Research shows that 99% of workers would like to work remotely at some point. With technology rapidly evolving to make mobile collaboration and a remote workforce not only feasible but economically desirable for a host of businesses, it’s not surprising that more workers are demanding remote flexibility.
Just a few years ago, the notion of a “remote workforce” may have been considered a trend; however, it has quickly evolved and this new concept is now here to stay.
The same challenges and fears that have plagued the notion of a remote workforce from the start are still relevant today. Specifically:
- Ensuring high productivity,
- providing employees with desired self-sufficiency
- and giving them a sense of “connectedness”
All of these issues can be challenging for organizations that do not have a solid foundation in remote work and accommodations.
One theme connects the challenges and fears surrounding a remote workforce.
Organizations that have struggled to overcome the perceived challenges of a remote workforce may be convinced that a flexible workforce is doomed to fail. But with today’s workers demanding remote flexibility, the pressure is on for employers to accommodate a remote workforce and get better results.
There is one powerful theme that can overcome challenges and help ensure the success of your remote workforce: Communication. Communication is such a broad topic. Let’s take a closer look at how communication impacts the efficiency and success of your remote workforce.
Communication and High Productivity
There are several factors that can impact productivity in an organization. High on the list is the ability for employees to communicate effectively. The ability to gather necessary information, share feedback, discuss core initiatives, and otherwise collaborate is critical to the success of any organization.
When you factor in a remote workforce (either 100% remote or select members of your team), the processes and expectations you have set in place may seem compromised. You may fear that communication will suffer and productivity will drop as a result. Or perhaps you have attempted to integrate remote workers into your workforce unsuccessfully due to poor communication and productivity.
Today’s technology, however, puts information and communication opportunities into the hands of your employees – wherever they are located. Virtual meeting space is an expectation for every office. Services like Skype, Zoom, GoToMeeting, and more make it easy to meet, discuss and collaborate seamlessly.
With our employee engagement platform, training and other critical documents are easily accessible by all employees, regardless of location. And with services like Dropbox and Google Docs, real-time collaboration in working documents is seamless. In fact, many offices use these services for collaboration, even when their employees are sitting in the next cubicle!
Communication technologies have become so ubiquitous, it is often difficult to remember whether a colleague is two doors down, or in the next state.
Communication and Self-Sufficiency
To succeed, your remote workforce must feel empowered and secure with the knowledge and tools that they have in order to get their jobs done. Your employees need to have a clear idea about what they should be doing for a particular task or project. Effective communication becomes especially critical for self-sufficiency.
The technologies noted above are similarly effective at facilitating communication for the purposes of self-sufficiency. Employees and managers can easily kick-off projects, share information, and touch base for feedback and/or next steps regardless of location.
Instant messaging can also be an effective way to quickly ask a question or convene on a topic or project without necessitating a video conference or phone call. Not only does this technology aid in self-sufficiency, but it also ties into productivity as well. Along with a host of additional benefits, the HubEngage platform offers individual and group instant messaging on your secure company app.
Communication and a sense of “Connectedness”
There is certainly a lot of overlap here when it comes to communication and a remote workforce. By now, you can probably form a good picture of how communication ties into nearly every element of a successful remote team. When it comes to connectedness, I’ve touched upon video conferencing, and the ability to see and hear from colleagues. I also examined the instant messaging capabilities on our HubEngage platform and how instant messages can facilitate self-sufficiency and productivity. Quick instant messages also go a long way toward helping us feel connected to our team, regardless of location.
With HubEngage, our client partners also tap into our powerful platform with internal social feeds. Social feeds have the power to help build camaraderie and encourage collaboration, regardless of location. Gamification, rewards, and leaderboards similarly get employees excited and invested in company initiatives, while simultaneously building a sense of “team” for your entire workforce.
HubEngage helps you empower and engage your remote workforce.
Our communication and collaboration tools are designed to increase engagement, build trust and empower both a remote and traditional workforce. See firsthand how an HubEngage can help your remote and/or traditional workforces. Schedule your free demo today.
Download The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Employee Experience Platform
To truly empower employees and optimize productivity, you need more than a communications tool. This guide frames the employee experience platform planning process and how to create the work environment your organization needs.
