3 Tips for Team Members Working From Home

Should a small business owner allow employees to work from home? The reason people start a small business or launch an entrepreneurial venture is to realize a dream, work the way they want to work, and make a profit.

Job-sharing, part-time employment, and allowing employees to work from home, are all indicative of a changing work environment that better fits the needs of the changing workforce and businesses.

Team members working from home can be great, but working remotely is not for everyone!   It requires specific skills and dedication to truly be successful. We offer these tips if you are considering allowing your employees to work from home:

1. Require a dedicated work space in the home. Designate a room or a table as the “office” and you will find that your employees more readily switch into work mode when they are at their office.
2. Hold the team accountable for their time. Require set work hours each week so everyone is on the same page about expectations of time and work products. Obviously you will know if the work is getting done or not, but you also want to know how long your employees are spending on projects, communication, and other events so you are not over or under-paying them for the work produced.
3. Maximize technology. Make use of video-conferencing, FaceTime and file sharing programs like Dropbox and Evernote to ensure communications remain at a high level and everyone feels plugged in. Key to the success of each team member is making sure everyone has what they need to be able to complete the work.

There are great advantages to allowing your team members to work from home, for both the worker, and the company. The key to a successful flexible work environment is always going to be personal accountability. Make sure you have selected team members with a strong sense of independent work ethic, and excellent communication skills.