scope and flow of the work.
- Chat software: modern companies use chat software like Slack, which allows employees to ask questions. Hence, they can get the answers they need to complete the work remotely.
- Assign a mentor: make sure that remote workers who need help have a mentor that can help them move along the process. It ensures that all employees feel like they have someone to turn to.
- Provide equipment: if some remote workers don’t have the means or understanding to invest in the right hardware, then help them. This includes a computer, smartphone, and home office furniture. For example, some employees might not understand the value of a great office chair, and you could buy them for your employees.
Myth 5: Everyone Hates Remote Work
Do you hate remote work and would rather spend time at the office? You’d be surprised by the number of people that don’t share this viewpoint. You should ask your employees and new hires their thoughts on remote work. You’ll see that many people would at least like to work from home some of the time because it adds to the flexibility.
In fact, going for a hybrid model is the best option to start since it makes the transition easier and will not have a negative impact on your business process. However, this depends on the nature of your business.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, the remote work myths in this article are among the most common that you’ll hear. However, as you can see, there is a solution or a workaround for every myth, which allows you to take the plunge and try the new work format for your business.
The potential upside is huge since your employees could end up doing more work, making more sales, and becoming happier in their work positions. Play it right, and your business could scale to new heights and take brand awareness to the next level.
