Even before the pandemic forced many employees to start working from home, there was a growing trend of remote workers. For businesses, remote workers mean less overhead costs and the ability to work with talent from all over the world. Perhaps the biggest challenge of this business model is ensuring reliable and effective communication. Fortunately, there are some practical solutions that can improve internal communications with remote workers.
Focus on Quality
With remote employees receiving emails, phone calls, instant messages, and text messages, communication can become overwhelming. This is one case where more is not better. Employees don’t want to feel like they are constantly being monitored or micromanaged. Start by agreeing on one specific formal for sharing information. Everyone on the team will know where to go when communication is necessary.
Integrate Technology
Collaboration among team members is essential. Fortunately, technology has made this easier than ever, especially with remote workers. Conference calls capabilities, video chats that allow participants to share documents and ideas, and other tools can bring people together and ensure clear and effective communication.
Provide Asynchronous Communication Options
Remote workers can be in the same city as the company headquarters or spread around the world. Different time-zones can make real-time communication complicated. That is why it is important to also provide asynchronous communication options and tools that can support the entire team, no matter where they are located.
Get to Know Your Team
Not everyone likes the same communication channels. Sales team members may prefer to speak on the phone while the marketing department would rather receive an email that they can answer on their own schedule. Improving communication may come down to understanding and working with these preferences.
Remote workers are an excellent resource for companies. Fortunately, there are both tools and strategies that can be used to improve communication and make sure that these team members feel supported and connected. For more information about communication tools and technology, contact Network South.