Minimize Disruptions During the Pandemic and Beyond– Be Remote Ready Now

Historically, we have faced difficult moments and, at times, outright crises. Perhaps though, none has quite reshaped the way in which we live and work as that which we face now. The coronavirus is daily redefining how work gets done, not to mention how people are trained. And undergoing these changes is most definitely not without its challenges. Saying that there is a steep learning curve when it comes to mobilizing a work-from-home team while implementing remote employee training, is an understatement. That said, this really isn’t anything unexpected—just given the events surrounding COVID 19, you could say, it’s now on hyperdrive.

We need only look at the past 2-3 years to see how sharply the number of remote workers has risen. And also, consider the following statistics culled from a recent Airtasker survey:

• Analyzed annually, the average number of days a remote employee works shakes out to 17 more than a traditional employee.
• The average number of minutes an office worker is unproductive: 37; and for an at home worker: 27.
• Of remote workers surveyed, 15% say their boss distracts them from their tasks versus 22% of those working from the office.

Remote working as well as remote employee training are here to stay. That said, given how quickly many businesses were thrown into this particular situation, readiness was not at its peak. This is why a platform such as Rallyware’s is essential in order to keep the foundation of your business—your team—connected and always on the same page.

Defining the Challenges in the Months to Come

In this still early phase of 2020, working from home has become the new norm seemingly out of the blue for a vast number of employees around the world. What does this mean exactly? People are having to quickly adjust, be that establishing a home office space, figuring out how to more efficiently balance childcare and work responsibilities, or minimizing distractions in order to effectively focus. According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, some of the more common challenges encountered as a result of unpreparedness when it comes to having a remote workforce:

• Decrease in productivity
• Remote managers not in touch with daily needs of their team
• Lack of mutual knowledge necessary to complete tasks
• Suboptimal workspaces in the home

So what is to be done…Adopting a centralized platform now that helps to ensure that the work which is getting accomplished is the most beneficial from an employee experience perspective as well as for the company is crucial. Rallyware is ahead of the curve here. Honing our processes over the past six years, engaging more than 4 million users across fifty countries in terms of remote employee training, reskilling and upskilling, and driving daily business operations, the platform is prepared to help businesses maintain their operations.

Don’t Lose Sight of Employee Experience: The Importance of Employee Training and Engagement

As so many workers are now at remote locations, it is a lot easier to lose sight of what they’re doing as well as how they’re doing. And this is the quickest way to cripple the company. It’s about keeping the lines of communication open and focusing on more efficient, technologically driven practices. Among them:

• Integrating systems and platforms that help to ensure dynamic communication amongst team members. Don’t underestimate the value of video conferencing be it via Zoom or Skype for Business for example. Emails are fine, but visual interaction goes a long way toward keeping people mentally, emotionally and even physically motivated. Also, if you haven’t already, consider using quick collaboration tools like Slack or Google Hangouts. Again, it is all about implementing ways in which remote workers can effectively engage when they need to.
• Build initial workflows if you don’t already have them in place. Analyze the various processes, the tools you utilize to get from point A to point B and identify any apparent bottlenecks. You may have to experiment a bit as you adjust to the new remote “normal” as far as how things get done. But building this initial map of activities from the corporate level down to each individual’s routine tasks will help you realize a better picture of how to automate processes.
• Centralize needed resources into a single portal or experience. This is critical. Especially as this is new to so many, having a centralized hub that welcomes each of your employees daily, navigates them towards their goals, shows their progress, gives access to necessary files, as well as serves the purpose of a corporate community platform, will enable people to stay on task and do their jobs without feeling scattered or lost. It will also be an enormous boon for managers, giving them visibility as far as who needs help, support, feedback, or motivation. 
• Connect operations with key performance data to ensure employees are doing the proper work. In other words, think of your business KPIs and how each employee’s daily tasks are aligned with them. By using the right data you’ll be able not only to analyze and see where the bottlenecks are but you’ll be more proactive in automatically prescribing specific tasks to specific people. Having a data-driven approach to employee evaluation in remote circumstances better enables managers and training leaders to do their jobs.
• Offer needed help, provide requisite communications and keep the encouragement coming. During times of crisis, more so than ever, employees not only need guidance and support, but encouragement. Having a smart rewards and recognition system that helps them visualize their progress and personal growth fosters a strong company culture even when working remotely. Such a system that triggers performance KPIs, enables managers to provide support and encouragement just in time.

The Remote Employee Training and Work from Home Solution

With employees now scattered all over the place, businesses are having to come up with remote working solutions that reinforce the foundational values of the company. Rallyware is the platform that truly allows you to have everything centralized and ready to go. The goal is to minimize disruptions to your firm. With a hub that encompasses everything from performance evaluation to just-in-time learning to business activities that drive growth even during slower economic cycles, you can get through this! The future of work is right now. Schedule your demo today!