The Covid-19 pandemic is an unprecedented test for everyone and has understandably caused a lot of uncertainty. After Boris Johnson’s announcement that “you must stay at home” many office based businesses have fully implemented working from home.
Moving to a home working environment is an important step to reduce the impact of corona virus. However, for many who have not worked remotely it is a big adjustment and planning and communication between employers and staff is vital.
Over the last 3 weeks we have set our clients up for remote working. This has included procurement of hardware, securing devices with cyber security software, setting up video conferencing/communication tools, and much more.
So, we thought we would devise 5 top tips with a bonus tip for companies that do not usually practice remote working.
- Regularly communicate with your staff – this is an unsettling time so regular updates, catch ups, and feedback can prove productive and reassuring. Remember there is such a thing as too much, so strike the right balance!
- Ensure employees have everything they need – make sure they have access the necessary hardware and software to work as they normally would.
- Set clear and coordinated tasks – make sure people know what is expected of them and help them measure results.
- Remind staff of data protection policies – ensure you communicate the importance of GDPR and data protection policies. Even when working from home these still apply!
- Don’t forget cyber security – Working from different devices and new surroundings can create weaknesses in cyber security. There are also hackers and scammers exploiting coronavirus so ensure staff are constantly vigilant to potential cyber threats.
Top tip:
- Run home working tests – this may be a bit late for some, but something we advocate as part of business continuity is to test your remote working capability throughout the year. In doing so staff are more in tune to be productive, you can address any flaws in your approach, and ensure you are as secure as you can be.
We hope you found this useful. Please view our solutions page to see how we can help you, or even better, call us today for a conversation!
