Monday 16th March 2020

Top tips for switching to home working – preparing for Coronavirus?


New Government guidance on the Coronavirus will see an increasing number of landlords switching to home working to help protect staff and prevent the spread of the disease. So how do you prepare for the transition and what measures do they need to put in place to make sure that staff remain productive and happy in their roles?

Top tips for switching to home working – preparing for Coronavirus?

New Government guidance on the Coronavirus will see an increasing number of landlords switching to home working to help protect staff and prevent the spread of the disease.

So how do you prepare for the transition and what measures do they need to put in place to make sure that staff remain productive and happy in their roles?

Communications agency Hough Bellis, WISH's PR Adviser, has operated a remote working model since it was founded in 2016, with staff working from their homes all across the country. 

 

Here, MD Bobbie Hough, offers his tips for companies who are planning to switch to remote working as part of their business continuity plans.

Get the right kit – now is the time for IT departments and managers to be making sure teams have everything they need to work remotely. Being able to access servers, files and emails from home and on different devices will be crucial. As will knowing passwords and logins to different systems if people do go off sick.

It’s good to talk – Open up clear lines of communications across your business. Make sure you agree on what video calling software, workflow management products and social media channels you will use.  Continue can bring your team together as you would in an office. Video conferences can help recreate ‘watercooler moments’ where staff can share information, bounce around ideas and feel engaged with the business.  

Think about wellbeing – Working from home can become a lonely experience. Make sure you check in on staff regularly and ask how they are feeling. You still have a duty to them. Some will want more regular contact than others, it’s about understanding individual needs and how to get the best out of them.

Trust your staff – Remote working works best in businesses with a high trust culture. If teams are used to managing their own workloads and feel empowered they will thrive and productivity will likely go up. For those used to being micromanaged it is going to be a big shift and it could be a difficult time for staff and managers.

Learn from the experience – for some landlords this may be their first experience for agile working. But it’s going to play a big role in the future of work. Use this as an opportunity to understand how remote working could feature more prominently in your plans, and what changes you need to make.


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