As a digital business, you might not think as much about your employees and their needs as if they were in the office each day. Your employees are just as important even if they work remotely, though, and even if you have never even met them before. Thinking of your teams’ needs will boost their productivity and their well-being, and help your business to gain the reputation that it deserves. If you are struggling to understand the needs of your employees and what to do about them, here is some more information.
The Need for Communication
Your employees might have decided to work remotely because they enjoy working from home and dislike office environments. This does not mean that they do not want communication, though, as this is essential for them to be able to do their jobs correctly and know what their responsibilities are. If you are struggling to give them the information that thy deserve and to keep in contact with them throughout the working day, you should consider looking at the best video conferencing and instant messaging software on the market. You might also consider setting up an employee portal that they can access at any time and, which can enable them to look at all the resources they need no matter where they are. You should ensure that you are always contactable and that you make an effort to get to know your employees, even if they are halfway around the world.
The Need to Work Free From Bullying and Harassment
You might think that bullying and harassment are non-issues since your employees will never be in the same room together. However, cyberbullying is still a great concern, and problems can still arise in companies in which a number of people are working without constant supervision. This bullying and harassment can make your team members leave their roles or feel uncomfortable whenever they log in. This means it is still paramount that you have developed an anti-bullying and harassment policy for your team and that everyone knows what it includes. You should share this online and frequently remind your employees of and provide training on it. It is also important that your employees see you as someone that they can always speak to if there is an issue, and you should ensure that any complaints are dealt with promptly and sensitively.
The Need for an Employment Contract
Unless you are hiring freelancers, your employees will also need a contract that can lock them in to working for your company. As well as stating their responsibilities, this will also detail elements such as their working hours and sick leave. Additionally, it will state the steps that need to be taken if they decide to leave your company. This employment contract is a legally binding document and so you need to make sure that it is professionally and accurately written. For those who are not legally-savvy and are struggling to make these employment contracts work, an HR professional might be required. In these cases, you might seek the help of someone like Peter Jones, HR consultant in London.
The Need to Get Paid on Time
Many people live pay check to pay check and need prompt payments at the end of each month to cover their bills and mortgage or rent. If you do not have a good payroll system in place, you might find that your employees are forced to quit or that this plays havoc with their personal lives and finances. Administrative tasks like finalizing the payroll might not always be at the top of your to-do list, though. This is where payroll software can come in handy by automating this process and checking that your staff get paid on time, even without your direct involvement or oversight. However, not all payroll software is made the same and so you should discover the best one for your company by checking out the many reviews that have been posted online.
The Need for Time Off
It can be tempting to keep on asking your employees questions and requesting their time even outside of working hours if you operate remotely. Many employees might also find that they end up finishing off tasks in their free time. However, this can impact their well-being and prevent them from feeling refreshed and excited about the day ahead the next morning. This means that you should make sure your team only works within their required hours, avoid contacting them outside of working hours, and see that they only have as much work as they are able to take on. Otherwise, you must offer them overtime payments.
