Remote Working
Remote Working has steadily been growing in popularity in the UK as employers understand the benefits and put in place the support networks to lead, manage and recruit a remote workforce. It’s just one of the many different types of flexible working Ten2Two specialises in.
Recent 2020 data from the ONS indicates that around 5% of the total UK workforce (1.7 million people) work primarily from home and over a quarter have worked from home at some point. Among managers, directors and professionals, these figures are considerably higher.
Since 2007, Ten2Two has helped hundreds of employers not only recruit talented professionals and managers remotely but have also advised employers on how to manage a remote workforce effectively. Read our latest blog on remote leadership.
In March 2020 the CoronaVirus outbreak facilitated an unprecedented global “work from home” social experiment. Employees and employers around the world were within days all obliged, many for the first time, to work remotely from their homes.
Could remote working be a covid blessing in disguise? What if we continued to work remotely? Will the coronavirus pandemic change the way we work forever? These are some of the many questions raised by employees and employers in the Spring 2020 and Ten2Two are here to help answer your remote working questions.
What are the benefits for employers of remote working?
A 2019 research study from Harvard business school on how companies benefit when employees work remotely concluded that, ‘Companies that let their workers decide where and when to do their jobs – whether in another city or in the middle of the night – increase employee productivity, reduce turnover, and lower organisational costs’.
UK employers are quickly discovering that although there are many challenges associated with working remotely, especially in a crisis situation and in the first few weeks of implementation, there are also many remote working benefits worth considering. Employers have had to think on their feet and many were unprepared for enforced remote working. Our Ten2Two bespoke research indicates that once the initial pandemic panic period has passed, employers will start to see many remote working benefits.
“Every success story is a tale of constant adaption, revision and change. A company that stands still will soon be forgotten”
Richard Branson
How can we recruit remotely?
Remote recruitment can be a fast and effective option, especially in a crisis situation or when you need temporary or flexible support from experienced managers and professionals. If you need to recruit new employees or are thinking of how you might need to “bounce back” quickly, recruiting experienced professionals and managers remotely on a part time or flexible basis can be an effective solution.
Remember in the current lockdown situation, recruitment may take longer than usual but Ten2Two can help you in the remote recruitment process by accessing over our unique membership database of experienced professionals and managers who are ready to work remotely on a part time or flexible basis.
How to video call and interview remotely?
The selection process of candidates is another area where Ten2Two can bring years of experience to your benefit. There are numerous apps and software available but we’ve found over the years that the simplest are often the most effective. Try Skype, Zoom, Google hangouts or Microsoft teams. You may want to speak to a few candidates by telephone first and then create a short list of candidates to video interview.
You may also want to read our top 10 tips on video interviewing candidates or view our short (less than a minute!) video that provides some top tips on video interviewing your next employee for employers and interviewers.
How can I manage my (new) remote workforce?
Before the Coronavirus lockdown, 85% of the working population wanted some flexibility in their job. Now many employees have experienced that flexibility by working from home during the coronavirus, and many employees will want to keep some or part of this flexibility. So although you may not have had a remote workforce in 2019, you may need to consider your team’s requests for remote working in 2020.
Since 2007, Ten2Two has worked with many companies who employ a remote workforce or have a significant number of employees who work from home on a regular basis. Excellent remote leadership and management are necessary to ensure employee productivity and retention when managing a remote workforce or introducing a new flexible employee. We are always happy to consult with clients on remote working and can share some of our top tips:
Communication is key and in the early stages we often advise clients to over-communicate, checking in regularly with their team members, asking questions and giving feedback.
It’s also important at the outset to discuss and set expectations and establish clear objectives with your team.
Moreover, extra effort is definitely required to stay connected with your team, provide support for well-being and create a social life around work. Virtual socialising has grown in popularity recently and has helped boost morale and team spirit, while showing that you can still stay connected at a distance.
Finally, one of the most important things you can do as a manager or employer is trust your employees and realise that performance is more important than presenteeism:
“Presenteeism assumes that the hours of work are more important than the output and productivity of an employee. And that simply isn’t the case. We know that organisations that focus on the quality of the work rather than the number of hours a person is sat at their desks find that they can retain valuable talent, boost employee engagement and improve staff morale overall. And that leads to a better workplace altogether.”
Deborah O’Sullivan, Ten2Two Co-Founder and Director
If you’d like to talk to Ten2Two about your remote working or recruitment needs, call us now at our head office on 01442 503727 or send us a quick email.