How to make remote working effective during coronavirus

Remote working has gained a lot of momentum in the last few years. CWJobs’ recent research finds that almost half (49%) of tech workers would take a pay cut to be allowed to work from home. And two-thirds (66%) would accept a job that was over two hours away if they could work remotely.

According to a recent report published by Owl Labs, approximately 62% of employees aged between 22 and 65 say they work remotely at least occasionally. During the coronavirus pandemic, having the flexibility of working from home has enabled many businesses to continue their operations with minimal disruption.

In the tech industry, remote working has become commonplace, with 84% of employees having the option of flexible working. However, in other sectors, adopting remote working practices will feel like uncharted territory.

In CWJobs’ latest report on UK tech hubs, Neil Ross, Policy Manager for Digital Economy at techUK, says:

Our ability to connect to one another at work, regardless of location, has formed the groundwork for many organisations’ day-to-day operations and is now one of the main enablers of the tech hubs springing up across the UK. For these hubs to be successful though, the UK must continue to invest in its connectivity capabilities through the adoption of full fibre and 5G. Greater levels of connectivity and adoption of digital tools will enable companies to enact work policies like flexible working. In turn, this will play an important role in improving productivity, increasing diversity and encouraging more people to take up roles in tech, regardless of location.

We’ve created this guide to provide businesses and employees with an overview of remote working and how to make it work for them.

The benefits of remote working

For employees, remote working means greater job satisfaction. According to a survey conducted by telecoms company Polycom, 3 out of 4 employees say that working remotely helps them with work-life balance. Having the option to work from home can reduce stress levels, increase productivity and improve general wellbeing.

Flexible working enables workers to create a schedule that works around their lives. It can help parents better manage childcare and give workers more control over how they manage their workload.

For employers, remote working can also increase company productivity. CWJobs’ latest research finds that 80% of IT decision makers believe a remote working policy would increase productivity in their company. Similar research from International Workplace Group (IWG) finds that 85% of companies report an increase in productivity due to greater flexibility.

It can also help businesses hold on to their best talent. Owl Labs’ State of Remote Work 2019 report finds that remote workers are 13% more likely to stay in their current job for the next five years, compared to on-site workers.

One example of a company that consistently attracts top talent through remote working is tech giant Dell. The company has had a flexible working culture since 2009 and its employees list ‘flexibility’ as one of the company’s top three culture attributes.

So, the benefits of remote working are clear. But how can companies make it effective for everyone?

How to make remote working effective

At CWJobs, we’ve long been advocates of flexible working. We find that one of the most important factors in implementing an effective remote working practice is trust. Employers need to trust their workers to manage their workload and remain productive.

And employees need to trust that they won’t be micromanaged. Both parties need to maintain consistency and accountability to ensure that best practices are being followed.

Companies also need to integrate remote working into their company culture. Rather than being reactive to circumstances, businesses should consider how remote working could work for them in the long-term. If employees are bought-in to a company’s culture and ethos, they’ll be more likely to embrace new changes and take advantage of new opportunities.

With remote working, everyone needs to have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. When employees are working from home, they need to have clear guidelines on what duties fall under their job description to avoid overlap and the doubling-up of work.

It’s also important that companies and employees maintain a sense of teamwork. It can get lonely working from home and some people do find it difficult to stay motivated outside an office environment. Connecting with team members regularly through video conferencing, telephone and email can help ensure that remote workers still feel part of the team.

The lessons learned so far

On Monday 23^rd March, the UK government urged everyone who could, to work from home. Businesses have since been navigating the practicalities of remote working, relying heavily on technology.

So far, we’ve learned that without the help of tech companies making their software available for free, everyone would be finding remote work a lot harder. From Microsoft making the premium version of its Teams app available for free, to Zoom removing the time limit on its free tier, technology is playing an essential role in helping businesses maintain operations.

In a recent blog post published on the Microsoft website, the company has provided some of its own insights into the lessons they’ve learned about remote work. It says that sharing ‘work from home’ guidance, managing meetings, creating space for people to disconnect and continuing to drive team culture are essential factors to making remote working a success.

We’ve also learned that it’s important for people to look after their mental health when working from home. The Mental Health Foundation has published some useful guidance on how people should look after themselves. Its advice includes asking for IT help when needed and setting up non work-related chat groups for casual conversation. It also highlights the importance of getting into a routine and planning self-care.

What impact will remote working have in the future?

In the future, we’d expect to see a lot of companies continue to offer remote working. Once they realise that technology can be used to maintain workflows and productivity, many will start to see its longer-term benefits. For one, companies can save money on desk space and employees can save money on travel.

IWG’s 2019 Workplace Survey reports that 80% of professionals say they would turn down an employer that didn’t offer flexible working. In the future, companies with remote working policies will be seen as more desirable by job candidates than those without.

Remote working could also see companies hire a more diverse workforce. According to remote.co, companies that embrace remote working have a higher percentage of women in leadership roles than those that don’t. And research carried out by the Harvard Business Review finds that businesses with higher-than-average diversity have 19% higher innovation revenues.

CWJobs’ Commercial Director, Dominic Harvey, says:

The UK tech talent scene is set to set undergo a dramatic change in the next few years. London will no longer be the sole tech hub for talent in the UK. Companies therefore need to start looking outside the capital and set up remote working policies to attract talent from all across the UK.

Today’s tech workers no longer feel the need to work from the office and companies need to recognise this. Improved infrastructure for remote working will make for a more balanced economy and create new opportunities for businesses and people.

To attract top talent, companies need offer the type of flexibility that in-demand workers can find elsewhere. Jobseekers are more likely to apply for a role with a company that has a reputation for encouraging a positive culture.

We’d also like to think that an increase in remote working practices across the business landscape will help improve employee wellbeing and encourage companies to offer more mental health support for workers.