To say that the world of office work has turned on its head over recent years would be a gross understatement. 9-5 was once the norm and now, it’s almost anything-but.
As a business owner, this can be difficult times. After all, some businesses require office time, but they’re up against a workforce who now holds a lot more (usually remote) options.
Of course, there are plenty of positives for these business owners. As well as the obvious rent that they no longer have to pay, there are cost savings in relation to insurance obligations, utilities and a whole host of other once expensive commitments.
Nevertheless, if you fall into this category, today’s article is going to look at some of the ways you should approach your business without the once-traditional office environment.
You Can Still Keep The Social Factor
One of the best things about an office environment is the social factor. After all, it’s nice to be able to shoot the breeze with colleagues, share a coffee and generally have some down-time with the people you work with.
Just because in-person interaction is no longer a constant thing, it doesn’t mean to say that you say goodbye to workplace camaraderie. We’re not talking about the likes of Slack and Zoom here, communication apps should be par for the course.
Instead, we’re referring to regular meetups. Some businesses may decide to hire out a co-working space a couple of times per month, while others may simply invest more in their socials.
Either way, don’t let the lack of an office hinder this part of your culture.
You Need To Manage Expectations
If you’re used to working in an office, then it can be easy to manage expectations when it comes to deadlines and the like. After all, if somebody is sat in front of you, then it’s fairly easy to gauge whether or not they’re working on the task in hand.
However, when people are working remotely, it can be much harder to manage expectations. This is why it’s important to set some ground rules from the start.
For example, if you need something completing by the end of the day, make sure that your team knows that this means 5 pm and not 11:59 pm.
It might sound like a small thing, but it can make a big difference when it comes to managing expectations.
You Need To Trust Your Team
By a similar token, trust is one of the biggest factors that office-less companies have to deal with. With people no longer “in the building”, it’s up to managers to ensure that their teams are delivering.
This of course focusses a lot around trust, but it also splits the good managers from the bad. After all, you might not be able to guarantee that your workforce is spending their 8 hours per day on working tasks.
However, you certainly can emphasize deliverables. To do this, you of course need to understand what these deliverables are yourself.
You Need To Get The Right Tools For The Job
There are now more tools available than ever before to help businesses with the lack of an office environment. From project management software to time-tracking tools, there’s something out there for every need.
Of course, with so many options on the market, it can be difficult to know which ones to choose. This is why it’s important to do your research and to understand the specific needs of your business.
This may take time, but don’t fall into the mistake of trying to save money whenever possible. You’ve saved enormous sums on the rent, but be prepared to make a remote-first solution work properly for your business.
Understand That This Is A Completely Different World You’re Entering
Opting for a fully remote workplace isn’t a like-for like replacement. There will be changes, and some will be more difficult to comprehend than others.
This is where setting appropriate expectations comes into play. If you, and your workforce for that matter, understand that this is a period of change, the transition will be all the more easier.
For example, you might be used to strolling up to a colleague’s desk and receiving an immediate answer to a query you may have. While technology will facilitate this to some extent, the dynamics of remote working means that this isn’t always going to be practical.
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but understanding these subtle changes can help you accept not having a classic office environment much more quickly.
