We’ve already established that remote work is beneficial to businesses. But as with anything, it comes with challenges that we need to identify and overcome.
The past year and a half showed us that whether we like it or not, e-commerce is here to stay. Many companies have managed to transition their services online. Some have even built and expanded their businesses from the comfort of their homes. These have all been possible thanks to the wonders of the internet, technology, and yes, remote work.
The WFH movement presents a very timely solution to a post-pandemic world. However, to make it work, we have to shift certain work practices and policies. Doing so will help us address work challenges that affect remote teams and the companies that hire them.
Fortunately, there are a lot of solutions. Let’s take a look at some of the most common challenges and how you, as a business leader/entrepreneur, can best handle them.
Managing Projects Remotely
If you’re new to the remote work industry, getting in touch with your team members might seem difficult at the onset. Managing a distributed team can be tricky when some of them are working in your Melbourne office, with the rest scattered all over the globe.
One of the biggest challenges for most employers is remotely and effectively managing distributed teams and their in-house counterparts. Thankfully, there are several project management systems to choose from to help you do just that.
Software programs like Trello and Monday.com, for instance, are great for managing your projects with ease. These platforms allow you to list down tasks, assign members, and track progress, among other things.
Asynchronous Time Zones
Remote work gives organisations the freedom to hire anyone regardless of their location. Thanks to the internet, your talent pool is potentially no longer limited to the people in your city and or even in your country or continent.
However, significant time differences can present a challenge. For example, it might be difficult to work with someone living in a time zone that’s several hours ahead or behind your own. Sure, there are many remote workers who don’t mind working graveyard shifts. However, this sort of arrangement can take a toll on their mind and body over time, and they might not always be performing at their best as a result.
Thus, it helps to source your distributed team from a country or continent that isn’t too far away. The Philippines, for instance, is only about a couple of hours behind Australia. Hiring remote workers from here could minimize the impact of the difference in time zones and could even give way to synchronous collaboration.
Dealing with Cultural Differences
Let’s admit it, cultural differences can play a role in how smoothly (or not) your working relationships with your remote workers go. They can cause misunderstandings and get in the way of effective communication, for instance. This is especially true in a remote working set-up where you can’t rely on non-verbal cues like facial expressions, body language, or tone of voice..
However, dealing with cultural differences are definitely worth the benefits that come with hiring a distributed team. Besides, managers and business leaders have figured out ways to do so effectively. You just need to follow their lead to cultivate a healthy and inclusive work environment.
For instance, you can try to learn key phrases in your remote employees’ native languages. “Thank you”, “good job”, and even “good morning” are all good phrases to learn. The key is to express sincerity and gratitude no matter which language you use.
There’s never been a better time to build and develop a digital workforce to prepare your company for the digital future. If you’re unsure about where to start, we’ve got your back.
Remote Staff has been providing AU entrepreneurs like you with skilled and talented Filipino remote workers since 2007. So whether you need a content writer or a virtual assistant, our diverse talent pool can provide you with the right one. On top of that, Manila is also just two hours behind Australia. *wink* *wink*
Call us today or schedule a call back and let’s get started.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home.
