One of the main trends stimulated by technology is remote work, which gained even more notoriety after the changes made in the labor market due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote work is an inevitable reality worldwide and currently, even with companies reopening their physical workspaces, many have been keeping some employees at home, either because of the uncertainty of the possibility of future closures or because of the needs of employees at risk. In any case, the time has come to reevaluate and reinforce the long-term approach.
The initial race to implement remote work solutions included ensuring that remote employees had the necessary tools (laptops, internet, phones, headphones, printers, and others). But few companies have had enough time to consider important questions about their obligations to employee health and productivity. For example, is your company responsible for ensuring that work-from-home environments meet health and safety requirements? Does your technology have policies in place to help protect your business against cyberattacks as your team works remotely? Have training and support procedures been implemented to help remote workers maintain their emotional health and productivity?
If at the beginning of the crisis many companies sought supplies, in many cases there are still employees using household equipment. While necessary in the short term, this practice can cause productivity, communication, and security issues. A corporate approach and best practices need to be developed to address these issues. It is in the company's interest to ensure that all employees have reliable, high-quality hardware installed with licensed software and applications to work remotely efficiently.
When working remotely, employees can take advantage of the flexibility to answer calls on the terrace or take their computers to the garden. But working away from a corporate location increases the risk that sensitive information could be exposed. Most companies already have policies to define how employees should handle and access sensitive information while traveling or working outside the office. Communication with employees is important to reinforce best practices. A good analysis of cybersecurity practices is also worth it.
Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of social interaction and the challenges of working in close proximity with family members can accumulate additional pressures on standard work stress. Access to counseling services can provide employees with essential help and support.
COVID-19 has made remote work a necessity, but the convenience and cost savings mean that, for many, it's here to stay. Now, making the effort to design the right approach will allow your business to get the most out of remote work as an option in the future waves of the pandemic and beyond.
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