One of the biggest obstacles for stay at home parents returning to working is the lack of part-time, flexible or remote working opportunities. Many companies found themselves having to put remote working options in place quickly in order to continue to trade. So, if it could be done, why was there such a big reluctance to take this step in the past ?
Could it be that until our hand is forced to look at things differently, the status quo will always remain? Opening up opportunities to flexible and remote working could open the market to a vast talent pool that has up until now being overlooked.
Is now the time to reassess? Is now the time to training leaders and staff in the art of remote working?
Below is a great article from EY on “Why remote working will be the new normal after Covid.
What are the challenges of remote working and how should companies address them during COVID-19? And what after the crisis? Is remote working here to stay?
COVID-19 forced companies to switch to remote working very quickly. Although this migration went reasonably well in a short period of time, there are a few pitfalls that business managers need to be aware of. After all, the implementation of remote working is broader and deeper than most organizations realize. To be successful in the long term, a structured approach is needed, together with a significant investment to change corporate culture.
The challenges in implementing remote working
The COVID-19 crisis is confronting companies with a large number of challenges over a short term. In order to maintain productivity, a quick adoption of remote working is a must. However, this also brings with it some difficulties. The three major obstacles in implementing remote working are the following:
Implementing remote working in a structural way.
Companies that see salvation in a fast adoption of tools without structural adjustments, risk a loss of efficiency and frustration among employees and stakeholders. It is not enough to simply provide the necessary infrastructure and tools. Some companies already had the infrastructure and tools available at the start of the crisis, but are only now realizing their full potential. Tools are important, but a successful migration also requires leadership, clear guidelines and real commitment.
Securing the infrastructure for remote working.
Where companies used to manage everything centrally, they now have to organize everything remotely. This requires in-depth security changes and structural adjustments. This should not be taken lightly, as cybercrime has increased in the EU during the outbreak. It also requires the commitment of each and every employee to securely navigate their work tools.
Balancing the work and private lives of employees.
Through the immediate introduction of homeworking, employees experience a blurring of the boundary between work and private life. Early adopters show that this does not necessarily impact productivity, but it does pose a threat to collaboration and communication if left unattended. Actively investing in your employees’ well-being therefore is an extra point of attention.
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