With the world of employment changing like never before, many are increasingly finding that work is wherever you (and a trusty internet connection) are. Indeed, many small businesses are ditching their offices altogether. We asked some owners who’ve been there, done that, for their top tips on making fully remote working work.
Make your virtual office feel like a real one
“I’ve helped dozens of businesses go fully remote, and my top tip is to schedule team time in – at 11am, put the kettle on and collaborate,” says systems strategist Elle Baldry, of Elle Baldry Consulting. “The teams that work best together use a mixture of communication in the form of scheduled one-on-one meetings to get help with projects, facetime as a team online, and messaging apps which allow for both private and open communication.
“The latter supports the building of those relationships which would have happened over the kettle or a shared love of sushi. Some businesses have even gone as far as always having a video meeting link open as a form of staff room, so when you’re making tea at home you can share your break with others. Technology can bring us together, but the culture of a workplace is important.”
Equip your staff correctly
“My team of eight and I have been fully remote for seven years now, having sold off a previous business that was office-based, so we have plenty of experience in making the switch work,” says Mark Webster, co-founder of website marketing experts Authority Hacker, based in Edinburgh. “Along the way, we’ve made some classic mistakes that remote businesses often make, such as trying to run the business the same way as an office.
“What we’ve found is that taking a small fraction of what a physical office costs and putting it into remote infrastructure gives huge returns. Everyone has their own preference for their home office setup, so I recommend paying for whatever IT and office equipment your team wants.
“Your video call equipment is crucial, too. Buy everyone a 1080p webcam, a high-quality headset, and an LED light. A fast, stable internet connection is critical, too, as any loss in performance can impact the flow of a video call. When you have a small team, this stuff doesn’t cost very much, but it has a disproportionate impact on productivity.”
Use apps to improve connectivity
“I launched my business in July 2020, and while there were some challenges around my team of 12 working remotely to begin with, the model now works very well,” says Caroline Marshall, of virtual assistant service Upsource. “In person, you can always grab your boss or colleague to get your burning questions answered, while remotely, you either have to organise a time-consuming call or send an email, which might get lost in a heavy inbox.
“This is where project management and communication apps, which can be really important for your team to get work done, come in. My top three recommendations are Slack for keeping in touch and for non work-related chats, a project management tool such as Trello or ClickUp to assign tasks and set deadlines, and time-tracking software such as Toggl or Clockify, to ensure you use the hours clients have paid for.”
Keep meetings fresh
“Our team of seven live all over the UK, which means we’ve spent an awful lot of our time on Zoom,” says Julie Waddell of Devon-based Moorish Humous. “To keep my staff motivated and engaged, I’ve come up with some creative ways to add fun surprises to our online meetings, including a video message from Jason Manford, a pep talk from Mr Motivator, and a goat joining one of our team meetings.
“I also arranged a product swap with a sweets brand, so I could give the team a treat. The team tells me these little surprises keep them entertained and motivated, and remote working really suits our company. It means everyone can be flexible, and we can meet with internal and external stakeholders, anywhere, anytime.”
Factor in your team’s health needs
“The days where you need a professional-looking office to prove your worth are long gone, and switching to remote working has opened up opportunities for our business and staff,” says Bec Wooderson, managing director of Sage Account Solutions in Suffolk. “But before taking the plunge, you have to consider the physical and mental challenges your staff will face.
“I hold Zoom ‘move’ meetings, where I get everyone on their feet to get their blood pumping, and hold dog-walking telephone meetings. Staff have completed detailed health and safety assessments, and we help them tackle specific issues they want to resolve, such as neck strain. I’ve introduced monthly wellness workouts, and actively encourage a daily ‘bring and share’ session where people can discuss work and personal worries. As a result of all these measures, we’ve seen a reduction in non-Covid related staff sickness.”
Don’t skip the team-building
“We’ve been hosting lots of virtual team-building events for companies such as Google and PwC, as they try to find innovative ways of keeping their teams connected,” says Hannah-Beth Clark, director of The Little Surprises Company. “We’ve hosted everything from interactive comedy sessions to cocktail classes and lunchtime cooking clubs.
“Interactions where you’re connecting on matters other than work, and creating space for people to be human in front of each other, are important. They’re tricky to recreate when you aren’t interacting in an office, but you can create a pseudo-experience by organising collective activities such as cooking together and sharing lunch.”
Make sure everyone switches off
“Although I started out working from a co-working space, I gave that up when I had my daughter in 2017, and since then, my team and I have worked remotely to keep overheads down,” says Imogen Tinkler, co-founder of Kent-based seasonal food brand Bangers and Balls. “I think it’s important to approach this style of working differently, and to make sure my employees feel valued while being productive, we have a few key rules in place.
“Switch off when the day finishes. We take an extended break once a week to go foraging. Nature is good for our mental health and productivity, and you miss getting outside when you don’t commute to an office. We’re quite flexible with hours, as we know people might want to run an errand during the day, and we don’t want them clock-watching. We all work best and get the work done when we’re trusted as adults.”
Make remote-working work for your business, with a connectivity package that gives you the bandwidth to do what you do best. To find out more about how Volt from Virgin Media and O2 can seamlessly supercharge you and your business, visit virginmediabusiness.co.uk/volt
