Supporting remote and mobile workforces with software
With all the talk on optimising and securing mobile workers, it is easy to forget that employees also need a lot of support in their everyday lives to be able to carry out their jobs to the highest of their abilities.
It is one thing to implement the right software and give them an empowering team talk once a month, but employees that spend the majority of their time working alone, out on the road, often need a lot more support than would be required in an office-type environment.
In a recent survey of UK and US remote workers, 67% of workers aged 18-34 stated that since working remotely, they have found it harder to make friends and maintain relationships with work colleagues.
5 ways to support your remote workers
Communication is key
Persevere with the social elements of communication. With instant messaging, emails, social media and other forms of messaging now forcing us to shift slowly towards text-based interaction, a simple phone call can go a long way to reassuring a member of staff that they’re supported and looked after. Try to take the time to chat with staff members once a day on the phone – you could even go one step further and set up a virtual meeting. The face-to-face interaction will give them a boost and make them feel less isolated.
Connect with your employees
Ask questions and take a keen interest in the welfare of your employees. Understand what makes them tick, or situations that present worries. You can then adapt training plans, shift rotas and interactions to ensure that they feel more supported and understood. An employee may lack confidence in performing particular tasks because of a previous bad experience. By getting to know your individual team members you can provide opportunities to help them excel in their roles and build trust.
Look for opportunities for collaboration
Allow for collaboration if you can, and give your employees the means to contact one another while they’re out on the road. Some form of internal communication with a messaging service would be advantageous, and can also help for logistical reasons as well as when trying to support your team. Employees who carry out the same daily activities can find great solace and comfort in knowing that other people are in the same boat, and being able to chat with their teammates when out on the road is a great way to ensure they are team players and feel supported by their colleagues.
Always be available
Set up a channel so that if employees urgently need to talk, they are put straight through to someone that can help with their problem, rather than having to go through various different shift managers and supervisors to get to someone who can take action. Employees will appreciate that you are taking the time to prioritise their needs.
Everyone has bad days
Understanding that even your top-performing members of staff have bad days will go far in creating a more open culture in your business. Giving your employees the chance to unload and express their worries will help to reduce the number of incidents of burnout and stress. Have you thought about training members of your team as mental health first aiders?