The world has been caught off guard by the development and quick spread of the Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic. In many areas of the world, panic has ensued among consumers and businesses alike faced with a fast-changing business landscape leaving many wondering if they will be able to adapt and keep their businesses alive during this uncertain time.
From governments of entire countries, worldwide corporations, and small enterprises such as yourself; many are facing difficult decisions and the need to develop a business plan quickly to combat the disruptive effects of this virus which are becoming a bigger threat to economies, businesses, and individuals each day.
Does Your Business Have a Plan to Work From Home?
The reality is that most businesses especially small enterprises have not developed an emergency plan for such an unprecedented event as this worldwide pandemic. Now is the time to take action and develop a plan and strategy for your company to transition to working from home.
Working from home will not only offer some protection to your employees and customers from the continued spread of this virus but will allow your business operations to continue and allow for the generation of revenue for your company and much-needed income for your workforce.
Focus on the Essentials
If you are working on developing a plan to manage your team to work from home, your first priority should be in focusing on your business’s essential operations and providing your workforce with the proper plan and tools to carry out those tasks.
Depending on your sector it may be difficult to transition your full business capabilities to work from home; however, focus on preparing simple but effective procedures your workforce can use to transition as many responsibilities as possible to a work from home platform. Once you have developed a plan for these roles begin to test out your systems and send those workers home to work remotely first; keep only a limited essential staff at the office if necessary.
Provide Your Workers the Tools to Succeed
The ability of your workers to successfully transition to a work-from-home environment relies heavily on your ability to provide them with the necessary tools and support to complete their work responsibilities effectively.
Ease of Access to Software or Applications from Home
The fact of the matter is most enterprises use software and programs that are based online and can be adapted relatively easily to allow your workforce access from home, so long as there is an internet connection. Make certain that your employees have online capabilities to work through their computers at home and if not work together with them to get them up and running quickly. In addition, Â ensure each employee is set up with the software access they need and to complete their daily work tasks for your business.
Maintain Communication With Your Workforce
With the transition to working at home, the office dynamic so many are used to, will be drastically reduced if not disappear altogether for the time being. It is necessary to provide and establish communication tools for your staff to remain connected to customers as well as each other. If your company already has video conferencing capabilities in place make sure to expand those capabilities for all of your staff in order to remain connected.
If you have not had a need in the past for these types of tools consider implementing measures such as:
- Video conferencing applications – Applications such as Skype or Zoom will allow your staff to easily set up video conferences to remain connected for meetings to discuss goals and tasks that must be accomplished to ensure you are all on the same page while working remotely. These applications also allow your business to continue its critical face-to-face interactions with its customers and clients if needed.
- WhatsApp – This valuable messaging tool can allow your business to create groups that can stay in daily contact to go over daily objectives and goals as well as the ability to address concerns or issues quickly and effectively.
IT Support for your Workforce & Business
Hiring an experienced and professional IT team can mean the difference between success and disaster when managing your team remotely. You must ensure that your team has the support available when needed to deal with technical difficulties, home office setups, and to guarantee your data is protected during this period.
With a focused plan and the right tools in place, you will be able to successfully transition a large portion of your business dealings to remote work. Many companies around the world have offered some form of remote work long before this pandemic by arming their workforce with effective tools to remain productive and consistent. Take some time now to develop and set your remote work plan in motion to keep your company flowing and working throughout this looming crisis.
Contact Us to discuss how we can help provide your company with the tools it needs to manage your remote team effectively to prevent any interruption in your business during these times.
