How’s Managing Remote Workforces Different in 2022?

Ok folks, so it’s been a little close to two years since this ‘remote work big bang’ started (yup, we can’t believe it either).

Thankfully, we’ve all had time to digest these new changes and delve deeper into our new remote way of doing things.

We’re also now more familiar with managing remote workforces and understand our staff’s remote work needs better.

That’s why managing remote workforces in 2021 should be more about taking care of the essentials we didn’t really have time to fully cover in 2020.

The 5 Essentials to Managing Hybrid and Remote Workforces in 2021

Here at GAT Labs, we’ve been championing remote work for years and building tailored tools to support its various aspects. So you can take our word for it.

Below are the 5 essentials (or secret ingredients) you’d want to reassess to level up and improve your business’s remote work operations:

#1 The RIGHT Remote Collaboration Tools 

Every business is unique, and that’s why what works for one company may really not be a good fit for another.

Ask yourself, “Are you using the best collaboration for your business?” — That could mean utilizing shared Drives for your company resources, using cloud calendar apps and Group tasks more for team collaboration.

One tool we also use to boost our cloud collaboration at GAT is Asana which helps us organize, allocate and streamline projects and tasks more easily. 

Remember, Collaboration tools are the blood and veins of your remote work operations. They allow your staff to work easily, collaborate in real-time and get things done faster remotely.

#2 A Powerful Security Tool

With the rise of cloud collaboration comes a greater need for cloud security.

According to the World Economic Forum, hackers are targeting people’s increased dependence on digital tools amid the shift to remote work.

Now the last thing any of us needs is a security woe to add to our troubles. That’s why you constantly need to ensure that your cloud environment is 100% protected using the right Security tool. 

Securing your cloud environment against insider and outsider threats is one priority to stay on top of.

The right cloud security tool should provide you with (at least) the following:

1. Powerful Data loss protection (DLP)
2. The ability to monitor employees’ activity
3. Vigilant user identity authentication
4. Robust access and ownership management for shared documents/ drives
5. Domain-wide auditing of files
   

#3 Employee Monitoring Tool

You hired your employees, which of course means you trust them to do the job.

That doesn’t mean getting insights into team productivity analysis isn’t pivotal. Especially when managing remote workforces where it could feel more challenging to get a sense of how staff time is allocated. 

A granular team performance analysis would help you solve that problem from the root. A tool like GAT Shield for Chrome for instance offers accurate user activity monitoring by the minute.

This enables you to generate precise reports for management, understand what projects that consume more time, where staff is hitting roadblocks and plan your team’s capacity better accordingly.

#4 Optimized Staff Home Office Spaces

Know your employees’ basic needs and help them create a more productive home office.

That, of course, depends on your industry, which can vary from specific equipment to stationary, devices and more.

Below is a simple checklist of some basic things your employees may need to make their home office space more efficient:

1. Updated Devices. Make sure your employees have secure, up-to-date devices to use for work. These can either be office-supplied or personal devices that are properly vetted for efficiency and security by your IT team.
2. Comfortable Monitors. Yes! Many remote workers are struggling with having to work on smaller laptops after being used to large in-office screens and double screens even.
3. High-Speed Internet Access. Not everyone has high-speed internet access at home. Some people share limited Internet subscriptions with others at their houses.

You’ll want to ensure that all of your remote workers have the reliable high-speed internet access they need. 

You can help them by recommending trusted providers, offering monetary contributions, or helping them upgrade their current subscription plans and get better deals.

In that regard, UK mobile networks for instance are boosting data limits during this lockdown period.

#5 Video Meeting and Team Chat Tools

Reliable video conferencing allows you to build virtual meeting rooms on-demand to substitute the need for physical on-premise meetings. 

Coupled with a team chat tool, your employees will feel constantly connected just as if they were sitting next to each other at the office (without all the office chat & distraction).

You can also better manage the time and flow of your virtual meetings better using a free online agenda timer like the TIM Chrome extension.

And last but not least, make sure your employees always have total privacy at home when holding remote video meetings to avoid going viral for little accidents.

If you have any questions about managing your remote teams or how GAT can support you through this remote business transition, feel free to contact us here. We’ll be happy to help. 

Let’s remember #youGATthis