Numerous entrepreneurs believe that it’s impossible to run the business remotely: a small company needs an energy generator in the person of its founder and constant control from him. But today, there are more and more business owners who not only hire remote employees but manage business remotely.
Modern technologies allow you to run almost any business from any part of the world, without spending money on an office. But there are pitfalls here, about which it’s better to know in advance. Let’s analyze the main nuances of doing business remotely.
Don’t use freelance platforms
Telecommuting isn’t about working with freelancers, but with full-time employees. Experience shows that a person’s motivation changes after several years of working as a freelancer. This specialist, as a rule, wants to quickly take on a project, get it done quickly, and get paid for it as soon as possible. Such an employee may ‘leave the chat’ at any time if he doesn’t like something. Therefore, you should only search for staff on special sites and resources or, for instance, outsource customer service from trusted and specialized companies.
Don’t spy on employees
Various programs have been developed to track employees’ computer activities: what sites they visit, what programs they use, how much time they spend on social networks, and so on. As a result, it can lead to paranoia on the part of the staff. It’s better to refuse such programs.
To track the time spent on a project, you can use working time tracking software. The employee turns it on when he starts work. After all, a precise schedule isn’t crucial, for instance, for developers, the result is. Such tools discipline and make it possible to show the client at any time how many hours each stage of the project took. And you, as the employer, can estimate the progress and productivity of your team.
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Take data protection seriously
When working remotely, clients want confidence in the safety of private information. At first glance, it seems more difficult to store information with a remote office. But it can be easily solved. First of all, use a virtual private network (VPN).
Secondly, sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with each employee. This is another reason why remote workers need to be formalized. Nobody wants problems with the law, and information leakage can occur from an office computer.
Thirdly, check for encryption and access settings in those online services that you use.
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Use cloud storage solutions
All companies choose cloud services for themselves. Such tools support advanced SSL encryption modes. They are constantly improving and provide incredible stability at a low cost. Moreover, use a corporate account to easily configure access rights and not worry that the employee will have all data copies after leaving the company.
Consider the time difference
The time difference is an unpleasant thing that takes a long time to get used to. Your employees can work in eight time zones around the world. As a business owner, you must be prepared to work 24/7 and conduct meetings even at night. But everything has its advantages.
The biggest fear of any remote business owner is the loss of efficiency. If it’s possible to promptly discuss all current tasks and their statuses in the office, then doing this remotely is much more difficult and time-consuming. Failure to meet deadlines is felt strongly. It’s vital not to get confused and organize the workflow correctly. Good luck!
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