How do I communicate with remote employees?

When your team can easily collaborate and work harmoniously, it improves productivity and innovation. With the increased need for remote working, business leaders are facing new challenges such as how to properly engage their teams as well as keeping the lines of communication open.

Remote work has been happening for decades, but never at this magnitude and with this degree of urgency. In the first half of 2021, 32% of Canadian employees aged 15 to 69 worked most of their hours from home, compared with 4% in 2016¹. As noted in the most recent release of the Labour Force Survey, 3.1 million Canadians were working from home temporarily in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as of February 2021. That number is estimated to grow as more companies shift their work-from-home policies to accommodate the needs and desires of employees.

Whether you have a partial or fully remote team, the goal is to keep them engaged and empowered. In our “always on” world, your team needs the speed, technology and capability to be productive from anywhere, at any time – and for many businesses, adapting to the “new normal” of global working conditions, this is no longer an option.

As advanced IT, automation and collaboration solutions help to create more productive and innovative workplaces, traditional work environments are struggling to keep up. These unprecedented circumstances have caused many companies to look inward and realize the need for rapid digital transformation. Businesses that have made the transition to a modernized, digitized work environment are already experiencing the benefits of more automated, efficient workflows and improved productivity.

While this transition doesn’t happen overnight, with the guidance of experts your business can make significant changes that work to help you achieve new levels of success. Start by following these simple guidelines and notice where you see opportunities for improvement.

Give your team the support they need

When your team has the tools and resources they need to collaborate, everyone wins. But does your business have a plan in place to be certain your team has the necessary support to troubleshoot an issue? Is your critical information secure on the platforms, personal devices, and networks your teams are using? Ideally, you’ll want to find a solution that provides both support and security – giving your team the support they need to collaborate effectively, while giving you peace of mind that your data is safe.

For example, you should look for:

• A 24/7 service desk that manages and monitors your operating systems and workstations

• Mobile Device Management services to be sure your team can access corporate data from personal devices

• Server backup and data protection to ensure business continuity

Businesses that understand the value of open communication and collaboration are turning to experts for guidance to the most effective solutions. Especially from a remote perspective, the right tools can bring people and data together from anywhere, and keep your business running seamlessly. Pair these tools with dedicated support and advanced security measures to keep your team connected, collaborating and ready to accomplish more.

Our Digital Workplace Solutions keep your teams connected, productive and secure so you’re ready to thrive – not just survive – in today’s marketplace.  Learn more about how we’re helping organizations adapt for today, while planning for tomorrow at RicohChangeMakers