In today’s fast-paced business environment, remote work has become a norm for many companies. However, despite the many benefits of remote work, many companies struggle to effectively implement and manage remote work policies. From communication issues to lack of clear guidelines, remote work can bring about a host of challenges for companies of all sizes.

As a highly experienced remote work consultant, I have seen firsthand the benefits and challenges that companies face when implementing remote work policies. In this article, I will share specific examples from my clients and explain why hiring a remote work consultant can lead to increased productivity, employee satisfaction, and cost savings for companies.

The Importance of a Clear Remote Work Policy

One of my clients, a mid-size IT services company, had struggled with inconsistent remote work policies and communication. My team and I worked with the company to establish clear guidelines for remote work, including expectations for communication and collaboration. As a result, the company saw a significant increase in collaboration and employee satisfaction.

This example highlights the importance of a clear remote work policy. Without a defined framework, employees may struggle with confusion and lack of direction, leading to decreased collaboration and job satisfaction. A remote work consultant can work with a company to establish guidelines and best practices, ensuring that remote work is implemented in a way that benefits the company and its employees.

Overcoming Cognitive Biases in Remote Work

Another client, a large financial services company, had concerns about the impact of remote work on employee engagement and accountability. Through our consultation, we identified cognitive biases that were impacting the company’s perception of remote work, such as the proximity bias – out of sight, out of mind.

To address these biases, we implemented strategies such as regular check-ins, virtual team building activities, and the use of performance metrics. The company saw an improvement in employee engagement and accountability, as well as a reduction in turnover.

Cognitive biases can have a significant impact on the success of remote work. A remote work consultant can help a company identify and overcome these biases, leading to increased employee engagement and accountability.

Cost Savings through Remote Work

A third client, a mid-size retail company, was facing rising costs due to the high turnover rate of its remote customer service team. We worked with the company to improve the remote work experience for customer service representatives, including implementing flexible schedules, providing necessary equipment, and offering additional training and support.

As a result, the company saw a decrease in turnover rate and an increase in customer satisfaction. This not only led to cost savings in terms of recruiting and training new employees, but also resulted in increased revenue due to improved customer satisfaction.

Remote work can lead to cost savings for companies, particularly in terms of real estate and recruitment. A remote work consultant can work with a company to identify areas where cost savings can be made and implement strategies to achieve them.

Addressing Remote Work Challenges

Another client, a large insurance company, had to quickly transition to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This sudden transition brought about various challenges such as employees feeling isolated and disconnected from their colleagues. 

My team and I worked with the company to address these challenges by implementing virtual team building activities, providing support for mental health and well-being, and offering training on how to maintain a healthy work-life balance while working remotely. The company saw a significant improvement in employee satisfaction and morale.

Remote work can bring about various challenges, particularly during times of sudden transition. A remote work consultant can work with a company to address these challenges and provide support for the well-being and satisfaction of remote employees.

Conclusion

In today’s fast-paced business environment, companies must be able to adapt to new and emerging trends. Remote work is one such trend that is here to stay and companies that want to remain competitive must be able to effectively implement and manage remote work policies. Hiring a remote work consultant can provide a company with the expertise and guidance needed to do just that. With a clear remote work policy, strategies to overcome cognitive biases, cost savings opportunities, improved communication and collaboration, and addressing remote work challenges, companies can achieve increased productivity, employee satisfaction, and cost savings. As a remote work consultant, my clients have seen firsthand the benefits that can be achieved through effective remote work management. Don’t wait, take the first step towards a more productive and cost-efficient remote workforce by hiring a remote work consultant today.

Image Credit: Remote Work Consultant/Getty Images

Originally Published in Forbes on Jan 19, 2023

Bio: Dr. Gleb Tsipursky helps leaders use hybrid work to improve retention and productivity while cutting costs. He serves as the CEO of the boutique future-of-work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts, which helps organizations adopt a hybrid-first culture, instead of incrementally improving on the traditional office-centric culture. A best-selling author of 7 books, he is especially well-known for his global best-sellers Never Go With Your Gut: How Pioneering Leaders Make the Best Decisions and Avoid Business Disasters (Career Press, 2019) and The Blindspots Between Us: How to Overcome Unconscious Cognitive Bias and Build Better Relationships (New Harbinger, 2020). His newest book is Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams: A Manual on Benchmarking to Best Practices for Competitive Advantage (Intentional Insights, 2021). His writing was translated into Chinese, Korean, German, Russian, Polish, Spanish, French, and other languages. His cutting-edge thought leadership was featured in over 650 articles and 550 interviews in prominent venues. They include Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Inc. Magazine, Business Insider, Fast Company, Forbes, and elsewhere. His expertise comes from over 20 years of consulting, coaching, and speaking and training for mid-size and large organizations ranging from Aflac to Xerox. It also comes from his research background as a behavioral scientist. After spending 8 years getting a PhD and lecturing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he served for 7 years as a professor at the Ohio State University’s Decision Sciences Collaborative and History Department. A proud Ukrainian American, Dr. Gleb lives in Columbus, Ohio (Go Bucks!). In his free time, he makes sure to spend abundant quality time with his wife to avoid his personal life turning into a disaster. Contact him at Gleb[at]DisasterAvoidanceExperts[dot]com, follow him on LinkedIn @dr-gleb-tsipursky, Twitter @gleb_tsipursky, Instagram @dr_gleb_tsipursky, Facebook @DrGlebTsipursky, Medium @dr_gleb_tsipursky, YouTube, and RSS, and get a free copy of the Assessment on Dangerous Judgment Errors in the Workplace by signing up for the free Wise Decision Maker Course at https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/newsletter/