Last week, we outlined the benefits of telecommuting for a small business. Let’s talk about how to ensure those benefits come to fruition.
Not everyone you hire wants to telecommute, and some positions may require at least partial on-site presence. A telecommute trial period of a few months works excellent to gauge the success of an employee working remotely. Describe the necessary remote working skills in detail during the hiring process.
Collaboration and teamwork issues often cited as a reason to limit telecommuting. With the availability of Skype, Zoom, IM, and Slack, among others, teamwork problems are quickly addressed. Impromptu meetings via video are quicker than searching for a meeting room to book.
Worker’s compensation applies to telecommute employees as well as on-site. Ensure your telecommuting employee works in a safe place in their home, preferably a home office, and has renter’s or homeowner’s insurance. Confirm your business insurance policy includes telecommuting insurance and coverage details.
Network security involving personal telecommuting devices remains challenging to manage. The ideal situation is your IT department providing and maintaining all devices connecting to the network. The most workable is IT specifying all the security tools necessary, such as anti-virus software, firewall, and so on.
Email and messaging are excellent ways to communicate but won’t give your telecommuter warm fuzzy feelings about their team or your company. A telephone call, a video meeting, and visits to the business on-site contribute to your telecommuting employee feeling part of your company’s family.
Author: Kris Keppeler, a writer who finds technology fascinating and loves humor. She writes for Crossing Genres on Medium.com and Does This Happen to You? on Channillo. Award-winning podcast producer who enjoys telling stories. Follow her @KrisKKAria on Twitter or on LinkedIn.
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