Managing A Remote Workforce
Very few businesses can avoid remote work these days. Now that the pandemic has proven people can work from anywhere, most of them are asking to do just that.
But is it safe? In this article, we are going to share the dangers facing business with remote workers and the steps you can take to avoid some of the risks.
The Dangers Of Remote Work
As remote work becomes more and more common, businesses need to be aware of the potential dangers it poses.
Here are five of the most significant risks:
Cyber Threats
There is no doubt that there are more cyber security threats today than there were five years ago, but what many business owners overlook is the threats that come from poor cyber hygiene. It has always been important that we train our staff on creating strong passwords and securely saving them. Employees must avoid phishing scams and update and back up their computers regularly.
But in today’s world, it is much harder to be sure these things are happening. That’s why BL Technical works with businesses in their outsourced IT department. Our team can help you assess the risks you face, train your staff to make smart cyber decisions, and do the updates and backups for your whole team.
Poor internet connection
A poor internet connection can keep your teammates from performing efficiently. But when the employee is not working from the office how can you ensure that their connection is enough. Chances are that you have not even considered this problem. Most business owners have other things on their minds and this is one of the many technical issues they simply forget about.
Lack of IT support
Computer and network problems can be frustrating in the best of times. But what happens when your employee is sitting at home alone and can’t get support? In the past, you may have had a “tech type” on staff who could step in and help.
But this doesn’t work remotely. The truth is it doesn’t work in general for several reasons. But let’s get back to the case in point. Your team needs IT support. Our team can help. Learn more about how we work with small businesses to help manage their remote teams.
Employee Isolation
When there was no choice but to work remotely, we gave little thought to the mental health of our employees. This was just how it is done. But working at home can lead your employees to feel isolated and alone. This is not good for your employee and it’s not good for your bottom line. We encourage business owners to consider a hybrid system. This gives your team a chance to gather a few times a week and still offers them the freedom to work from home.
Difficulty Managing Work/Life Balance
The big fear for business owners when their employees first started working from home was that they wouldn’t get the work done. These days, we are coming to realize the problem is that their employees seldom turn off. Although this may seem to benefit the business, in the end, there is the danger of losing an employee to burnout.
We encourage business owners to have a plan in place for employees to avoid burnout. Whether this is setting expectations and letting the employee know they shouldn’t feel like they have to answer emails and phone calls after hours or setting up social opportunities for your team, it’s important to show them you care about their well-being.
Avoiding The Risks
By taking steps to mitigate these risks, businesses can ensure that their remote employees are safe and productive. For example, investing in a reliable VPN service can help protect against cyber security threats, while providing IT support and regular check-ins can help reduce employee isolation.
The great resignation was real. Although businesses are seeing many employees return, they also need to be aware that work-life has changed, and in order to protect our businesses we need to stay on top of the risks and up to date on what’s next.
Remote work is here to stay, but that doesn’t mean it’s without its challenges. By being aware of the risks and taking steps to mitigate them, businesses can ensure that their remote employees are safe and productive.
Did you know…
Did you know that BL Technical can help you onboard and offboard new employees whether they are in-house or working remotely? Our team can help set up their new computers, phones, and iPads. We can help you create email accounts and add them to your Microsoft teams. We can help you train employees on good cyber hygiene and answer their calls when they have an IT problem.
