Because of the pandemic, for the past 18 months or so many workplaces have had at least some, if not most, or all of their staff working remotely. At VersaTel Solutions, or employees have always been remote 100%. of the time, we were not in a position of having to pivot or move our employees off-site. For many companies, even as they embraced this new way of doing business, they faced challenges. The business advice site AllBusiness listed what they are are the five greatest challenges to managing remote staff, and we’re sharing the three we think are the most important here.
Cybersecurity must be a necessity—not an afterthought
Remote work has moved most business interactions online. Everything is now being done on the internet, from project collaboration to employee onboarding. While today’s technology is more formidable against cyberattacks, hackers are constantly looking for security loopholes. Small businesses are much more vulnerable to attacks than most people think—two-thirds of SMBs have experienced a cyberattack.
A single cyberattack could easily suspend business operations; in fact, some businesses have had to close shop completely after a cyberattack. Successful attacks can result in data breaches, expensive lawsuits and fines, high customer churn rates, and even the loss of trust from business partners.
Businesses need to think about cybersecurity as a necessity instead of an afterthought. Investing in security tools and auditing corporate networks’ security is no longer a luxury. Most important, key stakeholders will have to educate themselves about cybersecurity and the impact their actions have on data security.
Businesses must find new ways to assess employee performance
Performance reviews have changed a lot with so many companies working remotely. The fact that employees and managers are not in the same room adds a layer of complexity to tracking performance. If an organization doesn’t have the necessary tracking tools, it can be easy for it to fall prey to productivity killers like time theft and monotony.
During reviews, communication can also be tough since employees may miss non-verbal cues from their managers. It also can be easy for biases to take center stage during performance reviews since managers have limited visibility of their employees’ performance. Worst of all, being out of reach means managers may have limited control over the challenges employees face.
To adapt, many organizations have embraced self-evaluations, and internal and peer reviews. This gives managers a better understanding of how their employees are faring while promoting healthy internal communication and trust. Businesses have also been forced to create new performance KPIs and find the right tools for tracking them.
HR departments will have to adapt
Unfortunately, perks like onsite gyms, and unlimited snacks or coffee lose their appeal when nobody is going into the office. Remote workers are more focused on health benefits, remote work opportunities, and flexible working policies. From the employer’s perspective, HR departments must look for recruits with the soft skills that can help them thrive in a remote workforce: communication, collaboration, teamwork, and adaptability.
In addition, HR departments will have to look for tools that make their own jobs easier online. Most of their core operations will be done remotely, including hiring, learning and development, and performance reviews. From having a great scheduler to using a reliable time-tracking tool, picking the right tools will be essential to building a thriving workforce. The tools should help employees stay engaged and ensure their workdays are as seamless as possible.
Are you struggling with managing your remote workers? Do you need HR help? VersaTel Solutions HR specialists can guide your company as you navigate hiring, performance reviews, and personal development. Reach out to us, so we can help going forward.