So your office has gone online and employees are working from home. This is not something you may have though possible only a short time ago! We have compiled a list of some of the problems that you may face when your employees are working from home and how best to overcome them.
The Common Problems when Employees Work from Home
Social isolation
We are accustomed to working in a social environment and loneliness is one of the most common complaints when employees work from home.
Ensure you are limiting the risk that your employee will feel lonely. This benefits their mental health and productivity overall.
It is important to provide your employees with open communication channels with yourself and their co-workers.
Provide tools and avenues for communication. Look at tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams or Facebook Messenger which can assist your communication and improve your productivity.
If you have a workplace where people often socialise outside of work, why not arrange an online get together? Games Nights, Trivia Nights or “Watch” parties can be great ways to keep the team together and break the isolation.
Distractions when Employees work from home
An employer should expect some distractions while an employee works from home. This could include unexpected parenting responsibilities.
Work with your employee to eliminate these distractions as much as possible.
Encourage your employees to designate a workplace within their homes that is free from distractions. This will also assist your employees ability to be productive and focus on the tasks they are to perform.
It will also assist you in managing a safe and healthy workplace.
Lack of face to face supervision
Employees and Employers are both impacted by a lack of face to face supervision.
It is still possible to supervise your employees while they work from home. There are numerous web-based tools to assist you in this process – have a look at Asana or Monday.com.
Ensure you provide access to managerial support and communication.
Also, ensure you have the tools and systems in place monitor the progress and completion of tasks.
Lack of access to information
It is important to ensure you continue to communicate with your employees.
Make your expectations regarding communication clear and concise. For example, communicate when you are expecting an update on progress with a task.
If running Office365 in your business, look into what is included in your package – you may find some hidden gems to improve information flow in your business. Remember also the G Suite range of products which can provide a very good alternative.
Remember, that if an employee receives no information, they may make their own assumptions. These assumptions can have serious effects on their productivity if incorrect.
Need Assistance?
For more information on Working From Home During COVID-19, please contact People Smartz Pty Ltd on:
- Telephone: 1800 HR Smartz (1800 477 627)
- Email: hrsupport@peoplesmartz.com.au
- Website: https://peoplesmartz.com.au/contact
More information Working from Home During COVID-19 from the following sites
Fair Work Ombudsman – Alternative Work Arrangements – Working from Home