Finally! Your brick-and-mortar business is ready to join the ranks of other companies that have already embraced the remote work culture. Thing is, you (and your boss) barely know where to even start. If your company is considering making the transition to becoming remote, here are four ways companies can learn about remote work.
Four Ways Companies Can Learn About Remote Work
1. Ask around.
Chances are, you know other managers and business leaders who have successfully made the segue from a traditional in-office business to one that utilizes telecommuting teams. One of the best ways to learn about remote work is from the (remote) horse’s mouth, so schedule a meeting with some of your colleagues to discuss remote work and how it has positively impacted their businesses. Not only will you learn about the many employer-related benefits of having a remote workforce (i.e., cost savings of upwards of $ 11,000 per telecommuting employee, plus increased productivity and higher retention rates), but you’ll learn the ins and outs of how to make the transition less tricky.
2. Read all about it.
Telecommuting is growing by leaps and bounds. It is no longer a workplace trend but truly the way many people work in the 21st century, with over 37 percent of all American workers having telecommuted at some point in their careers, according to the Entrepreneur article, “5 Lessons Traditional Companies Can Learn from Remote Companies.” So if you’re looking to brush up on your remote work knowledge (e.g., what’s the difference between telecommuting, remote, virtual, or at-home jobs?), you can do some online due diligence to help get you started. You’ll discover great tips like how to be proactive about your own communication to keep your team productive and engaged, and why feedback should happen frequently.
3. Research Remote.co.
A singular resource in the world of remote work, Remote.co features over 61 interviews with top remote companies. Not only do remote company leaders share the ins and outs of doing business in a telecommuting world with Remote.co (which is a free resource!), but they also answer (virtually) every single possible question that a company considering remote work would want to know.
Here are just a few of the many questions that the companies answered as part of an in-depth Q&A:
- How did you switch to remote or start out that way?
- What do you consider the biggest benefits of a remote workforce?
- How do you conduct interviews for remote jobs?
- What traits do you look for in candidates for a remote job?
- What is the hardest part about managing a remote workforce?
- What elements are key to successful working relationships with remote teams?
- What challenges have you encountered building a remote team?
Learning how each of these companies from various industries launched as (or made the transition to) a remote company can help provide critical insight to you as you and your own company learn more about remote work.
4. Attend the TRaD Works Conference this June.
It’s one thing to read up on remote work—it’s another thing to experience it first-hand. The TRaD Works Conference (Telecommuting, Remote, and Distributed) is designed as a community event to bring companies together that are already remote, as well as offer insight to those who are looking to bring their workforce into a more modern way of conducting business. TRaD Works, which will be held June 8-10, 2016, in Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown, will feature noted speakers from many of today’s top remote companies.
You can visit Trad.Works to register.
There are many ways companies can learn about remote work. Since it’s estimated that 50 percent of people will be working remotely by 2020, the goal should be to embrace remote work and reap the many, many benefits of having a remote workforce.
Readers, how do you learn about remote work? Tell us in the comments below!
photo credit: bigstockphoto.com
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