And companies may not be using remote workers as the key tool to success that they are.

So what makes work-from-home types so special? Studies show one, they’re happier. Two, they deepen the talent pool. And three, get this – they actually get more done, and take fewer sick days!

So how can businesses optimize the full potential of energized remote workforce?

Putting in extra effort to communicate with remote workers

It’s a two-way street. Managers need to be in touch with the remote workforce – not just to keep tabs on employee activity, but to boost morale as well. Employees who aren’t physically in the office need to feel important. Direct communication from managers greatly helps with that.

On the end of the remote worker, they need to make communication a priority.

Video conferencing helps on both fronts, giving everyone the “you are there” feeling, where participants can pick up visual cues they wouldn’t get otherwise.

Another tip! Quick check-ins are KEY. There needs to be a proactive effort by both managers and remote workers to send brief messages or make brief phone calls throughout the day. That takes the place of the essentially subconscious check-ins in-house workers may get.

Embrace Individualism

While uniformity is necessary to an extent, often – the most effective teams are made up of people with *different* strengths. And remote workers usually bring a slightly different perspective from the outside.

So with remote workers, managers should place more emphasis on their output than their process. Set goals for your remote employees, and let them set out the plan of attack when it comes to how they achieve those goals.

Remote workers also often have an inherent understanding of both when and where they work best, so they’re the most productive when given the freedom to work under those terms (as long as they’re still making deadline, of course). Within reason, giving remote workers flexibility optimizes their contribution.

When remote workers do succeed, they often don’t get the same recognition as in-house employees. So extra effort in positive affirmation can go a long way.

Implement the right tech to make remote workers the most productive

This is where the Microsoft ecosystem comes in. It can be a great tool to ensure the success of the previous two points.

Microsoft 365 as a whole allows the remote worker to physically work on the same system and access the same files in the same manner as all other employees.

Teams, a part of 365, is there to make sure that one-on-one communication is crisp.

Yammer, another part of 365, helps remote workers engage through a social-media type of platform.

The post Remote Workers: Your secret weapon appeared first on 6th Street Consulting.

Night Owls

These are the ones who get their work done in the evenings, because their days are so full of meeting and other distractions. So closing time means uninterrupted time, and their chance to focus.

Key tools: Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint

They may work out-of-sight, but Microsoft Teams ensures they don’t go out-of-mind. This helps them maintain crucial contact outside of business hours. Meanwhile, SharePoint and OneDrive give them the 24-hour access they need, so they can hit the books when no one’s around.

Jet-Setters

Their presentation is at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Tonight, they’re in an airport with weak Wi-Fi. They need security, accessibility, and the ability to work on or offline on any device.

Key Tools: Advanced Threat Protection, Microsoft Teams, Mobile Device Manager, OneDrive, SharePoint

With SharePoint, the jet-setter can work on any device. Extremely convenient – especially if one of their devices run out of juice. OneDrive lets them work offline, which is key while they’re waiting at the gate. All of the changes made will automatically update when they reconnect. Microsoft Teams puts them right inside the meeting room from their mobile device.

Road Warriors

These are typically your sales reps. They’re constantly on the road, and don’t often have a spot to access the internet.

Key Tools: Microsoft Teams, Mobile Device Manager, OneDrive

Microsoft Teams give the road warrior timely flexibility. They can check in on their mobile device between meetings to get up-to-the-minute updates from the home base. OneDrive keeps their productivity high, when their signal isn’t. They can upload their files, and share them with the team once they reconnect.

Commuters

For this group, travel time, and the inevitability of opting to work from home on a regular basis can make things tricky. They need be able to securely access files and effectively communicate with people at the office.

Key Tools: Advanced Threat Protection, Microsoft Teams, Mobile Device Manager, OneDrive, SharePoint

SharePoint gives the commuter access to the most updated company files. So they can check-up on their ride in, or not miss a beat if they’re working from home. With Microsoft Teams, they can shoot a quick message to the office or easily jump in on a video call. And OneDrive lets them co-author documents in real time on any device.

Migrators

It’s 2018. The internet has connected us more than ever. So yeah, it’s highly possible one (or more) of your company’s key assets lives in another country. The biggest key here is eliminating borders.

Key tools: Microsoft Teams, Mobile Device Manager, OneDrive, SharePoint

The migrator needs to coordinate with headquarters. OneDrive and SharePoint let them do so across different time zones. Microsoft Teams ensures they’re always kept in the loop. Mobile Device Manager keeps your data safe. If a migrator loses a piece of equipment, IT can wipe it instantly.

Industry Experts

Bringing in the big guns? You need to integrate them, so they don’t function as an outsider.

Key Tools: Microsoft Teams, Mobile Device Manager, OneDrive, SharePoint

With SharePoint, you can share only necessary files with the industry expert. That way, you keep private what needs to stay private, and you don’t inundate the expert with files he or she doesn’t need.  OneDrive lets them collaborate on their own time, and Microsoft Teams brings them directly into your team’s conversation.

6th Street Consulting is a Microsoft technology firm specializing in user productivity and collaboration on SharePoint and Office365.  Our biggest differentiator is we put business before technology in creating solutions tailored fit to your organization.

For additional information please contact:

Michelle Hollis

michelle.hollis@CulverG.com

(310) 694-3844

The post Meeting The Needs of Remote Workers appeared first on 6th Street Consulting.