How To Protect Your Remote Employees And Their Interests | #hrmanagement #hrexecutive

Before 2020, most organizations around the world were skeptical about remote working. However, a global pandemic completely changed this outlook on telecommuting. Working from home is on the rise, thanks to its plethora of benefits. In fact, a third of Americans think that physical offices are a thing of the past.

While remote working is certainly advantageous, it also comes with a few caveats. With a rapidly developing remote workforce, it’s imperative to adopt suitable measures for motivated employees and company-wide efficiency. 

In this post, we’re sharing actionable ways HR departments can support remote employees. Take a look.

Working mother photo created by ArthurHidden – www.freepik.com

Don’t Withdraw Flexibility

While working from home has plenty of benefits, remote employees also face some unique challenges. Along with work, they might be looking after kids, pets and other commitments. Flexibility is the cornerstone of telecommuting, and your employees will be demotivated without it. 

Rather than enforcing strict 9-5 office hours, employees should be trusted to plan their own work schedule. Such autonomy motivates employees and makes them feel valued.

Provide Timely Support

Your remote workers are just as eligible for fringe benefits as any other employees. This may include health insurance, vacation pay, profit-sharing programs, and worker’s compensation. 

If a remote employee gets injured or ill because of their job, it’s crucial to provide them immediate support. Before the employee considers involving a workers compensation lawyer, it’s the HR department’s responsibility to ensure they receive medical assistance and fair treatment.

Encourage Overall Well-Being

Despite being a blessing in many ways, working from home has blurred the lines between personal and professional lives. Often remote workers deal with the unsaid expectation of working beyond their normal hours. Working from home is time-saving, but that doesn’t mean employees should be expected to work more without extra compensation.

Ideally, HR managers should encourage employees to work reasonable hours. Prioritizing employee well-being is necessary to foster a positive work environment.

Clear Communication is Key

It can be challenging to interpret non-verbal cues via audio calls, video meetings, and other forms of virtual communication. We encourage HR managers to establish clear channels of communication for employees. Provide them with necessary communication tools and platforms. 

Schedule Routine One-on-One

Regularly checking in with your employees is another aspect of communication. Considering the emotional and mental repercussions of the pandemic, HR managers should schedule routine one-on-one conversations with every employee. Rather than just shop talk, ask them if they are facing any other problems or distractions. Lending an ear and showing empathy can make a world of difference.

Introduce Cloud HR Solution

From requesting time off to managing work schedules, several tedious processes can be easily automated with a cloud HR solution. This allows the remote workforce to access information any time, any place.

Pay On Time

There’s no doubt that working remotely helps employees save more on commuting, clothes, food, childcare, and other expenses. Just because they are working from home doesn’t mean they don’t have other bills to pay. Delayed salaries can interfere with their personal budgeting as well as impact overall performance. So make sure the staff is paid on time.

Offer Fair Reimbursement

Several organizations switched to remote working almost overnight. This implies that employees were expected to use their personal computers, internet connection, and other devices for work. It would be unfair to expect employees to pay for work-related expenses. HR managers should develop a system to fairly reimburse workers for such expenses.

The Bottom Line

Considering the extensive and unpredictable effects of the pandemic, it’s clear that remote working is going to become a permanent fixture in the workplace. Reviewing existing policies and providing necessary support is essential for managing productive and happy remote teams.