Going Fully Remote in 2021? How to Prepare Your Employees for the Transition

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In an effort to minimise the spread of COVID-19, many businesses across Ireland have moved much of their workforce – if not all – into remote working positions, allowing employees to carry out their duties from home. Initially a temporary measure, the benefits that organisations are beginning to see – such as reduced costs and happier workers – are forcing businesses to consider making more permanent change to a potentially fully remote set up.

This consideration isn’t just being driven by the pandemic. With reports showing that nearly all employees would stay longer in a job if working from home – a factor that could have a big impact on staff retention rates, skills gaps, and hiring costs – remote working is fast becoming a strategic necessity.

However, there is a big difference between working from home as an emergency measure during challenging times, and making remote working the norm. The hybrid tactics that Ireland’s businesses have been utilising during the outbreak may not be enough to maintain operations in the long term.

What should organisations be doing now to facilitate a transition to fully remote in 2021?

Preparing Employees for Change

The first step in any transition strategy should be to demonstrate intention; to make remote working a reality for employees, rather than a stop gap. Moving remaining employees to remote locations, and starting to close any physical offices that will not be needed, can be the signals that employees need to help them prepare for a new era of working, and encourage them to be open minded to change.

Some changes that may need to be made include:

Software Implementation

Right now, employees working from home may be using whatever software they can get their hands on, especially as Ireland’s businesses were given very little time to plan for remote working when COVID-19 regulations were first introduced by the Government. This may be OK as a short term fix, but in the long term it can create multi-system chaos, with everyone using different tools and holding different data.

Now is the time to start thinking about consolidating software. For example, you may need to use rota scheduling software that automatically plans shifts for remote workers. You may also need to track breaks to ensure compliance, and see real time wage vs sales data. It’s a good idea to start getting your employees up to speed with a comprehensive software solution so that everyone is on the same page.

Hardware Provision

It’s not just software that you need to think about. Ensuring your remote workers have access to the necessary hardware they need to conduct their jobs effectively and efficiently is also critical when preparing to go fully remote. If your employees are currently working from their own devices, now is the time to start getting any business-approved desktops, laptops, printers, and phones across to them.

Another aspect of hardware to consider is chairs, desks, and screens. The Government has published a document called ‘Guidance for Working Remotely During COVID-19’; a handy guide to help Irish employees set up an ergonomic home working environment, with additional advice on using display screen equipment safely. This can be a good quick fix while you work to develop your own policies.

Schedule Development

Your employees may have been enjoying the flexibility that comes with remote working, and if you’re committed to maintaining high levels of employee satisfaction, retaining this flexibility is vital. However, from a long term perspective, it’s also important to create a little more structure to the working day, especially if you’re keen for remote working to become an effective and permanent working method.

While it may not be possible to keep everyone at their desks all of the time – working from home does come with distractions, of course, such as deliveries and young children running around – introducing core hours can help to ensure that you have all members of your team around at the same time, facilitating better communications. Scheduling regular team meetings can also be highly beneficial.

Improved Communication

Productivity during the pandemic has increased across Ireland, and it’s natural that many businesses won’t be in a hurry to fix what doesn’t appear to be broken. However, if remote working is to become the everyday norm in 2021, leaders do need to ensure that communication is a priority. Every organisation needs to provide workers with the ability to chat, call, and meet virtually with video tools.

Starting to build a more communicative culture now isn’t just to keep productivity at its peak… it can also go a long way towards maintaining employee wellbeing during times of change. At a time when employers are urged to manage the mental health of remote workers more effectively, giving workers the chance to keep in touch with their colleagues can help to create a more social, friendly environment.

Why Now?

It probably comes as no surprise to learn that, on the whole, employees are largely resistant to change. As humans, we naturally appreciate what we know, and we’re unsure of what we don’t. That’s why it’s important to take the time now to transition your employees to remote working next year, giving them plenty of time to adapt to the change. Introducing a new remote working policy now, with clear and transparent expectations under the ‘new normal’, is key to a successful, productive transition in 2021.

By David Kelly, who is the General Manager for EMEA at Deputy,  a software company that provides cloud-based workforce management and scheduling platform to more than 200,000 workplaces globally. David is proud to lead an ambitious and enthusiastic team that supports a rising number of new customers across the EMEA region.

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