business plan for working remotely

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Remote Work Best Practices (Plus Sample Policy)

Table of Contents

Remote work not only provides people with the ability to work from home, but has also introduced new dynamics to the workforce, including flexible work schedules and cost savings for office space for employees. In fact, 9 out of 10 workers thinking about a job change consider hybrid or remote positions, according to research from business consulting firm Robert Half .

Remote work has perks for both employers and employees. Companies making a more long-term or permanent switch to a remote environment can help the adjustment be successful by ensuring a smooth transition, excellent remote management plans and a well-devised remote work policy.

What are remote work best practices for businesses?

To help ensure remote work is a success across your organization, follow these best practices:

1. Maintain a company culture.

Some employees choose an employer for its company culture . Whether your company is only recently remote or has always been, maintaining the culture that attracted employees to your organization in the first place can help keep employees happy and working for your company. For example, you could support a caring culture by broadening your wellness benefits, as Actualize Consulting did. Its $750 wellness benefit is available to each employee for use toward a gym membership and fitness purchases such as treadmills and classes.

As another example, Sarah Danzl, communications officer and vice president of customer marketing at Degreed, said that a priority for her was to ensure the holistic care and mental health of her team with regular check-ins, specifically to ask about how they’re doing and dedicate some time to non-work chat. Degreed also provides access to mental health support and wellness options like the Calm app.

Editor ‘s note: Looking for the right employee monitoring software for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

2. Use video tools to stay connected.

Working remotely can be difficult for people who strive for face-to-face interaction. Utilize the best practice of acting as if you and your team are in the office with the help of technology. Consider keeping spirits high and teams connecting by hosting a Friday video happy hour, video team meetings and virtual employee lunches. The goal here is to stimulate activities that would be done in the office, outside the office.

3. Go paperless.

Just about everything can be done digitally these days. Use a tool like DocuSign for contracts that need signatures, and encourage employees to lean on the best customer relationship management (CRM) software and other digital tools instead of paper for notes, project management and other tasks.

4. Invest in internet security.

A network is only as secure as its weakest link. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have turned their workforces remote. As a result of more people working from home, weak security links are inevitable. By investing in internet security , you can provide (and even mandate) the tools that keep everyone’s devices safe. This, in turn, keeps company information safe. Most importantly, it minimizes the risk of personal data being leaked through a vulnerability in your infrastructure. At the heart of your internet security is a virtual private network (VPN). It allows for direct, safe communication between all remote workers and the office.

5. Consider employee monitoring.

Employee monitoring is necessary for large organizations. A significant part of leadership and management is keeping people on task; however, with remote work, that becomes challenging.

Employee monitoring systems allow you to see a worker’s computer activity. This informs you as to how much of a workday is actually spent on work projects and tasks. Employee monitoring solutions allow you to track the productivity of the work-from-home model. [Read related article: The Best Employee Monitoring Software of 2024 ]

6. Accommodate flexible work schedules.

There are many benefits that come with remote work, such as reduced overhead and lower liabilities, to name a few. If, though, remote work is hastily or poorly implemented, the downside is lost productivity. The key to preventing lost productivity (which can be difficult for a company to come back from) is to allow employees to work a flexible work schedule.  

Many at-home employees are juggling child care and school. Flexible work schedules empower them to find a better work-life balance that enables them to work productively around their kids’ schedules. One suggestion to make this transition smoother for your company and team is to shift to a completion-based work model. In this model, the focus is less on how many hours an individual works and more on what they accomplish.

7. Invest in collaboration tools.

Collaboration tools are everywhere. Some of the biggest names to rise to the top include Skype and Microsoft Teams. Of course, the most popular by far is Zoom. These tools allow for adjustable online workgroups. They include video and audio chat, and they allow for screen sharing.

You can also look into apps that create shared workspaces. File sharing systems are similarly important. You can even look at dedicated communication servers with resources like Discord and Google Chat.

How do you create your remote work policy?

Your remote work policy sets the standard for what you deem acceptable and unacceptable from your remote employees. Every remote work policy should have conditions that ensure clear expectations and communication between the company and each remote team member. Here are a few pertinent guidelines on what to include in your remote work policy:

• Outline eligibility criteria. Consider whether employees must reside in the same location as your business or if they can work from anywhere. If your business is only partially remote, define which roles are eligible for working from home and how often employees can work from home.
• Develop a work plan. To create an effective remote work plan, break down company objectives into measurable goals and responsibilities. Determine the necessary tools and technology for employees to work remotely and collaborate effectively. Consider technical support for those who experience difficulties. You can then involve employees in the process of deciding how performance will be measured, using metrics specific to each role and asking for input on the best methods for tracking productivity.
• Emphasize the company rules. Although your employees are no longer in an in-person office environment, clarify the rules, regulations and policies that still apply. Employees should know exactly what is expected of them.
• Decide whether employees can choose their own work hours or should be available during specific hours. Take into consideration their personal schedules, and be flexible with allowing them to work within a certain window or during core hours.
• Set expectations for response times to emails and messages. Keep time zones and workload in mind. Establish a time frame for responding to important emails or messages.
• Institute guidelines for when to use instant messaging, email or video calls. Is it mandatory for your employees to use the camera when on video calls? Consider setting up non-work-related communication to keep similar aspects of an in-person work environment.
• Make sure your employees have access to online training resources or courses. Establish one-on-one meetings with supervisors and their employees for online coaching and to discuss growth and advancement.
• Discuss compensation. Transparency is key when it comes to compensation changes, especially when transitioning to remote work. By clearly outlining eligible expenses and the reimbursement process, employees will feel supported and informed. Consulting with employees on their priorities for benefits and reimbursements can aid in creating a more personalized compensation plan.
• Security and confidentiality rules. When working remotely or from public locations like cafes, there are various data security risks to be aware of, such as shoulder surfing, theft and unsecured networks. To mitigate these risks, educate employees on these threats and provide guidelines on how to avoid them, such as locking screens, using strong passwords and two-factor authentication, and avoiding discussing confidential information in public places.

Sample remote work policy

To provide guidance for employees and management, this document outlines the terms and conditions of remote work and requires employees to acknowledge their understanding by signing it.

Terms and Conditions

• Eligibility requirements: If the employee’s job responsibilities can be fulfilled using only fundamental equipment and technology, they may qualify for remote work privileges, subject to the company’s approval, provided they demonstrate reliability, self-discipline and self-motivation. In the event an employee’s job is not suitable for remote work, they may be allowed to work from home for a limited number of days per year. This policy promotes a flexible work environment that can accommodate the needs of both the company and the employee.
• Work expectations and schedule: To assure the best performance, employees are required to adhere to set work schedules, meet deadlines, maintain quality standards and submit daily reports, with some degree of flexibility permitted. Tools for time and task management, project tracking and access to resources will be provided. Weekly performance evaluations will be conducted using the same metrics for in-office work.
• Company rules: Employees who work remotely are expected to adhere to all rules and regulations in the Employee Handbook. Company policies regarding PTO, conduct, confidentiality, etc., apply to employees regardless of the location.
• Equipment and supplies: Employees will be reimbursed for job-related equipment, tools and supplies deemed necessary. Requests for reimbursement should be submitted through supervisors. Employees may be permitted to use their personal electronic devices for work purposes with prior written approval.
• Security: To ensure the security of company data and information, adherence to established security protocols outlined in the Employee Handbook and confidentiality agreement is mandatory. Violations are subject to disciplinary action, and employees will be granted access to a virtual private network to safeguard connections with company servers and networks, which must be used exclusively for work hours.
• Compensation: Working remotely will not affect an employee’s salary, which will only increase per company policy and successful performance evaluations. Remote employees will remain eligible for professional development programs and promotions, while the company will provide reimbursement for internet and electrical expenses sustained by employees who follow the correct reimbursement protocol.
• Consequences: Inability to fulfill work obligations or compliance with policies and procedures during remote work may result in disciplinary action, such as termination of the remote work agreement, placement on a performance improvement plan or termination of employment.

How can you transition to remote work?

For companies that are new to remote work, laying down a foundation for a smooth transition is the key to a productive remote work team. Here are some steps you may want to follow:

• Have a remote work policy. Draft a remote work policy that clearly communicates what your expectations are for your employees.
• Maximize technology. Technologies such as video conferencing and instant messaging make remote work a more personable and collaborative experience.
• Hold virtual “hype” meetings. Get your team excited about your company and its goals through some team bonding by holding a weekly or monthly hype meeting. During these meetings, encourage employees to talk about some of their accomplishments, and be sure to give out praise where it is due. Use this time to get employees excited about new projects and clients.
• Encourage engagement. Let your employees know you want to hear their feedback about remote work. Be sure they know you want to hear both positives and negatives. Getting that feedback will help you refine your remote work policies. Also, make sure you are available to answer any questions employees have about the remote work policies.

>> Learn more:  5 Reasons Remote Teams Are More Engaged Than Office Workers

What remote work equipment do your employees need?

Consider providing your employees with the following types of remote work equipment:

Collaboration tools

A collaboration tool helps workers stay connected. To save time and money, your collaboration tool should also serve as a complete project management, communication and productivity platform. Here are a few of the best tools for this type of work:

• Salesforce CRM: Keep track of every customer, automate tasks and send targeted emails. [Read our Salesforce review .]
• Trello: Get access to boards, lists and cards to track and organize projects.
• Asana: Manage goals, organize projects, set deadlines and more.

Video conferencing service

A video conferencing service – such as Google Chat, GoToMeeting or Zoom – lets users make video calls and host internal and external video conferences. 

Whether via a mobile phone or a business phone system, employees need to be able to call not only one another, but also clients and vendors. [Read related article: The Best Business Phone Systems of 2024 ]

Instant messaging service

It can save your employees time if they can send a quick instant message via a chat tool, such as Slack or Google Chat, instead of texting, calling or emailing.

Work computers

If you expect your employees to work effectively from home, it’s wise to provide them with a computer that is preloaded with all of the applications and security features you want.

How can you be a good remote manager for your remote team?

As a business owner or manager, you can expect your team members to look to you for leadership and guidance. While they won’t be able to physically knock on your door, you still need to be there for them. Here are some tips for how to be a good remote manager:

Keep communication open.

Let your employees know you are available for them, and don’t just wait for them to come to you. Be proactive by checking in with them regularly. When applicable, offer feedback and words of encouragement. Also, be sure to make time to meet virtually and to hold performance reviews.

Give great direction.

Whether working in the office or remotely, employees appreciate a manager who is a clear communicator and offers clear direction. For example, when you give employees instructions, make sure you are direct and offer enough information for your team to fully understand what you need. Poor communication results in frustration and lost productivity.

• Be empathetic. With the dog barking, the kids crying and the neighbor mowing his lawn, it’s not always possible for remote employees to have a distraction-free environment. But as long as your staff members get their work done by their deadlines, be empathetic about at-home demands that may pull them away from their work for a few minutes each day.
• Stay organized. If your kitchen or living room doubles as your home office, it can be easy to get disorganized. Use calendars or project management tools to keep your tasks organized and stay on top of your game.

What are the benefits of remote work?

Remote work can be a win-win for employers and employees..

Remote work benefits for employers

• Cost savings: Without office space, there’s no commercial real estate to pay for, or any of the expenses that come along with it, such as utilities and office furniture.
• Improved employee productivity: Without having distractions from loud co-workers, many employees are more productive.
• Lower absenteeism: When people don’t feel well, they may be more likely to take time off of work if they have to go into an office. If employees have minor symptoms, they may feel more comfortable working from the comfort of their home, where they also will not spread illnesses to co-workers. As a result, employers can expect lower rates of absenteeism.

Remote work benefits for employees

• Improved work happiness: Studies have shown that working from home is a perk that boosts employees’ happiness. In a study from Owl Labs and Global Workplace Analytics , the prospect of being able to work remotely, even if only occasionally, was found to increase the happiness of 86% of workers.
• A more comfortable environment: There is a good chance that your employees aren’t thrilled with your office environment, whether it’s an open office layout or a cubicle farm. By working from home, employees are free to create a more comfortable workspace.
• A healthier workplace: When employees work from home, they don’t have to worry about co-workers getting them sick. Even before COVID-19, the flu and other illnesses spread easily among employees in the office.

Marissa Sanfilippo contributed to this article. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.

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Business Plan Template for Remote Working

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Working remotely offers numerous advantages for both companies and employees, but it also requires careful planning and strategy to ensure success. That's where ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Remote Working comes in!

Designed specifically for companies implementing remote work policies or startups aiming to create a remote work-focused business model, this template helps you outline strategies, goals, and financial projections tailored for a distributed workforce.

By utilizing this template, you can:

• Enable efficient communication and collaboration among remote teams
• Maximize cost savings and employee flexibility without sacrificing productivity
• Visualize your remote work plan and track progress towards your goals

Whether you're an established company embracing remote work or a startup building a distributed team from scratch, ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Remote Working has everything you need to thrive in the remote work landscape. Get started today and unlock the full potential of remote work!

Business Plan Template for Remote Working Benefits

A business plan template for remote working offers numerous benefits for companies embracing a distributed workforce model:

• Effective communication and collaboration among remote team members, ensuring seamless workflow
• Enhanced productivity and efficiency through optimized remote work strategies and goal setting
• Cost savings by reducing office space expenses and other overhead costs associated with traditional work environments
• Increased employee flexibility, leading to improved work-life balance and job satisfaction
• Tailored financial projections and strategies to support remote work operations and maximize profitability
• Streamlined onboarding and training processes for remote employees, minimizing the learning curve
• Scalability and adaptability to meet the evolving needs and challenges of remote work arrangements.

Main Elements of Remote Working Business Plan Template

ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Remote Working is designed to help companies create a comprehensive plan for managing a distributed workforce. Here are the main elements included in this template:

• Custom Statuses: Track the progress of different sections of your business plan using statuses such as Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do.
• Custom Fields: Utilize custom fields like Reference, Approved, and Section to add specific details and organize information within your business plan.
• Custom Views: Access different views to analyze and manage your business plan effectively, including Topics, Status, Timeline, Business Plan, and Getting Started Guide.
• Collaboration Tools: Leverage ClickUp's collaboration features like assigning tasks, adding comments, and attaching files to collaborate seamlessly with your team members.
• Goal Tracking: Define and track your business goals using ClickUp's Goals feature, ensuring alignment and progress towards your remote work objectives.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Remote Working

Working remotely has become increasingly popular, and if you're starting a business that operates remotely, having a clear plan is essential. Here are four steps to effectively utilize the Business Plan Template for Remote Working in ClickUp:

1. Define your business goals and objectives

Start by clearly defining your business goals and objectives. What do you want to achieve with your remote business? Are you aiming to increase revenue, expand your customer base, or develop new products or services? Defining your goals will help guide your decision-making process and keep you focused on what matters most.

Use Goals in ClickUp to set specific, measurable, and time-bound objectives for your remote business.

2. Identify your target market and competition

Next, identify your target market and understand your competition. Who are your ideal customers? What are their needs and pain points? Conduct market research to gain insights into your target audience's preferences, behaviors, and demographics. Additionally, analyze your competition to identify their strengths, weaknesses, and unique selling points.

Create tasks in ClickUp to conduct market research and analyze your competition, ensuring you stay ahead in the remote business landscape.

3. Develop your remote work strategy

With the rise of remote work, it's crucial to have a well-defined remote work strategy. Determine how your team will collaborate, communicate, and maintain productivity while working remotely. Consider tools, processes, and policies that will support remote work efficiency and ensure seamless communication among team members.

Utilize Automations in ClickUp to streamline remote work processes, ensuring your team stays connected and productive.

4. Create a financial plan

Lastly, create a comprehensive financial plan for your remote business. This includes estimating startup costs, projecting revenue and expenses, and determining your break-even point. Additionally, consider any unique financial considerations related to remote work, such as technology expenses, remote team management tools, and potential savings from reduced office space.

Use the Table view in ClickUp to create a financial plan that includes all necessary financial projections, budgets, and cash flow analysis.

By following these steps and utilizing the Business Plan Template for Remote Working in ClickUp, you'll be well-equipped to start and grow your remote business successfully.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Remote Working

Companies implementing remote work policies or startups aiming to create a remote work-focused business model can use the Business Plan Template for Remote Working in ClickUp to outline strategies, goals, and financial projections tailored for a distributed workforce.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a comprehensive business plan for remote working:

• Use the Topics View to organize different sections of your business plan, such as goals, strategies, and financial projections
• The Status View will help you track the progress of each section, with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do
• The Timeline View will give you a visual representation of your business plan's milestones and deadlines
• The Business Plan View provides a holistic overview of your entire plan, allowing you to analyze and make adjustments as needed
• Utilize the Getting Started Guide View to outline step-by-step instructions for implementing your remote work policies
• Customize the Reference, Approved, and Section custom fields to add additional information and categorize your business plan
• Update statuses, custom fields, and views as you progress through your plan to ensure maximum productivity and alignment.
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43 Remote Work Best Practices, Strategies, and Tips for Your Business

Use the following guide as a crash course for remote work best practices, strategies, and tips so you can better lead, manage, and perform on your remote teams.

Remote Work Research Report

Table of contents, what is remote work, benefits of working remotely, 4 tips for working remotely, building a remote work culture, how to engage remote employees, remote working survey questions, 3 tips for onboarding for remote workers, how to manage remote employees, 4 ways to boost employee performance while remote, professional development for remote workers, keeping remote workers connected.

Remote work isn’t new, but it is newly widespread. According to a Gallup poll,  56% of U.S. workers are working remotely  all or part of the time. And while some may start returning to work full-time or in a more hybrid capacity, the trend towards remote work seems here to stay.

Upwork’s Future of Workforce Pulse Report  estimates that by 2025, 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely , an 87% increase from pre-pandemic levels.

As more and more companies and employees embrace remote work, leaders and managers will need to re-learn and re-think some of the old ways of doing things. From team collaboration and meetings to performance management and schedules, remote work is transforming how, when, and where we work.

So what exactly is remote work? And how is it different from traditional office work? To get a better understanding of how to best approach remote work in your business, it’s helpful to have a clear definition:

Remote work definition

Remote work is essentially any work done away from a physical office location. Remote work gives employees the flexibility to do their work and stay productive and connected to their team and office from anywhere—whether on the road or at home.

For most, this means working from home or a favorite coffee shop. But others have embraced a “digital nomad” lifestyle—working and traveling across multiple locations.

The rise of cloud technology and improved communication and collaboration tools have allowed more and more teams to join the remote work movement. They are also starting to reap the added benefits and improved productivity that remote work can bring.

Despite initial hesitation from more traditionally-minded leaders to invest in remote work as a viable option for the workforce, most people now agree that remote work has compelling advantages.

Benefits of remote work include:

• Increased employee engagement
• Greater productivity
• Reduced turnover
• Positive employer brand
• Lower overhead costs
• Wider talent pool to recruit from

Employees want and value the flexibility and autonomy that remote work affords them. In fact, 54% of employees say they would change jobs for one that offered them more flexibility, which results in an average of 12% turnover reduction after a remote work agreement is offered.

And organizations benefit from happier employees who are more productive, engaged, and excited to work with the company.

Bottom line: Remote work is good for your bottom line—and your people.

Remote work statistics

Research proves time and time again the positive impact remote work can have on both employees and businesses.

Understanding how remote work impacts your teams will help you better address potential problems and prioritize the things that matter most to your employees—and that will make the biggest difference in long-term performance and engagement.

Here are just a few remote work statistics illustrating what the present and future of remote work might look like.

• 61% of employees prefer being fully remote . A survey by Growmotely found that more than half of remote employees prefer working fully remote. Consider checking in with your workforce periodically to uncover their work preferences—whether fully remote, in-office full time, or a hybrid arrangement.
• Only 76% of new hires agree they have what they need to do their job from home. Make sure your remote employees—especially new hires—have the tools and resources they need to do their work. This includes hardware as well as software, security access, platform logins, communication channels, and clear policies and organizational documentation. A robust onboarding process can help set up remote hires for success.
• 77% of remote employees confirmed improved productivity. The verdict is in—remote employees tend to work longer hours and get more done. Just make sure you’re setting fair expectations and supporting work-life balance so your employees don’t burn out.
• 62% of employees believe working remotely positively impacts engagement but only 5% are likely to stay at their company long-term. Although employees feel more engaged when working remotely, retention doesn’t always match. This is an opportunity to stay dialed in to your remote team’s engagement so you can take strategic steps to engage, connect, and retain your employees.

If you’re new to remote work, it can be a big shift from working in an office. Here are a few remote working tips to make the transition successful for you and your team.

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

With remote teams, it’s nearly impossible to over-communicate. Since you aren’t all working together in an office setting, you don’t have the opportunity to collaborate in person, check in at each others’ desks, or chat in the break room to stay up to date. This means you need to find other ways to communicate effectively and clearly.

Clarify early on how your team will communicate and the best channels for different types of work and topics (e.g., performance reviews vs. project updates).

These might include:

• One-on-ones and check-ins
• Team meetings
• Video conferencing
• Project management software

Frequent communication will help everyone stay on the same page and build better connections and trusted relationships across the team.

2. Clarify expectations.

You can avoid a lot of frustration, confusion, and misalignment through clear expectations from the start.

Set expectations around:

• Communication
• Scheduling and availability
• Performance and feedback
• Calendars and deadlines 
• Goals and mission

Clarifying how, when, and where your team will work can improve efficiency, keep everyone aligned, and prevent conflict from the start.

3. Increase feedback loops.

Juggling communication and schedules across a remote team can be tricky—especially if people are working in different time zones. That’s why establishing a consistent feedback culture is so important.

Managers should regularly solicit feedback from their remote teams to understand how best to support individual employees, identify areas of potential conflict or friction, build trusted relationships, and drive performance.

4. Set healthy boundaries.

Working from home can blur the lines between personal life and work life. Remote workers already work longer hours than office workers, putting them at risk for extra stress and even burnout.

Help keep your remote employees happy and well by setting healthy boundaries around work :

• Limit hours of availability
• Encourage self-care
• Build wellness into your team activities (e.g., host regular mindfulness breaks)
• Share about family life or personal interests outside work
• Require regular breaks from the screen

Just because you aren’t all gathered in an office doesn’t mean you don’t have a team or company culture. That’s why it’s important to focus on building a healthy and productive culture from the start.

How remote work impacts culture

Culture is made up of the attitudes, behaviors, and values of a group or organization. In other words, it’s the heart and soul of your company and its people.

When you add remote work into your company dynamics, that will impact how employees and leaders work together. For example, we know remote work can improve productivity and performance—but it doesn’t always translate to higher employee retention.

Building a strong remote work culture from the start can help you capitalize on the benefits of remote work while mitigating some of the risks and challenges that are unique to distributed teams.

Working remotely pros and cons

When teams work remotely, culture can be harder to define and implement. But distance doesn’t have to result in disconnection.

Remote workers typically value and appreciate greater flexibility and autonomy over their work and schedules. This can translate to a positive culture of mutual trust and accountability. Plus, when workers have fewer organic opportunities to connect with their team members in person, they may be more engaged with team-building activities that foster connection.

There are also challenges to remote work that can impact culture. For example, distance and differing schedules can cause misalignment and miscommunication.

Additionally, with the line between home and work blurred, workers may end up working long hours and have difficulty taking breaks and signing off at the end of the day or on weekends. This can create an unhealthy burnout culture that stretches your team thin and makes employees feel like they have to be available to each other at all times of day or night.

Understanding these pros and cons of remote work and how they can impact your culture can help you strategically develop your remote culture.

5 culture-boosting remote working tools

Technology is your friend when it comes to remote work. And fortunately, there are tons of options and solutions to help remote teams stay connected and productive from anywhere.

Focus on remote working tools that streamline communication, enable collaboration, and reduce friction for workers—whether that’s tracking work assignments or following up with coworkers.

• Zoom helps teams build connection with face-to-face interaction. Features like breakout rooms and screen sharing make it easy for teams to collaborate. Real-time human interaction is great for participating in team-building activities like virtual happy hours.
• Slack is a good option for keeping team communication clear and fun—from tracking work and checking in to fostering team connection with water-cooler chats and sub-channels for special interests.
• Lucidspark is a virtual collaboration tool that makes it easy for teams to communicate and brainstorm in real-time (or asynchronously). The infinite whiteboard is your canvas for sharing ideas, sketching projects, and planning work. Use it for work or play to promote team connection and streamline communication and collaboration from afar.
• Blink is a remote work management app that optimizes mobile employee experiences. It includes features like calendar management, discussion boards, and a newsfeed—making it easy for employees to stay connected on the go.
• Quantum Workplace takes the guesswork out of remote employee engagement with intuitive performance management solutions, intelligent data analysis, and integrated feedback, recognition, and survey tools so employees and leaders can stay connected, aligned, and on track.

4 strategies for building a remote work culture

You know culture is important. But how can you actually build a remote work culture if your employees aren’t physically together? Here are 4 strategies to get started:

1. Find out what your employees think.

To build a strong culture, you first need to understand what your current culture is and how your employees experience it. The easiest way to do this is to ask!

Send out an employee survey with questions and ranking statements like:

• I believe in the work that we do.
• I understand and support our organization’s mission and vision.
• I like the culture of this organization.
• Our culture supports the mission and vision of the organization.
• The leaders of the organization contribute to the positive culture of this organization.
• We have a culture of (recognition, feedback, transparency, etc.).

A culture survey can give you insights into what is working well and opportunities to improve so you can target your culture-building efforts strategically.

2. Make culture part of your strategy.

If you don’t have a plan, you’re not going to achieve the results you hope for. And this applies to company culture too. Culture is built with intention, so include remote work as part of your overall organizational and engagement strategy.

By prioritizing culture and approaching engagement, you can better address barriers to remote work and ensure your talent initiatives align with the culture you’re trying to create.

3. Promote activities that build connection.

Working remotely doesn’t mean you can’t feel close to your team. Make time for activities other than work communication to foster team connection remotely .

This can be as simple as taking 5 minutes at the beginning of your weekly team meetings to share about your weekends or scheduling virtual team breaks together to get to know each other. Small steps like these go a long way towards creating a welcoming, inclusive, and positive hybrid team.

4. Recognize achievement.

People want to know that they matter—and this doesn’t change when they work outside the office. But working remotely can make it easy for employee contributions to go unnoticed. Don’t let that happen.

Make employee recognition an integral part of your remote work culture and engagement strategy. Show appreciation for achievements big and small, both publicly and privately, so your employees know their work is valued.

A positive remote work culture won’t happen overnight. Create a plan and work on cultivating a strong culture for the long run.

Engaging employees from afar will look different than some of your go-to in-office initiatives. However, there are overlapping strategies and many shared principles.

Just like your in-house employees, remote workers want to feel part of the company culture and team. They want to know their work is valued and that their contributions matter. And they want to see a future at the company that allows them to grow and develop.

Of course, meeting these needs and expectations can be tricky when you’re not all gathered in a shared office. Below are a few ideas for keeping your remote employees engaged from day one.

Remote work and employee engagement

Despite the many advantages and benefits of remote work, employee engagement isn’t a given. Engaging remote employees will require strategic efforts and ongoing evaluation.

In other words, it’s not enough to throw in virtual happy hours or remote perks. Real, lasting engagement goes deeper than that. It’s about knowing what your employees need and want and making sure your culture, processes, and policies support them.

12 employee engagement ideas for remote workers

Engaging remote employees isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. You’ll need a multi-pronged strategy to meet your employees where they are and ensure they have the tools and support they need to stay engaged long-term.

Here are 12 engagement ideas for remote workers :

• Stay connected through technology
• Show appreciation and recognition for their contributions
• Prioritize team building
• Give employees the right tools and resources
• Set clear expectations
• Streamline communication processes
• Ask for and give constructive feedback
• Keep workers in the loop on company news and changes
• Be flexible and empathetic
• Implement a clear onboarding process
• Hold regular team meetings
• Check in for consistent one-on-ones

Building an engaged remote team is an ongoing process. Keep these tips in mind when crafting your strategy for engaging remote employees.

Surveys play a crucial role in understanding your remote employees’ needs, preferences, and unique challenges.

In addition to regular one-on-one meetings and team check-ins, pulse surveys help leaders “get a pulse” of their remote teams to see how things are going. They give people leaders valuable insight into what’s working and what’s not, and help identify gaps or opportunities in performance and engagement initiatives.

Pulse surveys are short, focused questionnaires, typically just 5-15 questions on a given topic. A remote work survey could focus on:

• Remote work effectiveness
• Remote work planning
• Workplace reopening or return to work
• Work-from-home lessons learned
• Remote team culture
• Remote team communication

Pick a focus for your survey and craft questions around that theme. Remote work survey questions might include:

• I feel supported by my manager when working from home.
• I feel connected to my team when working from home.
• I feel informed about the organization’s goals and priorities when working from home.
• Please explain your ideal work environment (hybrid, remote, at the office) and why.
• My team has the tools and resources needed to support remote work.
• I can effectively coach my team members when they work remotely.
• To manage a remote team, what tools, resources, or training do you need to be effective?

Pulse surveys not only allow you to get feedback on a specific topic, but they also allow you to target specific groups or teams of employees so you can take strategic localized action.

Onboarding plays a fundamental role in engaging your remote employees and setting them up for long-term success with your company.

According to SHRM, employee turnover can be as high as 50% in the first 18 months of employment. That’s a huge cost for companies who have invested time and money to hire and train new recruits. But building a strong onboarding program can help reduce turnover and give remote employees the tools and support they need to do well—and want to stick around.

The next logical question, of course, is how do you onboard new employees when you’re remote? Here are few things to consider:

1. Prepare their set-up.

Since remote employees aren’t coming into your office, they won’t necessarily come equipped with all the tools they need to be successful. Before they even start work, make sure they have what they need to get started, such as Wi-Fi capacity, user logins, and access, conferencing tools. You might even include a stipend for workers to use to set up their own work-from-home office and desk station.

2. Convert onboarding materials for virtual learning.

This includes any organizational charts, company benefits packages, training manuals, contracts, employee handbooks, etc. Make sure they have permission to access these documents and walk through them with your employee so they understand how to find the information they need.

3. Make introductions.

During the first week, set up virtual introductory calls with team members and other leaders to help them get to know who they will be working with and start building those relationships from the beginning.

The main goal is to make sure your remote hires feel welcomed, supported, and included from day one. Don’t drop them in and let them sink or swim.

Give them the tools they need to succeed and regularly check-in and check up on them to see how they are adjusting, identify any challenges they may be facing, answer questions, and create opportunities for coaching and long-term development. These are the building blocks of engaged and productive employees no matter where they do their work.

One of the biggest fears and challenges for remote managers is how to lead their teams from afar . Keeping track of performance and building a strong team culture can feel daunting when you’re not all in an office together.

But ultimately, managing people remotely relies on many of the same leadership principles as in-house management.

People want to be trusted to do their work, they want to be recognized for their contributions and feel a sense of purpose in their work, and they want regular feedback so they can continue to grow and develop.

When leaders understand these core values and needs, they can better manage their teams no matter where they’re located.

4 tips for managing team dynamics while remote

Of course, the dynamics of a remote team are different from an in-house team. When people aren’t sharing an office space, they don’t have the same opportunities for connection, communication, or collaboration.

In other words, how, where, and when they work will look different from in-house employees (and maybe even from each other if they are on flexible schedules or different time zones).

That’s why remote managers need to pay special attention to managing and promoting positive remote team dynamics.

1. Prioritize clear and consistent communication.

We’ve said it before, but it’s worth saying again. The number one way to effectively manage remote teams is to prioritize effective communication.

Make sure you have clear processes in place for how and when your team will communicate with each other. This will streamline your workflows, build trust, and ensure accountability across the board.

2. Build trust and connection.

People need to trust each other in order to do good work. Foster trust and connection through honest communication, feedback, and team-building exercises. Work with your team to establish clear expectations and boundaries so everyone is on the same page and can take ownership of their work.

3. Explore new ways to collaborate.

Collaboration traditionally looks like everyone in a room brainstorming and meeting together. With remote teams, collaborating must happen virtually. Experiment with different tools and strategies for collaboration.

Collaboration can happen in real-time with meeting tools like Zoom or Lucidspark, but it can also happen asynchronously—with team members contributing to the conversation at different times of the day or week and following up on the work later. Try different tools and channels to see what works for your specific team based on workflows, goals, preferences, and personalities.

4. Run effective meetings.

Meetings are your most expensive management tool. Make sure you’re getting value out of them by running effective virtual meetings —whether those are one-on-ones, group collaboration sessions, or team meetings.

Plan out regular meetings ahead of time on the calendar so everyone knows when they need to be available. Send out agendas so everyone is prepared. And choose and use your communication tools wisely—remember that sometimes simple is better, and not all shiny features are necessary for leading a productive, focused meeting.

4 remote work team building ideas

Don’t let physical distance create emotional distance between your team members. Take time to intentionally build connections among your employees and cultivate a cohesive, remote team.

Remote team building doesn’t have to be complicated either. Here are a few simple ways to get the ball rolling.

1. Get-to-know-you games.

People work better together when they know and trust one another. Break the ice and help your employees build stronger relationships with easy but fun get-to-know-you games that spark conversation like:

• Match the fact to the person
• Would you rather
• 2 truths and a lie

Just remember to keep it PG.

2. Office trivia.

Collect facts and trivia about people on your team (and even the company in general) and see how well you each know your coworkers. This is a fun way to learn more about each other and build team spirit with some healthy, low-stakes competition.

3. Team retreats.

Annual team or company retreats are a great way to bring people together in person for some deeper team bonding. If your company can afford to, set aside a weekend for a casual retreat to strengthen team connections and company culture and make shared memories.

4. Virtual happy hours.

Sometimes work breaks and meetings are too stuffy for people to open up and connect more genuinely. Virtual happy hours are a fun way to wind down at the end of the day and enjoy more casual conversation and company. You can host them on Zoom and invite the team to make their own drinks at home—bonus if they share their favorite recipes!

No matter where your employees are, managers are tasked with helping them do their jobs successfully. But managing employee performance remotely can be daunting. Here are a few ways to keep performance on track.

1. Stay connected with regular one-on-one meetings.

One-on-ones are a crucial tool in the remote manager’s toolbox. When your team is remote, you don’t have the same opportunities to connect with your team organically—from popping over to their desk for a quick chat to catching up in the break room.

This means dedicated check-ins are even more critical to building trusted relationships with your remote employees and taking the pulse on their work performance.

Stay connected and involved with regularly scheduled one-on-one meetings —we recommend at least once a month, but for remote teams, more frequent check-ins can be especially beneficial. This not only allows you to monitor and support individual employees’ performance, but it also gives you a clearer picture of the entire team’s performance so nothing falls through the cracks.

2. Align hybrid and remote teams with strategic goals.

When your teams are distributed, it’s easy for the right hand to be ignorant of what the left hand is doing. Misalignment can lead to missed deadlines, unclear accountabilities, miscommunication, and lower quality customer service across the organization.

That’s why it’s important to align teams on strategic goals . When your teams are working together towards a shared purpose, this drives performance and accountability and makes it easier for leaders and their teams to prioritize their work and communicate from a place of unity.

3. Show employees your appreciation and support with recognition.

In the office or at home, employee recognition remains a key driver of employee engagement and performance. When employees are remote, it can be easy to feel disconnected or even invisible to the rest of the team or organization—especially if your workforce has a hybrid mix of in-office and at-home employees. That’s why it’s crucial to build employee recognition into your team culture.

There are several types of recognition:

• Peer-to-peer recognition
• Manager-to-employee recognition
• Anonymous recognition
• Private recognition
• Public recognition

Incorporating all of them into your recognition strategy based on employee preferences will ensure you meet the needs of your team and recognize employees in the ways that are most meaningful to them. As you recognize your remote workers, you will build their confidence, motivation, and sense of purpose and direction resulting in better performance and stronger engagement.

4. Boost trust and encourage development with performance feedback.

Employees can’t improve if they don’t know what to work on. That’s why feedback is so important. Make sure feedback is:

• Timely 
• Constructive

Cultivate a feedback culture that goes both ways—top-down and bottom-up so that both employees and leaders have a chance to give and receive constructive input.

Ask for feedback during one-on-ones, team meetings, and through surveys to get insight on how your team members are feeling and identify ways you or the company can improve.

Regular, constructive feedback from managers, coaches, and peers can help remote employees understand what is expected, identify areas for improvement, and better align their efforts with the overall goals of the team and organization.

Professional development is a key driver of employee engagement—whether they’re in the office or remote. Professional development helps employees feel a greater sense of purpose and direction, increased motivation and sets employees up for successful long-term careers with your company.

But you can’t take professional development for granted. Developing your remote employees requires strategic planning, honest communication, and consistency.

Here are a few best practices to prioritize and optimize remote employee development :

• Find out what your remote employees want and expect for their future and have honest conversations about how to help them achieve their goals.
• Use one-on-ones to identify opportunities for growth, ensure they have the tools and resources they need to succeed and coach them on ways to improve.
• Invest in virtual learning resources and programs for remote employees to access from anywhere. This can include a free digital library of resources, access to company subscriptions for online learning platforms, and regular virtual company training, webinars, and lunch n’ learns.
• Consider building a remote mentorship program, pairing senior employees with newer or early-career team members. This will not only help employees progress in their careers but also build a strong connected culture among your teams and organization.

When employees aren’t sharing a workspace together, it takes extra effort to ensure teams feel connected and build a strong culture of trust.

Steps both large and small can add up to make a big difference—from holding regular virtual team meetings and communicating via video and Slack channels for personalities to shine through to implementing organization-wide policies that promote connection , inclusion, and wellbeing.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Employees who feel included and fairly treated are more likely to stick around and will have an easier time connecting with their coworkers. Luckily, remote work expands an organization’s opportunities to embrace diversity and inclusion because the talent pool is no longer limited to a specific location.

Instead, hiring managers can look outside the immediate area surrounding the office to recruit workers from a diverse range of locations, backgrounds, experiences, and identities—all of which can bring new perspectives, improve the culture of your organization, and create an inclusive environment for people to do their best work.

Additionally, remote work also makes it easier for people with disabilities or workers who need more flexible schedules (like caregivers), to pursue and succeed in full-time employment.

Understanding this, companies can build more inclusive and equitable remote work policies that attract and retain top talent from anywhere in the world. From opening up the interview process to remote video interviews to allowing flexible schedules for remote employees, remote-friendly policies can transform and empower your business to include and value employees no matter where they’re from or how and where they work.

Remote worker wellbeing.

Burnout is a real risk for both in-house and remote workers. Although remote workers tend to report having a better work-life balance as a result of greater flexibility (including time to visit the doctor), lack of a grueling commute, and more time to exercise and get outside, remote workers also tend to work more hours than their office counterparts and are less likely to take time off .

This means leaders need to be extra conscious of how their remote teams are doing and take proactive steps to promote employee wellbeing .

• Setting a "no-emails-after-6PM" policy
• Instituting a "no-work-on-weekends" policy to ensure employees get weekend breaks
• Checking in regularly with employees to see how they’re doing and make sure they aren’t overworked
• Educating yourself on the signs of burnout and looking for early warning signs on your team
• Allowing greater schedule flexibility so workers can manage their time in a way that works best for them
• Providing generous employee benefits including health and PTO so employees can prioritize their wellbeing

Building remote worker wellbeing into your policies and work culture will not only result in happier, healthier employees, but also reward you with a stronger culture, and a more productive and engaged workforce.

A bright, remote future

Whether full-time or hybrid, for many organizations remote work is here to stay. And as employees increasingly expect and demand flexibility and remote options, leaders will need to adapt to a new normal for managing remote teams.

Luckily, with the right technology and employee engagement solutions, managing remote workers can be just as rewarding—and productive—as managing an in-house team. Learn how to manage your remote teams and lead the way (remotely). Explore our solutions page for more information below.

Published May 27, 2021 | Written By Jocelyn Stange

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Productivity, Business and Life

How to Set up Your Business for Remote Working and Let Your Team Work Remotely

Remote working and virtual teams are in .

Employees are demanding it.

Employers are starting to see the benefits of it.

And with the recent COVID-19 outbreak, it helps everyone stay safe as we make our way through this crisis.

Remote working is not for everyone, but a lot of companies, or parts of companies, can do it.

For a lot of business owners, it isn’t immediately obvious how they can set up remote working arrangements for their staff.

As someone who recently transitioned a four-office thirty-something-person organisation over to remote working, here’s exactly how you go about it.

Table of Contents

Who Is Remote Working For?

I’ve written this guide specifically for business owners.

If you are an employee looking to make the most out of your existing remote working arrangement, head on over here for how to stay productive while working remotely .

Almost any non-storefront small or medium-sized business can set up remote working for their employees.

In particular, this is great for:

• Any service business based on knowledge work. 1 Almost all of which is done on computer nowadays. 2 With the exception being if you really have to be on client site.
• Any online business apart from the physical inventory side.
• Any business where most of the work is done on computer.

Some common examples of businesses that can implement remote working include:

• Professionals of any sort.
• Tutors and teachers of any sort.
• Coaches except for in-person trainers. 3 That being said, there are plenty of online personal trainers nowadays.
• Consultants of any sort.
• Ecommerce store owners who outsource their fulfilment.
• Development teams.

Businesses with storefronts or the need to see clients face-to-face can usually set up their back offices for remote working.

Why Should I Bother With Remote Working? What Are My Benefits as a Business Owner?

1. health issues: covid-19.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room: COVID-19.

If things go bad, you want your employees safe, happy, healthy and productive at home… not at-risk on public transport or in the office.

You also want them to continue working and producing, rather than just taking the time off .

With that out of the way, let’s look at some of the other benefits.

2. Benefits for your team

Your team will greatly benefit from remote working arrangements.

Now before you say “But that’s for them, not me” remember – when you have happy employees, they are more productive and this is better for the business.

How does remote working benefit your employees?

• They don’t have to commute, saving time and sanity for both them and you. 4 It’s also good for the environment.
• Remote working provides a higher degree of autonomy. Studies have shown that more work autonomy can lead to higher levels of job satisfaction, performance and creativity.

There is a bit of a magical effect that takes place when staff are able to work from home for the first time. It’s like the training wheels on their productivity have been removed, and they become incredibly efficient and productive.

3. Uncover the Slackers

One of the interesting things that happens with remote working arrangements, is you very quickly discover who has been slacking off at the office.

When you can’t use “sitting at their desk” as an indicator that someone is working, the only thing you can gauge productivity and performance on is results .

What you will find, is that some of your employees just don’t produce .

By setting up remote working arrangements, you uncover drop kick workers who needed to be replaced long ago.

4. Hire the best people

If your business can run with a virtual team of people in your own city, then why can’t your team consist of people from anywhere in the world?

Well, it can.

When you have the infrastructure and systems in place that allow for remote working, you can hire people from anywhere in the world .

This means you can hire the best consultants, the best designers, the best anything… no matter where they live and work. 5 You’ll also discover how truly convoluted your local employment and taxation laws are as well.

5. Your employees will work longer hours

Wait, what?

That’s right. Your employees will work longer hours.

One of the interesting things about remote working arrangements is that work-and-life tends to blur together for employees. 6 And they will finally know what it feels like to be a business owner 😈.

Most of them end up putting in more hours and producing more output when they’re able to work from home.

6. Modernisation of business systems

In the process of setting up remote working arrangements, you will be forced to update any antiquated systems and processes.

File folders, fax machines, landlines and file servers… will all go .

They will be replaced by faster, cheaper and more agile technologies and platforms that are today’s best practices and you will see your business’ output skyrocket as a result.

7. Lower overhead and costs

After an initial setup expense, letting your team work remotely can actually lower your costs.

You can reduce commercial lease costs by having a smaller or less expensive office.

You will also lower other fixed costs, as your employees will pay for their own heating/air-conditioning and Internet costs at home.

I have mentioned that because your team can work from anywhere, you can hire people from anywhere. You will discover that you can tap into better talent at a lower wage cost simply because they don’t live in your particular city.

You will also be surprised at how many staff will take less pay in return for flexibility in their schedule and remote working arrangements.

8. Benefits of remote working for you

When your entire team is remote, you (as the business owner) also get to be remote.

This means that you don’t have to micromanage your staff anymore, as work will become results-based.

You’ll free up your own schedule as well, and can put the extra time towards family/freedom/whatever you want.

Most business owners will actually discover that they can do everything in half the time every week , and wonder what they were doing for all those years.

How To Set Up Remote Working In Your Business

Now that you know why you are letting your team work remotely, let’s look at how to set it all up .

1. Handle your inner game as a business owner

The first part of setting up your business for remote working is to handle your own inner game (mindset) as a business owner.

You need to make a clear decision that this is what you want to do and that while it will work… there may be a couple of hiccups along the way, and that’s OK.

Once you have done that, you need to learn to trust your staff .

“But wait Aaron, I already trust my staff.”

OK then: do you feel the need to monitor your staff while they work from home?

If you answered no, then you’re all good – jump ahead to the next section .

If you answered yes, you have some work to do.

By far the most common comment I get from clients setting up remote teams is “But I don’t have a system for monitoring my staff”. 7 I especially hear this a lot from Asian business owners.

You don’t need to monitor your staff.

Your staff are supposed to be responsible adults. You are supposed to assess their work, not the number of hours they sit in a chair.

You need to trust them to do their work, and be prepared to take action if they don’t deliver.

Another way to look at it is this:

A good worker is a good worker, regardless of if they are remote or not.

If an employee goes remote and after an initial adjustment period their work performance remains low… that means that they were not a good worker to begin with, and should have been let go long ago.

2. Set up your infrastructure and systems for working remotely

Onto the fun part, your systems and infrastructure .

Your business needs to be paperless or at least have everything in digital duplicate for this to work well.

You want to have as many of your systems in the cloud as possible , including:

• Workflow/CRM.
• Project/task management.
• Email, contacts, calendars .
• Time tracking for client work.

You want to have solid communication tools set up, including:

• Team chat, for example, Slack .
• Phones for team members that need them. 8 For team members who don’t need an office number, they have their personal phones.
• Video conferencing technologies like Zoom .

You will also need to have your workforce on laptops as much as possible. You can also let some of them use their home computers, or let them take a machine home from the office. 9 Be sure to check your security, legislative and insurance requirements first.

3. Set up a hierarchy of communication

See my guide to the Business Hierarchy of Communication .

It covers what messages are to be sent over what mediums (calls, DMs, emails etc) and more importantly, why.

4. Set up your team alignment for remote working

Hopefully you have your company’s strategic plan in place already.

From this you will also have a suitable meeting rhythm set up so that you can align everyone to the company’s priorities on a regular basis .

If you don’t, then at the very minimum you should have a system of daily huddles/standups or written daily updates.

A daily huddle/standup is a brief daily call that aligns your team for the day.

Daily updates are a quick note that each staff member writes in your corporate wiki that lists:

• Their tasks.
• Who they need to get in touch with.

Daily updates are great for accountability and force team members to solidify what they are doing each day by writing it down.

5. Implement remote working with your team

When all the above is in place, you need to have an in-person conversation with your team and explain the ground rules to them .

You may wish to start with a couple of trusted staff members first, and see how well they adapt.

It needs to be made clear that this is a trial arrangement and that remote working is a privilege, not a right . Not following any of the rules is grounds for dismissal. 10 Disclaimer: This is not legal advice. Check with your lawyer for local employment laws.

Here are some things I recommend all business owners explain and expect of their staff:

• There may be some set overlap hours, where everyone is expected to be working and online at the same time. This is to facilitate meetings , calls and workflow.
• Outside those hours, working hours are flexible. You won’t be monitoring employees anyway, so it shouldn’t really matter what hours they are working.
• Work must get done. No exceptions.
• Messages must be answered promptly during normal business hours. No exceptions.
• If they have to come to the office, they must be on time and there is to be no fuss.
• If a call has been scheduled where multiple people are dialling in, everyone must be on time .
• A certain amount of flexibility is to be given by both the business and employees, because sometimes business and life are complicated, and things happen.
• Everything must be written down in the CRM/task management system. If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen.
• They’re welcome to come to the office whenever they want as per normal if that’s what they prefer.
• What people write and how they write it is super important. Tonality and meaning can get muddled over text. To avoid any misunderstandings, it is better to err on the side of being explicit.
• Read my article on how to remain productive while working remotely from home .

Common Concerns With Remote Working

Here are the most common concerns that business owners have with remote working arrangements.

How do we see clients?

As mentioned, businesses that still have to see clients face-to-face can at least set up their back offices to be remote.

Or they can have remote working arrangements where staff only come into the office for client meetings.

Remote working is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You can maintain perhaps a smaller office for client meetings and spend the majority of time working remotely.

I think most business owners will also find it surprising just how many clients are comfortable with talking over a video call nowadays.

How do I know my employees are working?

Go back and read this section .

This is all in your head.

Any kind of monitoring system or always-on video system is just plain silly. 11 I won’t name and shame the companies that make these apps and systems.

The amazing thing about remote working is that work either gets done or it doesn’t.

If it gets done, people are working.

If it doesn’t get done, people are not working.

There is no hiding behind excuses of “Oh I got caught up in client calls all day” or “I had so many admin tasks today”.

As a business owner you care about the value that your team produces, not how many hours they sit in an office chair under fluorescent lights.

It used to be that companies going remote would consider that some staff do well under remote working arrangements and some don’t, but that isn’t the case anymore.

Let’s be honest – if someone needs someone else to look over their shoulder in order for them to work , you don’t want that person working for you.

The employment market is now competitive enough that you don’t have to accommodate people like this. 12 Plus you know, you can now hire people from anywhere in the world.

The fact that you are reading this article means you are a business owner who is looking to improve things for both your team and your customers.

Businesses like this are rare, and pretty awesome. You should not have to accommodate staff who don’t produce when not micromanaged.

How can we communicate quickly if we can’t talk in person?

Set up a proper hierarchy of communication and your staff will be just as accessible as they were in the office.

Isn’t all the equipment needed for this expensive?

There will be some initial expenditure, mostly in the form of laptops and phones and perhaps software if you aren’t already set up for that.

All these things represent the direction that business technology is headed in anyway, and are items you would have had to upgrade to eventually.

What about offices in different timezones or locations?

Different locations and timezones is actually less of a problem with remote working arrangements.

This is because people working from home end up working all sorts of strange hours and you usually end up with more overlap than with everyone at singular offices.

The best thing to do is to agree on some standard overlap hours between timezones if it’s required.

Does this mean I have to give everyone unlimited vacation days?

No, this is entirely up to you.

Some companies offer unlimited vacation days and I think it’s good practice, but it has nothing to do with working remote.

What To Do Next

This guide has given you enough starting points to implement remote working arrangements in your business.

You can read more about essential apps for remote work here , how remote working differs from a traditional office here , and share this work from home guide with your team here .

• Almost all of which is done on computer nowadays.
• With the exception being if you really have to be on client site.
• That being said, there are plenty of online personal trainers nowadays.
• It’s also good for the environment.
• Saragih, S. (2011). The Effects of Job Autonomy on Work Outcomes: Self Efficacy as an Intervening Variable. International Research Journal of Business Studies, 4, 203-215. doi:10.21632/irjbs.4.3.203-215
• Sia, S. K. & Appu, A. (2015). Work Autonomy and Workplace Creativity: Moderating Role of Task Complexity. Global Business Review, 16, 772-784. doi:10.1177/0972150915591435
• You’ll also discover how truly convoluted your local employment and taxation laws are as well.
• And they will finally know what it feels like to be a business owner 😈.
• I especially hear this a lot from Asian business owners.
• For team members who don’t need an office number, they have their personal phones.
• Be sure to check your security, legislative and insurance requirements first.
• Disclaimer: This is not legal advice. Check with your lawyer for local employment laws.
• I won’t name and shame the companies that make these apps and systems.
• Plus you know, you can now hire people from anywhere in the world.

Photos by KAL VISUALS and Allie Smith .

Unlock Success with These Remote Business Ideas

By Rad Aswani • February 6, 2024

Are you ready to unlock the door to success in the world of remote business ideas? The digital age brings a plethora of opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to create thriving remote businesses. In this blog post, we will explore various remote business ideas, overcome common challenges, and provide expert guidance on launching and managing your remote venture.

Key takeaways

• Discover profitable remote business ideas and take advantage of ecommerce opportunities, online services & consulting, digital content creation & education/training .
• Overcome challenges with effective communication & collaboration tools for secure data protection and successful employee management.
• Utilize Kumospace to build a strong online presence, develop a solid business plan and access expert guidance for ongoing support.

Discovering profitable remote business ideas

The scope of remote business ideas in the current digital era is immense. With just an internet connection, you can create a successful online business that allows you to work from anywhere in the world. Some unique online business ideas include:

• Social media management
• Virtual assistant services
• Online coaching or consulting
• Digital marketing agency

These ideas are transforming the way people work and live, providing flexibility and freedom in their careers.

Identifying profitable niches through market research allows you to match your interests and expertise with a suitable remote business idea. Some examples of remote business ideas include:

• Web design agencies
• Affiliate marketing
• E-commerce stores

The key to success is to find a business idea that resonates with your passions and expertise, ultimately leading you to start your own business.

Ecommerce opportunities

Ecommerce has become a driving force in the digital landscape, propelled by the convenience of online shopping and an ever-growing consumer base. With low startup costs and the flexibility to work from anywhere, ecommerce presents a lucrative opportunity for remote entrepreneurs.

Etsy and Amazon , successful ecommerce platforms, exemplify how innovative online business concepts can accelerate business expansion. From selling t-shirts through Printful and Shopify to launching a dropshipping business, there’s an abundance of ecommerce opportunities waiting to be explored. Establishing an efficient online store is achievable with a robust marketing strategy and a simplified shipping process.

Online services and consulting

Remote businesses that offer online services and consulting can leverage their expertise to provide valuable services to clients worldwide. Some examples of services that remote entrepreneurs can offer include:

• Proofreading
• Graphic design
• Website development
• Translation services

Countless opportunities exist for remote entrepreneurs to share their skills and knowledge.

Online services and consulting businesses offer significant advantages, including location independence and the ability to collaborate with clients worldwide. Offering specialized services, be it financial planning, remote tech support, or voiceover work, allows you to build a fully remote business that complements your unique skills and expertise, making it a successful remote business.

Digital content creation

Digital content creation is a growing market for remote businesses, with opportunities ranging from:

• Video production
• Copywriting

By crafting captivating and high-quality material for online platforms, you can attract and retain customers, boosting your remote business’s success.

Monetizing your digital content creation can take many forms , such as selling online courses, e-books, or webinars. By choosing a niche that aligns with your interests and talents, you can position yourself as a thought leader and expand your reach in the digital content creation industry.

Online education and training

Sharing your expertise through online education and training platforms presents a fantastic opportunity for remote entrepreneurs. From creating and selling online courses to offering online tutoring sessions, you can reach a global audience and make a genuine impact on people’s lives.

Coursera , Udemy , and LinkedIn Learning are online platforms that demonstrate the potential success within the online education industry. Using tools such as Kumospace, Zoom, and Skype for online tutoring enables easy connection with students worldwide, thereby fostering the growth of your remote business.

Niche markets and specialized services

A focus on niche markets and specialized services distinguishes your remote business and addresses specific customer needs. By discovering a business niche, you can differentiate your brand from competitors and establish credibility within your target market.

Examples of niche market e-commerce retail include ethical fashion, cryptocurrency trading, and 3D-printed products. Remote businesses can also offer specialized services such as Kickstarter advising and podcasting , showcasing the vast array of opportunities available in niche markets.

Overcoming challenges in remote businesses

Despite the undeniable benefits of remote business, challenges such as communication, security, and employee management may arise. By addressing these challenges head-on, you can successfully navigate the world of remote business and create a thriving enterprise.

The upcoming sections will address these challenges and provide effective strategies to ensure the success of your remote business. From communication and collaboration to data protection and employee management, we’ll guide you through the process of tackling these obstacles and emerging stronger than ever.

Communication and collaboration

The success of remote businesses largely depends on effective communication and collaboration . Establishing clear communication rules and utilizing online communication tools can greatly enhance team efficiency and productivity.

Kumospace , a virtual workspace where team members can interact and collaborate, is a valuable tool for remote businesses. With convenient communication features like video conferencing, instant messaging chats, and real-time communication channels, Kumospace allows remote teams to stay connected and productive, no matter where they are located.

Security and data protection

For remote business owners, data protection and a secure virtual workspace are of paramount importance. Implementing security measures such as secure networks, data encryption, and access control can help protect your business from potential risks.

In addition to these security measures, utilizing tools and software specifically designed for remote businesses can further enhance data protection. Some examples include:

• Kumospace : includes virtual office and spatial audio features to ensure seamless communication and collaboration
• Slack : offers instant messaging features
• Zoom : provides basic video conferencing capabilities
• LastPass : helps with password management
• Wire : offers secure communication options

By using these tools, you can ensure that your remote business remains protected.

Employee management and performance tracking

When managing remote employees, it’s important to understand that their management necessitates an approach distinct from that of traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. By implementing remote team management strategies and tracking employee performance, you can ensure smooth operations and maintain employee satisfaction.

Tools that can greatly improve communication, collaboration, and productivity within remote teams include:

By providing employees with the right tools and resources, you can effectively manage your remote team and foster a positive work environment.

Adapting to a remote work environment

The success of your remote business hinges on creating a supportive and flexible remote work environment . By establishing clear expectations and providing employees with the necessary tools and resources, you can foster a positive remote work culture and ensure employee satisfaction.

In addition to providing resources, encouraging open communication and teamwork can help remote employees feel more connected and engaged in their work. By embracing the unique aspects of remote work, you can create a supportive company culture that promotes productivity and employee well-being.

Launching and managing your remote business

Launching and managing a remote business necessitates a solid foundation and effective strategies for success. From developing a comprehensive business plan to building a strong online presence and effectively managing remote teams , the following subsections will guide you through the process of launching and managing your remote business.

By addressing legal and financial considerations, you can ensure compliance and stability within your remote business. With the right tools and knowledge, you can confidently navigate the world of remote entrepreneurship and achieve lasting success.

Developing a solid business plan

The success of any remote business relies on a comprehensive business plan. By addressing the unique aspects of remote businesses, such as managing remote teams and utilizing remote communication tools, your business plan can provide a roadmap for success in the remote work environment.

In addition to outlining the necessary software, hardware, and infrastructure needed to support remote work, a remote business plan should emphasize:

• Work-life balance for remote employees
• Creating a supportive and inclusive remote work culture
• Establishing clear communication channels and expectations
• Providing opportunities for professional development and growth
• Implementing effective remote team collaboration tools and strategies

By creating a business plan that takes into account the unique opportunities and challenges presented by remote work, you can set the stage for a thriving remote business with a solid business model and achieve faster business growth.

Building a strong online presence

In the current digital era, a strong online presence is vital to the success of your remote business. By creating a professional website, engaging in social media marketing, and implementing digital marketing strategies, you can attract potential customers and showcase your brand.

Platforms such as:

• Twitter (X)

are popular for social media marketing, but don’t forget about the importance of app development in creating a strong online presence.

are ideal places to start your social media marketing efforts. By developing a cohesive social media strategy, you can expand your brand reach and foster strong online communities to support your remote business.

Remote team management

Smooth operations and employee satisfaction in your remote business are contingent on effective remote team management . By implementing remote team management strategies such as establishing clear communication channels, setting expectations for remote work, and utilizing remote collaboration tools, you can effectively manage your remote team.

Tools such as Kumospace can greatly enhance communication and collaboration within remote teams. By providing your team with the right tools and resources, you can foster a positive remote work environment and ensure your remote business thrives.

Legal and financial considerations

Ensuring compliance and stability involves addressing legal and financial considerations specific to remote businesses. Some of the legal aspects you’ll need to consider when launching a remote business include:

• Data security
• Employment compliance
• Intellectual property rights

By consulting with a lawyer experienced in remote business operations, you can navigate these legal and financial considerations effectively and confidently. With the proper legal and financial framework in place, your remote business will be well-positioned for success.

Utilizing Kumospace for remote business success

The use of Kumospace can significantly enhance the success of your remote business. As a virtual office that enables teams to collaborate from any location, Kumospace offers expert guidance and ongoing support to help you navigate the challenges and opportunities of remote entrepreneurship.

From networking and collaboration opportunities to expert guidance and strategies, Kumospace provides a wealth of resources to support your remote business. By utilizing Kumospace, you can achieve remote business success and thrive in the digital age.

Networking and Collaboration Opportunities

Kumospace provides exceptional networking and collaboration opportunities via its virtual office and event hosting platform. Remote teams can easily communicate, collaborate, and meet online in a virtual workspace, making it easier than ever to connect with other remote entrepreneurs and professionals.

With features like team chat , virtual office layout , and interactive tools for team meetings and brainstorming sessions , Kumospace allows remote teams to stay connected and collaborate effectively. Embrace the networking and collaboration opportunities provided by Kumospace to expand your remote business’s reach and success.

Access to expert guidance and strategies

Sorry, your browser does not support HTML video.

Kumospace enhances remote communication and collaboration by offering an innovative, interactive virtual space designed to replicate the dynamics of in-person interactions. Its user-friendly interface allows team members to move around virtual rooms, spontaneously join conversations , and participate in group discussions, making it easier to foster a collaborative environment remotely. This platform integrates seamlessly with various tools and provides features such as screen sharing, virtual whiteboards, and customizable environments , supporting diverse teamwork needs. By bridging the gap between physical and virtual collaboration, Kumospace enables teams to effectively share ideas, brainstorm, and work together on projects, leading to the generation and refinement of groundbreaking business ideas. Through its immersive experience, Kumospace empowers companies to maintain a strong sense of community and engagement among remote teams, paving the way for creativity and innovation to flourish.

Ongoing support and resources

Kumospace continually offers support and resources that bolster remote business owners. From offering a virtual workspace that enhances team collaboration and culture to providing guides for preparing teams for a virtual office, Kumospace has you covered.

By taking advantage of the support and resources provided by Kumospace, you can ensure that your remote business remains competitive and successful in the digital age. Embrace the power of Kumospace to help your remote business reach new heights.

In conclusion, the world of remote business ideas is full of untapped potential and exciting opportunities. By identifying profitable niches, overcoming challenges , and leveraging tools like Kumospace, you can successfully launch and manage your remote business. Embrace the power of remote entrepreneurship and unlock the door to success in the digital age.

Frequently asked questions

What business can i run remotely  .

With remote business ideas such as working and travelling, you can easily run a successful business remotely. There are plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurs to explore!

How to start a business remotely?  

Starting a business remotely requires careful planning and preparation. From registering a virtual business address and developing a remote work policy to determining the necessary remote tools, it's crucial to follow the best practices of running a fully remote business.

What is the easiest online business to start?  

Starting a dropshipping business is the easiest way to get an online business up and running. It requires minimal startup costs, has low overhead costs, and allows you to find thousands of products from suppliers to sell online. Additionally, if you're looking for more options, consider starting a blog, becoming an affiliate marketer, or creating an e-commerce store.

What are some unique remote business ideas?  

With the wealth of remote business ideas available, such as ecommerce, social media management, freelancing, online education, and niche markets or specialized services, you can start building an exciting and profitable venture from home.

How can I ensure effective communication and collaboration in my remote business?  

To ensure effective communication and collaboration in your remote business, establish clear communication rules, use online communication tools like Kumospace , and foster a culture of open communication and teamwork.

Transform the way your team works from anywhere.

A virtual office in Kumospace lets teams thrive together by doing their best work no matter where they are geographically.

Rad has over 7 years of experience in Marketing. Currently, she is the fun Digital Marketer at Kumospace. She leads initiatives such as influencer marketing, SEO management, and social media to name a few. Outside of work, Rad enjoys traveling, working out, and spending time with her family and friends.

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How to create a remote work plan (plus free sample template)

Working remotely has become the new normal because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

With so many employees working from home, team managers need a remote work plan or policy to ensure that their employees stay productive.

But how do you create an effective remote work plan?

In this article, we’ll tell you how to build a remote work plan and what to include in it. We’ll also share a free downloadable remote work plan template to help you get started.

This article includes:

(Click on the link to go to a particular section)

• Sample Remote Work Plan Template
• What is a Remote Work Plan?
• How To Create A Remote Work Plan?
• 3 Tips for a Successful Remote Work Plan

Let’s get started.

Sample remote work plan template

(If you want to learn more about remote work plans, you can skip ahead to the relevant section . You can scroll back here once you’re done.)

Here’s a sample remote work policy template that you can use today:

A. Company objectives

This remote work proposal outline has our guidelines for employees who work remotely, i.e., from any place outside our physical office space. The plan is made such that remote work benefits both employees and our remote company.

We aim to provide better job satisfaction and increase employee productivity via our remote work policy and plan.

Remote working (or teleworking) is a permanent or temporary agreement between employees and managers where the former is permitted to work from a non office environment for more than [ xx months ].

Working from home for a maximum of [xx days ] a week on a recurring basis also falls under our plan.

C. Remote working agreement

Employees at [company name] can work remotely on a permanent or temporary basis. 

Employees who want to work remotely must submit a request to the HR team. They will assess and determine eligible employees and send a copy of the remote work agreement. 

To avail of all the remote working benefits, employees will have to sign the agreement. This document will explain the company culture and remote employee roles and duties.

Employees who are new parents or have a disability will have to consult with their manager and the human resources department to get longer periods of remote working.

D. Remote work guidelines

To ensure that employee performance increases due to the remote work arrangement, we advise our remote employees to adhere to these rules:

• Have reliable internet access.
• Work from a distraction-free and quiet home office space.
• Concentrate on work duties during working hours by making a daily and weekly schedule.
• Follow the break and attendance schedules as discussed with your manager.
• Ensure your schedules overlap with in-office team members as it’s necessary to collaborate within a team.
• Remote team members and managers should conduct online or in person meetings to discuss progress and results.

E. Compliance with policies

Our remote workers must also follow other company policies. 

Some of the policies include:

• Employee code of conduct
• Dress code 
• Confidentiality
• Data protection 
• Anti-discrimination
• Compensation and benefits
• Internet and computer usage 
• Cell phone usage, etc.

You will find the above policies within the employee handbook.

F. Equipment

According to our remote work plan we will provide each remote employee with essential equipment, like a laptop, headset, and cell phone. 

We will also install VPN (Virtual Private Network) and company-required software when the team members receive their equipment. As per the policy, we will not provide secondary equipment like printers and screens.

Remote employees will also receive [$xxx] per month as a remote working allowance to cover office-related costs like electricity and rent. 

Disclaimer: This remote work plan is not a valid legal document accounting for the local, state, or federal laws. Neither the author nor Time Doctor will assume any legal liability that may arise from using this sample remote work policy template.

What is a remote work plan?

A remote work plan is a document that makes remote work easy for you and your employees. 

It defines the responsibilities of your remote employee and what the employer expects from them. This document can guide your employees through remote working challenges using the right technology and practical solutions.

How to create a remote work plan?

Your remote work policy and plan should be drafted with your team in mind. A well-written remote work policy can help you develop a successful remote work environment. 

Let’s look at the first steps of building an effective remote work policy or plan:

1. Establish clear rules

Though working from home can lead to increased productivity, the chances of employees slacking off at work are high.

You have to set a few clear guidelines in your remote work polic y to help your team stay focused during work hours.

For example, your coworkers – can log in at different times, which may disturb workflow.

You can avoid this by setting an agreeable time period for all employees to log in. 

This way, they can clock in when their remote team members usually start working and collaborate to work on projects.

2. Elaborate on employee eligibility

Not all employees are eligible to work from home. Some of them may misuse the benefits of working remotely by not logging in on time, not working during work hours, etc.

You must also consider the nature of the job. For example, a real estate agent will have to spend more time on the field than working from home. 

Moreover, before the remote work proposal, you should check whether your employees have:

• Strong communication skills.
• The ability to work without supervision .
• Time management skills.

You should also consider whether they will be punctual during core business hours.

Screen employees by checking their previous attendance records , productivity charts , and overall yearly performance. 

Based on previous data and required soft skills, you can decide whether you can trust them to work sincerely from home.

3. Provide guidance to employees

Your remote work policy and plan should guide your team to work from home. 

They should be able to work remotely such that the workflow, team performance, and customer satisfaction aren’t disturbed.

For example, HR professionals who have to hire employees may find it difficult to work from home as they might not be able to conduct one-on-one meetings. Your remote job plan can recommend online assessments, phone calls, and video calls to conduct the remote hiring process. 

Additionally, consider setting an onboarding process to transition in-house employees into remote workers. You should also educate your team members on the company goals, their job duties, etc. 

4. Suggest the right tools

Employees may require equipment, like additional desktops and Wi-Fi, while working in a remote environment. You may also have to arrange a VPN or internet security software for employees to keep company information secure.

Additionally, you can provide a communication tool like Slack , so your remote workforce can have quick discussions. 

Your plan can also recommend a video conferencing service like Google Chat to build an effective and meaningful work relationship.

And finally, you can use software like Time Doctor to track time when your employee starts and ends working.

What is Time Doctor?

Time Doctor is a powerful employee time tracking and performance management tool used by major companies, like Keller Williams as well as by small businesses like Thrive Market, to boost the productivity of employees working from home.

Time Doctor has several features to help you manage your remote employees . 

With Time Doctor, you can:

• Track the time remote workers spend on each task and project.
• Analyze employee productivity using detailed reports. 
• Use screencasts to ensure your remote employees are actually working. 
• Create work schedules to ensure remote employees log in during work hours.
• Pay your remote employees for the hours they’ve worked with payroll integrations with Paypal , Wise , etc. 

4. Create a remote work schedule

By creating task lists, your employees can plan their flexible schedule around their personal lives – making it easier to manage tasks.

They can create a daily and monthly schedule on Google Calendar to accommodate all their work. For projects, you can use a  project timeline template and give them a schedule so that they can plan their day, week, and month accordingly.

5. Discuss compensation and benefits

You should offer your remote employees bonuses and wellness benefits like you would do with the employees working from a traditional office setting.

Additionally, you could also reimburse any money your remote workers spent on buying work from home essentials like laptops, printers, internet costs, etc. Or you can also come up with an agreement regarding the ownership and payment of devices.

You may also have to increase the number of their FMLA leaves( Family and Medical Leave Act) as they work from home.

6. Be mindful of employee legal rights

Just like your office team, remote workers also have legal rights – such as compensation for overtime. So you can set a limit to their daily working hours (i.e., 5 hours per day) so that you’ll know when they work overtime.

Similarly, you should tell your remote team about how their work will be monitored — as it can be considered a privacy breach if they aren’t informed beforehand. This way, you can prevent your telecommuting employees from feeling discriminated against. 

7. Focus on employee health and wellness

Remote work can be stressful to manage due to distractions, household responsibilities, the distance between the distributed team members, and several other reasons. 

Coworking parents may have to manage household chores, office work, and a child — which can be exhausting. 

Your company policy for remote work should prioritize the health and well-being of employees to make it convenient. You can schedule breaks, have quick chats, and informal team meetings to help boost your team members’ physical and mental health.

Additionally, you should consider setting up some fun group events and activities. 

For example, before your remote workforce starts their morning tasks, you can schedule a virtual 30-minute workout session for the entire team. This way, your employees can feel refreshed and energized when they log in to work.

You can also engage your remote team in casual video calls where they play games, conduct virtual events, and talk about things outside work. 

3 simple tips for a successful remote work plan 

Let’s look at a few actionable steps that you can take to ensure remote work success:

1. Streamline team collaboration

Your remote work policy should address that telecommuting employees may not be able to work as efficiently as before due to communication and distance issues.

You can avoid this by encouraging the use of collaboration tools to manage daily team tasks.

Tools like Trello and Asana allow you to assign tasks, share files, and add comments – making collaborative work super easy.

Additionally, your remote team members can also synchronize their plans by logging in and taking breaks simultaneously.

2. Increase employee engagement

Your remote work practices should keep your employees engaged such that their productivity and team output can increase. 

You can keep your employees engaged while they work from home by:

• Regularly checking up on them.
• Conducting fun virtual meetings like Zoom happy hours .
• Making sure they feel valued by giving them bonuses or rewards.

By increasing employee engagement, you can also improve their job satisfaction and increase retention rates.

Want a foolproof way to increase engagement?

Check out our guide on the best employee engagement software in 2021.

3. Stay empathetic

A remote environment can have many distractions like noisy neighbors, demanding toddlers, etc. — which can make it hard to be a focused work environment. 

That’s why you need to be understanding when they are unable to submit work within the fixed business hours or skip a remote meeting due to valid issues. 

You can connect with them better by talking to them frequently and giving them regular feedback. This can help you create a bond with them, encouraging them to come to you when they need any help or face issues.

Wrapping up

Your company benefits from an employee remote work plan as it leads employees to work efficiently by directing them to focus on work. 

But creating a remote work plan isn’t enough. 

You’ll also need to introduce the right remote work tools like Time Doctor. With Time Doctor, you can easily track your employees’ work and guide them to increase their own productivity.

Sign up for Time Doctor’s 14-day trial to track your remote team’s performance today!

Book a free demo of Time Doctor

Liam Martin is a co-founder of Time Doctor which is software to improve productivity and help keep track and know what your team is working on, even when working from home.

51 must-have software for virtual assistants in 2024

The ultimate guide to timesheet conversion for payroll management, related posts, what a hybrid work policy should include (+ free template), how to create a work from home policy (a guide), a free employee attendance policy template for businesses, free daily timesheet template (excel, pdf, word), free monthly timesheet template (excel, word, pdf), 4 free software development timesheet templates.

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Home Business Ideas: 40 Remote Jobs to Explore in 2022

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Working remotely and starting businesses from home have grown in popularity over the past decade. Currently, in the United States, millions of self-employed individuals have acted upon home business ideas and work regularly from their home.

There are plenty of compelling reasons to want the flexibility that working from home can offer. If a change in lifestyle is what you’re after, then you’ll want to take a close look at your skills and interests to figure out which of the many work-from-home jobs suits you. To help you in your exploration, we’ve gathered this list of 40 of the best home business ideas.

Home business ideas

Any office worker can probably tell you that they've had a daydream about quitting their job and starting their own business. Luckily, in this technological age, this dream can more easily become a reality. If you have a computer and internet connection, there are home business ideas aplenty, including those with low startup costs (if any) and flexibility for stay-at-home parents.

Here are 40 of the best home business ideas to consider:

1. Freelance writer

If you’re a great writer, then you could make a great freelance writer. And best of all, freelance writers work from all over the world. Whether you want to sit in your neighborhood cafe all day or country-hop all year, this job could apply to you.

Of course, successful writers need to have a firm grasp on grammar and tone, superb editing chops and the ability to do their own research and synthesize content that they might be unfamiliar with. It could help if you become an expert in a few different fields, like technology or small-business finance, and it’s always important for all freelancers to know how to market themselves and network with potential customers.

You might be asked to write anything from a blog post series to an industry white paper, website copy or email newsletters. The more you’re familiar with, the better off you are.

And finally, don’t forego the possibility of writing your own e-books to sell on Amazon and similar websites. With basically zero publishing costs and low design costs, this is another way your writing can benefit your bank account directly. (You could even write an e-book about freelance writing — the possibilities are endless.)

2. Virtual assistant

If all of your friends know you as “the really, really organized one,” then being a virtual assistant might be the home business idea for you.

When busy executives reach a point in their careers where they can't manage all the calls, emails, appointments and smaller responsibilities on their plates, that’s where you come in. As a virtual assistant, you would use your phone, email, computer skills and any number of online tools and applications to handle their online calendars, schedule appointments and meetings, make reservations, purchase tickets, set up reminders, organize events, file documents and more.

If this kind of work isn’t your thing, then it might sound a bit unglamorous. But if you’re the type of person who color-codes their planners and sends out Google calendar invitations for coffee dates, then being a virtual assistant could be a fun and fulfilling job — that you can do from home.

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

3. Researcher and fact-checker

From perusing old academic essays or case files to analyzing bibliographies or carrying out some market research, you can establish yourself as a professional researcher and fact-checker. Various types of businesses within several different industries need researchers and fact-checkers. Establishing a niche may help you better market your services.

You need to be organized, meticulous and skilled at communication. If that sounds like you, then add this to your personal list of home business ideas.

4. Social media manager

Today, every business, brand and public figure needs social media to engage with their audience, stay relevant and boost brand awareness.

And as it turns out, many companies pay pretty highly for people to manage their social media accounts well. If you can stay on brand, share content appropriately and reply to customers intelligently — while getting those precious likes, hearts, retweets and upvotes en masse — then you could be a killer social media manager.

5. Blogger and affiliate marketer

While managing a blog in and of itself won’t net you any money — in fact, it’ll cost you to purchase a domain, upgrade the appearance and run marketing campaigns — there are a few ways for you to monetize your blog. You could offer up advertising space, which is a useful but typically minor revenue stream, but a lot more money is often found in sponsorships and affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing, a sort of product placement, will let you receive payment from companies in return for advocating for their goods and services. Although this might sound a bit iffy, if you truly do recommend that your readers try out these products, then it doesn’t need to come across as sales-y or insincere. Readers will understand that you need to make money somehow, and many will appreciate your recommendations if they’re accurate.

6. Freelance designer

If you’re more of a visual person, then the freelance lifestyle can still work wonders. Try your hand at designing posters, flyers, or online advertisements for companies that don’t have the time or talent to do this work themselves.

As a freelance designer, you’ll build an online reputation and eventually have control over the projects and timelines you manage. Try out Behance and other freelance design sites to check out your options.

7. Freelance coder

Becoming a freelance coder is an especially great home-based business idea since it’s already a very commonplace gig. Whether you want the flexibility of being your own boss, enjoy taking on a wide diversity of projects rather than working with a single company, or prefer to travel instead of staying in one place, you've got many reasons to pursue freelance software development — even though technology companies and startups offer their own perks as well.

8. Online thrifter

Have a unique eye and the salesman’s pitch down to a science?

If so, you might want to consider running your own online thrift shop. Whether you focus on fashion specifically, another category of product, or prefer to amass collections of interesting items from all over the internet (but especially eBay), there’s always a strong demand for items with a story .

Give your store a compelling, memorable identity, and it will be seen as much more than a simple consignment store.

9. Data entry guru

It might not be the most lucrative or stimulating job in the universe, but data entry can certainly give you the funds you need to work from home or abroad. Plus, data entry jobs rarely require a lot of time or attention, unlike many on this list of home business ideas. You can listen to your favorite podcasts or audiobooks as you work your own hours.

Moreover, since all you need for data entry is a computer, this is certainly a home business idea with low startup costs — if you already own a laptop and have a reliable WiFi connection, you're pretty much all set.

10. College consultant

If you’re a top-notch editor with a deep understanding of how college admissions works — including standardized test preparation, personal statement requirements, supplemental essay requirements, applicant statistics and even financial aid — then you might be able to snag a rather well-paying job as a college consultant. Some families are willing and able to pay, and pay well, to make sure their kids submit the best possible applications to their dream schools.

This is by no means an easy job, as it requires a lot of knowledge and skillsets, but it can bring in a lot of cash for a home-based business.

11. Online tutor

Whether you’re an expert in a certain subject matter, like calculus or biology, or you’ve secured top scores on standardized tests, like the SATs or MCATs, you may be able to share that knowledge with current students looking to get an edge.

So if you have a passion for teaching, are up to date on the formats and policies of the tests you plan to instruct students on, and feel comfortable handling the content, then it might be time to start an online tutoring business.

And just like with the rest of these online home business ideas, you can easily service customers over the phone or, in this case, a video conferencing program like Skype or Zoom.

12. Translator

If you know multiple languages, then this is the home-based business idea for you. As a translator, you can service businesses and clients in a number of different ways. You can translate articles, press releases, e-books or other written work. You might also translate videos, podcasts or contribute to international closed captions for a variety of visual products. Moreover, you might connect with international businesses to serve as a translator for meetings or phone calls.

With experience in more than one language and access to the internet, you'll be surprised about how far-reaching your home translating business can extend.

13. Cybersecurity consultant

With even the biggest businesses around the world being subject to data breaches, cybersecurity is more important than ever. If you have experience with software and IT, a remote job as a cybersecurity consultant might be one of the best home business ideas for you.

From the comfort of your home, you can work with different companies to test their programs, software, backups, firewalls, encryption and generally assess potential threats to their network and advise them on the best cybersecurity practices. Although this may be one of the home-based business ideas on our list that requires the most training and education, it can be a highly lucrative position if you already have the knowledge, or are willing to work to obtain it.

14. Transcriptionist

Can you type extremely quickly while listening to someone talk? If the answer is yes, you might consider transcription services. Like data entry, this might not be the most exciting of our home business ideas but is certainly low-cost, flexible and you can get started very easily. There are all kinds of companies out there who hire freelance transcriptionists, as well as specific services that employ individuals to transcribe audio for various clients.

15. Travel planner

If you frequent websites like TripAdvisor and Yelp and are well-traveled yourself, you might extend your travel expertise to others as a home-based travel planner. You can use your experience to plan and book trips for your clients — manage hotel reservations, flights, excursions, create itineraries and offer tailored recommendations.

For families looking to go on a two-week vacation or couples planning their honeymoon, hiring someone to handle the details, big and small, of their trip, can be invaluable. Plus, in working with different hotels, resorts and vacation attractions, you'll start to build relationships with the staff — and possibly, receive discounts or perks that will make traveling on your own even easier (you might even start a travel blog while you're at it).

16. Fundraiser

If you have any prior experience managing campaigns and events, or simply have an electric personality, you might consider starting a freelance fundraising business. As a fundraising consultant, you'll have the opportunity to market for a business or cause and talk to prospective donors about how and why they should contribute to your campaign.

This home business idea is great for individuals with a background in nonprofit or government work, as well as former marketers or salespeople. If you have excellent people skills and a drive for meeting goals and getting results, this can easily be the right business for you.

17. Medical billing and coding

Although this job may require some form of medical background or schooling, it can be easily profitable and sustainable. Medical billing and coding connect health care providers, patients and insurance companies. As a medical biller and coder, therefore, you would work with patient records to determine the correct codes that are then verified by doctors and sent to insurance providers.

This career is a great business idea for nurses looking for a change; they can easily utilize their prior experience and relationships to succeed in this kind of self-employed role.

18. Video producing

With the prevalence of video in social media and marketing, the need for video producers and experts has only grown in recent years. Even if you don't have prior experience cutting and editing video, this is an online-based home business idea that you can easily learn and teach yourself with classes, tutorials and general guidance from the online video community.

Moreover, video production can transcend a number of different industries, styles and goals. As a video producer, you'll not only have the flexibility of working from home on a variety of projects, but you'll also have the ability to utilize your creativity on a daily basis.

19. Publicist

Looking for a way to combine your public speaking, communication and writing skills? You might consider serving as a freelance publicist or public relations consultant. You can greatly appeal to smaller businesses or individuals who can't invest in full PR teams or staff, but still need this kind of assistance for their organization.

As a freelance publicist, you may handle press releases, emails, social media — essentially, assisting with all facets of your clients' public-facing presence.

20. Customer service representative

Many companies now outsource their customer service to home-based representatives, so you should have no shortage of potential clients in this field. After all, any service- or product-based organization is more than likely going to have some kind of customer support need.

As a customer service representative, you'll be able to work with individuals online or over the phone and talk them through any issues they're having. If you have a communicative and approachable personality, this could be a great option for you.

21. Pet sitter or dog walker

As a pet sitter or a dog walker, you'll get to spend time with other people’s animals while they’re at work or on a trip. Simply follow your client's instructions, as well as your own experience and expertise, to provide care and comfort to these pets. It’s an easy way to get paid, especially if you’re an organized and trustworthy individual with a reputation for or history of animal care.

22. Arts and crafts master

Consider putting your knack for arts, crafts and design to use as the manager of an online store. So long as you believe your creations can find a market and sell at a profitable price, there’s very little stopping you from signing up as a seller on a site like Etsy and carving out your niche. While it might be a tough business, there’s plenty of wisdom out there to learn from.

23. Accountant

If you’re currently an accountant, transitioning to remote work might be as simple as letting your clients know that you work remotely now for reasons of convenience or perhaps hanging your own shingle out to start your own firm. On the other hand, if you’re looking to enter the industry (virtually or not), you should be aware of the training and certifications necessary.

24. T-shirt designer

The U.S. apparel industry is a $225 billion dollar market, and as it turns out, the T-shirt business is relatively quick, easy and painless to get into.

So if you’re interested in entering the eclectic and diverse T-shirt business with an idea or brand of your own, rejoice: This is certainly one of the best business ideas for setting your own hours and calling your own shots.

25. Cleaning service

If you love — or just don’t mind — cleaning up after others, then starting a cleaning business could give you the flexibility you want without forcing you to sit at a computer all day long.

However, this is an endeavor that could certainly grow into a much larger company if you’re successful, meaning that, eventually, you’d probably have to get an office and hire staff.

26. Massage therapist and wellness expert

Over the past decade, the massage therapy industry has grown nearly 20% with no indication of stopping. If this statistic interests you, then you might want to consider entering this burgeoning field.

After getting your massage therapy certification, along with the business license and massage equipment needed to work from home, you can turn your house into a local massage parlor for clients to come to, relax and improve their health and wellness. Plus, you could combine your massage therapy with a more holistic wellness practice or a nutritionist practice — but make sure to check your state’s licensing laws before offering dietary advice or supplements to customers.

27. Personal trainer

As a personal trainer, you could make house calls, visit a gym or let clients come to you (if you have the necessary equipment). You need to be very knowledgeable about everything from proper exercises for different body types to how to motivate people who want to get healthy. You should feel comfortable getting close to your clients in order to learn what works best for them.

Although a certification may not absolutely be necessary, it’s not a bad idea to find out if you can get one in your state before starting up, just in case.

28. Interior decorator

If you have an eye for composition, organization and feng shui, think about starting an interior design business . Partner with local furniture stores and design businesses (with your clients’ knowledge) to get good deals, help decorate public spaces and business interiors as well as houses and apartments, and let everyone in and outside your network know that your services are available.

29. Event planner

Everyone plans events — but not everyone lives and breathes it. Do you love coordinating food and drinks, invitations, scheduling conflicts, music, gifts, goody bags and every other aspect of the parties or events you’ve set up?

From birthdays to weddings, corporate get-togethers and local conventions, the world is your oyster when it comes to events to plan. If you’re passionate about logistics, then this could be the home business idea for you.

30. Caterer

If nobody you know can stop talking about your cooking, then maybe it’s time to charge for your services and talent and start a catering business .

While you won’t necessarily be able to do all of your catering work from home — you may need to use a commercial kitchen and will likely have to hire some part-time employees to help during events — much of the organization, planning, marketing and actual business work can be done wherever you like.

31. Bed-and-breakfast manager

This idea is for the folks who live in popular tourist locations, or would like to move to one. With some preparation, planning, tidying, cooking and a dash of advertising (made easier by services like Airbnb), you can convert your home into a bed-and-breakfast for weary travelers to rest in.

Keep in mind that you need spare bedrooms or a guest house for your customers, and you might want to invest in your cooking and decorating skills to leave a lasting positive impression. Good reviews go a long way in booking out your house for the future.

32. Florist

With a green thumb and a knack for crafts, you might consider opening a floral business to sell flowers and floral arrangements. Depending on your location, you could grow your own flowers, sell and arrange them at home; or, you can outsource the flowers, but still manage the whole of your operations from your own house.

33. Day care manager

Provided you have space, you can start a day care business by supervising a few children during the day — and expanding with staff to accommodate more kids as your business expands.

A day care can be an important business in a local community, especially if your town doesn't already have one. Plus, if you have any experience with teaching or kids, getting into this business will be quick, easy and rewarding.

34. Rideshare driver

Although not home-based per se, becoming a rideshare driver, with Uber or Lyft can offer the same flexibility and freedom as a business that's physically based in your home. As a rideshare driver, your business will more or less be based in your car, and you'll be able to choose your own hours and be your own boss. With the popularity of ridesharing apps continuing to grow, there's no shortage of clients looking for rides, especially if you live in a tourist area or near a big city.

35. Photographer

By starting your own home photography business, you can manage the operational side of your endeavor right from home and travel as needed to meet clients. If your home is particularly picturesque, you might even consider bringing clients there to take photographs or set up a home studio for portraits.

If you want to venture into event photography, you can market your services and look for clients who need professional photography for weddings, graduations, engagements or other events.

36. Landlord

If you have an extra room or guest house on your property, you might consider renting the space — or even investing in a separate property that you can market to renters. As a landlord, you'll be responsible for the upkeep of the property and dealing with any issues that arise with your renters, but you'll generally have flexibility in your business and be home-based.

37. Hair stylist or makeup artist

Are you the person that your friends come to for help with hair and makeup? If so, you might decide to start a home-based salon or makeup artistry business. You can set up a small place in your home with good lighting and the tools you'll need to service your clients, as well as create an on-the-go kit to offer hair and makeup in your clients' homes.

You may find that your hair or makeup business is particularly busy during prom and wedding season, which will be the perfect time to continue to market to new customers. If you have downtime during seasons, you might consider starting a hair or makeup blog or YouTube tutorial channel as well.

38. Eldercare

If you're passionate about helping people and have any experience in personal care, you might consider starting an eldercare business. Nursing homes can be expensive and people are often hesitant to put their family members in full-time care facilities. Therefore, you might decide to offer freelance care, traveling to your clients' homes and caring for them as needed. Keep in mind, you'll want to make sure you have any certifications and the proper training you need.

With the growing popularity of craft and local beers, you might consider brewing beer in your own home. Although this home business will require research, training and equipment, it can be sustainable if your properly market and sell your product.

Or, if you're particularly attracted to the brewing process but don't want to get involved in all of the other areas involved in selling beer, you might look into contract brewing, where you help beer companies make and package their beer. Either way, this can be a great hands-on business, especially if you like experimenting and figuring out how the best beer is made.

Even with all of the different brands and clothing stores out there, people are still going to have those moments where they need a piece of clothing fitted or repaired. If you have any skill with a needle or sewing machine, you might want to open up your own home tailor shop. As a tailor, you can perform fittings and alternations for dresses and suits, as well as repair damaged clothes.

Moreover, you might find there's a market for sewing personalization that you could capitalize on as well, especially for sports teams uniforms, wedding gifts, company swag and more.

Start Your Dream Business

Tips for starting a home-based business

Owning a home-based business is a dream that many people have. The good news is, the process is much more straightforward than you might think. If you're already working from home, contracting or freelancing, you may be able to turn your marketable skills into your own home business. Consider the following steps:

1. Craft a business plan

All businesses are born from a solid plan. Your home-based business is no different. Decide your company's purpose, figure out what service or products you will offer and set measurable targets and goals. You should also determine business financing options if you need initial capital to get started. Your business plan may adapt as your company evolves, but it's the foundation your company will grow upon.

2. Carve out a dedicated workspace

If you're new to working from home, you may think the kitchen table or couch makes for a perfect workspace. Unfortunately, when you're running your own home-based business, you may need a designated space to manage your business. This space does not have to be large and can always grow with time, but it should be separate from daily distractions in your home. If you don't have a second room to utilize, consider setting up your workspace in a spare bedroom or another less-trafficked room. You'll appreciate the privacy when you're taking work calls.

3. Choose a business entity

When planning home business ideas, you need to decide what type of business you want to form. Each business type has its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure you do thorough research before deciding on one.

You don't have to form your own business to work from home, but doing so can be beneficial when filing your taxes and separating personal and business expenses.

The bottom line

If you're exploring small-business ideas from home to find the one that will be cost-effective, fit your skills and inspire you—we hope you found the right idea on our list; or, if not, you at least came up with a brilliant home business idea of your own.

The market for working from home (and home-based businesses) continues to grow, especially in small communities and niche markets. If you're intent on shifting to a home-based career, then, the opportunity is out there to start, sustain and even grow your own business.

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Start » business ideas, 7 fully remote businesses you can start.

For entrepreneurs looking to work remotely, here are seven businesses you can start from the comfort of home.

The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in an era in which more people want the option to work from home. Aspiring entrepreneurs who left their jobs in the midst of The Gre at Resignation now have an opportunity to capitalize on today’s remote-first work culture with businesses that can be operated fully from home.

If you’re looking for a startup idea that doesn’t require a physical office or warehouse space, here are some options for remote businesses you can start today.

[Read more: How to Start a Fully Remote Business ]

Content creation services

With so many businesses operating online, every company needs a digital presence, which means there’s a consistent demand for online content. There are multiple avenues to explore as a remote content creation business . If you’re a talented writer and editor, you can take on copywriting projects for clients who need blog posts, email newsletters, thought leadership articles, social media captions, e-books and other written materials. If you’re better with visual content, you can develop custom images and videos for clients using high-quality editing software.

Translation services

As more and more businesses leverage technology to “go global,” there is a growing need for translation services to help those companies communicate with international customers effectively. This is an excellent remote business idea for anybody who has a background in a variety of languages and understands the basics of marketing and copywriting.

If you are proficient or fluent in a foreign language, you can help businesses reach a wider audience with copy that is customized to their audience, including local idioms and cultural references that don’t always translate perfectly from the original language. Aside from any additional language training, you may want to add to your current knowledge base, the only overhead is investing in a library of reference materials, such as dictionaries and grammar resources.

Virtual assistant

More people are pursuing entrepreneurship than ever before: Census data indicates that new business applications were up more than 20% year over year in December 2021. Those new entrepreneurs often rely on virtual assistants to help them manage mundane but essential administrative tasks like scheduling appointments, billing customers, managing incoming client requests and maintaining databases. This online business idea is ideal for detail-oriented individuals who are capable of processing and organizing lots of information and keeping tabs on multiple tasks at once.

[Read more: Marketing Your E-Commerce Business in the Digital Age ]

Entrepreneurs often rely on virtual assistants to help them manage mundane but essential administrative tasks like scheduling appointments, billing customers, managing incoming client requests and maintaining databases.

Travel planning

COVID-19 has made traveling more complicated. When booking trips, people now need to be mindful of local mandates, vaccination requirements and COVID case rates that could delay or interrupt their travel plans. Remote travel agents can help clients research and book COVID-friendly getaways and prepare all necessary health and safety information in one place, taking the stress off travelers.

Personal shopping

With so many options and outlets for online shopping, consumers don’t always know where to start when looking for certain items, like clothing and home furnishings. A personal shopper can help their clients find and purchase items they’ll love while sticking to their budget. Online communication tools like video chat, screen sharing and augmented reality can help you create an immersive virtual shopping experience for your client. Once they decide what they want, you can then have items sent directly to the client’s door.

If you have deep experience and success in a specific industry, consider becoming a consultant. Consultants in fields like business growth, sales, marketing and human resources can help clients create an effective roadmap for achieving their goals. Businesses are often willing to pay for expert insights and results — Payscale puts the average business consultant's salary at over $75,000 per year . If you want to leverage your years of expertise in a field while working independently for yourself, a remote consulting business may be the path for you.

IT and web development

According to CompTIA , employment in the tech sector is poised to grow about twice as fast as overall employment in the U.S., with some specific tech jobs growing at four to five times the national rate. The increase of remote employees has contributed to this high demand, so this could be a good business path if you have IT experience. The ability to remotely access PCs and company servers means you can work with clients anywhere in the country or around the world.

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9 Tools to Help You Manage Your Remote Team

Makenna Crocker

11 min. read

Updated October 25, 2023

Over the last few years, remote work has grown into a viable and attractive method of doing business. And due to the effects of COVID-19, it’s only propelled more and more businesses to explore implementing work from home policies. 

It’s likely been a difficult transition for many. But there are substantial benefits that both employees and employers have begun to see as they surpass those initial growing pains.

Studies show that remote workers are often more productive and more satisfied with their jobs. Companies also save on overhead costs for office supplies, space, and computers when they employ remote workers who use their home offices to complete their daily tasks. And now, many companies are realizing that productivity can remain high and business can continue as usual when their employees work from home. 

That being said, there are still difficulties and challenges that have and will emerge. And if companies are considering long-term remote work as an option for employees, they’ll need the right tools to oversee work, manage projects, and brainstorm together. 

To help you find options for your team to get the most of remote work, here are our top 10 favorite digital collaboration tools. 

• Communication

Being out of the office can make things like communication and collaboration a bit trickier. You no longer have face-to-face meetings or those quick conversations by the water cooler. Basically, less information is being shared and you need to establish different communication channels to encourage more collaboration. Possibly even more so than when your team was in the office.

Here are our recommendations for communication platforms that support different methods of staying in touch.

Quick and simple communication is necessary when working remotely. You can’t just pop over to someone’s desk to ask a question or share a document so you need something to replace those interactions. That’s why Slack is such a useful tool. 

You can have it set up on your desktop or phone, send direct chats to specific team members, and even create specific channels for different teams to collaborate over time. But don’t worry if you need some focus time, you can always set your notifications to snooze or even connect a calendar app to automatically transition your status when in meetings or when hard at work.

Fast, easy to use, and completely customizable it’s a great tool that can be adapted to fir the exact needs of your team. 

2. Google Meet

Even if you can’t physically meet face-to-face doesn’t mean you should stop meeting face-to-face. There are times when conversation and interaction are necessary to move projects along, work through a design issue, or air out difficulties your team is experiencing. That’s why using a video chat tool like Google Meet is so vital. 

Honestly, there are plenty of viable chat tools available, Zoom, Skype even Slack has a video chat feature. But for the most part, as our teams have adjusted to remote work, we’ve typically used Google Hangouts. It’s free, allows for a vast amount of participants at one time, and connects directly to your Google Calendar. As the need for these video tools has grown, Google has continued to improve the platform and shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.

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• Productivity and collaboration

Productivity when working remotely is somewhat of a double-edged sword. There are plenty of upsides to consider. Employees no longer spend time commuting, feel completely comfortable with their work environment, and can even set their own hours when they feel most productive. 

That being said, as an employer it can be difficult to oversee and ensure employees are staying productive. It can also be difficult for employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance since there is no longer a physical distinction between the two. Here are some of our favorite tools to help you and your team take advantage of that potential for increased productivity.

Trello is an efficient project management system that makes collaboration easier. Using Trello’s boards, you can create steps, assign tasks to team members, and chart your team’s progress. You can even look at assignments from a calendar view if you’d rather visualize the progress and timeline of different tasks from a broader perspective.

There are no member limitations, and the app is free—so you can use it on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. If you want to integrate with Evernote, MailChimp, Google Drive, Dropbox, and other tools, a Business Class option is available for a $9.99 monthly fee per user.

4. Basecamp

Now if you need a collaborative tool that helps you track projects where multiple teams are involved, you might want to check out Basecamp . It’s a great tool to share ideas, discuss projects together, set up individual tasks, and check off items when they’re complete. 

While not as easily digestible as the visual format found on Trello, the list structure of assignments, and the ability to search through them is incredibly useful. You can easily build larger projects, nest assignments, and goals underneath and hand-off assignments to the appropriate team members. It also provides the ability to subscribe to specific cards you aren’t working on, just in case you want to keep track of the state of other projects.

If you find yourself needing a second productivity and organization tool to help organize multiple teams, Basecamp is a great option.

5. Internet Speed Tool

According to a report by the Washington Post , internet speed can be tied to productivity. The study explained in the report showed that states with a high average internet speed also had a higher GDP per capita while states with a low average internet speed showed lower GDP per-capita.

Your employees need reliable, high-speed internet to be productive working from home. The amount of internet speed each employee requires depends on their daily tasks. Have your employees use an Internet Speed Tool to make sure they have an internet speed high enough to share large files, use online programs, and host video conferences. It’s a free tool that’s easy to use and helps you gauge your team’s internet needs.

The tool will take your employees through a series of questions that are intended to gather information about their internet usage. At the end of the question sequence, your employees will get a number for their recommended internet speeds. They can then take this number to their respective internet providers to make sure they have enough internet speed to handle their personal and professional internet usage and avoid lag times.

• File/Asset Sharing

While many of the productivity platforms out there allow you to share documents and images, it isn’t always the most effective method. It also makes it difficult to revisit and organize documents outside of specific projects or assignments and isn’t the most secure method for sharing. That’s why you’ll need to decide on a file-sharing platform to make this process easier on yourself and your team.

6. Google Drive

Studies have revealed that it takes the average worker eight searches to find the correct documents and information they need to complete a given task. This process becomes even more frustrating for remote workers who can’t quickly resolve an issue by coming to your desk to identify where a document can be found. This is why sending multiple versions of documents to several team members is a disaster waiting to happen.

Google Drive makes it easy to create files and collaborate in real-time. You and your team members can see each other’s edits, add comments, and work on the same document simultaneously. When an employee stores files in their Drive, they can access them on any device.

Google Drive is free to use for anyone with a Gmail account, and there’s no limit to the number of collaborators.

• Time Management

Time management ties directly into productivity. And while a traditional work environment helps employees make the distinction between when it’s time to focus and when it’s not, being at home removes that. If you or your employees know that they struggle keeping track of time or spending enough of it on specific tasks, here’s a tool that might help.

Case studies on organizations that have implemented time tracking have shown that using a time tracking method to keep tabs on how employees spend their time is not only beneficial for managers to understand what an average day looks like for their employees but that it can also significantly increase employee productivity.

It is difficult to track remote workers’ hours and monitor how long it takes them to complete tasks. With Timely running in the background of your team members’ computers, you can maintain a digital log of all projects. You can set completion goals, compare recorded time with estimates, and organize projects based on their priority.

If you want to manage all your team members on the same account, the Professional plan is available for a $14.00 monthly fee per user.

• Work/Life Balance

While not distinctly related to work, providing your employees with tools that help them establish a healthy work/life balance can help your bottom line. It ensures they’re getting enough rest, exercise, social interaction, and turning off their brains from work to relax and recoup. It also shows that you and your business care about their well-being, making them more likely to actively participate and stay satisfied with their job and employer. 

Here are a couple options to consider to help your team lead happy and healthy lives in and outside of work.

Reports show that employees who are highly engaged in the organizations they work far are 87 percent less likely to leave than employees who feel disengaged from their companies.

Although it’s a bit tricky to make sure your off-site employees are engaged, finding a way to help them feel like a part of your company will be an important step in preventing a high turnover rate among your remote team.

Working remotely may be less stressful than commuting, but you miss out on water cooler conversations and whiteboard brainstorming sessions. Serving as a virtual whiteboard, Miro is a visual collaboration app that provides a digital version of these team bonding opportunities. In real-time, you can create diagrams, research, brainstorm, add sticky notes, and more. The app is free for up to three members, and plans start at $40.00 per month for five members.

9. Training App

Working from home can mean a lot of sitting; you aren’t having to go to and from work, and you’re likely just within a few steps from the kitchen, bathroom, couch, and anything else you can need. This is why it’s important to get your exercise in other ways! 

If your typical workout routine has been shut down due to gym closures or you simply want to get active during this time of isolation, consider downloading a free workout app right to your phone or tablet! There are several top-rated apps available now, and whichever you choose depends on what you’re looking to get out of it. 

Nike Training Club allows you to select which muscle group you’d like to target and has specific workouts designed for the amount of time you have to spend and whether you’re interested in doing cardio, strength, yoga, or mobility training. You also have to option to work with solely your own body weight, or free weights and other equipment you might have around you! 

Daily Burn is another great app that typically costs $25 a month but is currently offering a free 30-day trial. After answering a personalized quiz about your typical workout routine and current physicality, Daily Burn offers you a personalized workout plan that can consist of anything from barre, yoga, and kickboxing to dumbbell strength training and more!

There are many apps available for free download, and an array of options allows you to choose the type of workout that’s right for you. Staying active while working from home will help to keep your mind clear and body feeling strong!

• Managing your business remotely

Managing a remote team can be challenging, but investing in technology can make it easier to collaborate, communicate, and track productivity. Adding a few of these tools will help streamline your business operations, and turn your remote team into a more collaborative and productive workforce. 

And if you’re looking for an online tool to help you manage your business, you may want to consider checking out LivePlan . It’s a business planning tool that helps you actively manage and monitor the health of your business with a streamlined dashboard. It also includes automated financials that syncs directly with your accounting solution and the ability to create and adjust multiple financial forecasts at a time. You can even add team members to your plan with various levels of permission, making it an ideal solution for teams working remotely.

If you’ve found yourself wanting to upgrade your business planning capabilities, be sure to check out LivePlan. It may be the perfect addition to your team’s remote work tools and make planning, managing, and pitching your business accurate and simple.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Makenna Crocker is the Marketing Specialist at Richardson Sports. Her work focuses on market and social trends, crafting gripping and authentic content, and enhancing marketing strategy to foster stronger B2B and B2C relationships. With a master’s degree in Advertising and Brand Responsibility from the University of Oregon, she specializes in generating a strong and responsible brand presence through content that positively influences and inspires others.

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Does Your Company Have a Long-Term Plan for Remote Work?

• Mark W. Johnson
• Josh Suskewicz

Develop a clear vision to get you through an uncertain future.

CEOs such as Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey have announced plans to scale their remote-work initiatives. But, as Microsoft’s Satya Nadella warns, we may be at risk of replacing one dogma with another if we make a big move toward permanent remote work.

The real issue is not whose predictions turn out to be right or wrong (no one has a crystal ball), but whether those leaders are thinking deeply enough about what they want their new work paradigm to achieve — and whether they can architect and construct systems that will allow them to meet their objectives.

To think through those complexities, the authors suggest using “Future-back” thinking, a process for developing a vision of your best possible future and a clearly laid-out strategy to achieve it. This includes (1) Articulating your grand purpose and aspirational objective (your reason for designing the new system) and envisioning the system and what it looks like; (2) considering each of the assumptions; (3) testing those assumptions; and (4) using the learnings from these experiments to adjust or pivot your system’s components, but also your vision itself.

Mark Zuckerberg recently shared his plans for the future of remote work at Facebook. By 2030, he promised , at least half of Facebook’s 50,000 employees would be working from home. “We are going to be the most forward-leaning company on remote work at our scale,” he declared in a follow-up interview. A few days before, Jack Dorsey had announced that Twitter and Square’s employees would be allowed to work “where[ever] they feel most creative and productive…even once offices begin to reopen.”

• Mark W. Johnson is co-founder and senior partner of the strategy consulting firm Innosight and author of  Lead from the Future   (HBR Press, 2020).
• Josh Suskewicz is a partner at Innosight and the co-author of  Lead from the Future (HBR Press 2020)

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How To Write A Proposal To Work From Home

Tips and Ideas For Convincing Your Boss To Let You Telecommute

What Would Your Work From Home Look Like?

• Elements of a Telecommuting Proposal

How to Turn Your Current Job Into a Work-From-Home Job

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Want to work from home ?

You might not have to find a new job to make it work. Nearly half of all U.S. employees work from home some of the time. If your employer doesn't already offer telecommuting or flexible scheduling, you can present a compelling case to make it an option with a work-from-home proposal.

A well-researched proposal can convince your supervisor that working from home is a beneficial arrangement for both you and your employer. It also demonstrates your ability to work independently and create a quality product — skills that are essential for a remote employee. 

• As more and more jobs allow remote work, you may be looking to work from home, or telecommute, some or all of the time.
• Have a plan for what working from home would look like for you. What would your hours be, how would you communicate and what technology would you need?
• Putting together a proposal will help show your company how this arrangement could be beneficial to them and it helps you organize your thoughts.

Before going all-in on working remotely, think about how that would fit into your job and your home life.

• Responsibilities – What are your job's daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, and how can each of them be done from home? If you are proposing part-time telecommuting, specify which tasks will be done at home and which in the office.
• Hours – Will you be working different hours from home than you did in the office? What will they be? Even if your hours will be the same, put them in writing as a safeguard against the expectation that you will be available at any and all hours. If your hours are going to be different from the rest of your team, touch on how you will be available during the standard workday.
• Technology – What technology will you need to make this arrangement work? If you have a work laptop, tablet, or phone already, specify that you will continue to use those. If you plan to use your home computer, outline what software or modifications will be needed for you to complete your job responsibilities. Are you able to log into your company’s network from home now? If not, outline what you will need to make that option available.
• Cost/Logistics – What will be the cost of new technology, and who will pay for it? Are there low-cost or free options for software and communication that you can plan to use? Be sure to mention if there are services that your employer already pays for that you can continue to use from home. This should also be the section where you describe what your work setup (such as a home office) will be while you telecommute.

If you will continue to come into the office part-time, outline a plan for where you will work and whether you will share that space with other employees.

• Communication – Outline a plan for communicating with your coworkers, clients, and supervisor. Will you be available by phone, email, or text? Will you use project management software or chat software, such as Slack? In addition to coming up with a plan for daily communication, consider proposing a regular phone or teleconference meeting with your boss and any other teammates. You’ll also want to note any events that would require face-to-face communication.
• Accountability – Propose a plan for reviewing your remote work situation, such as a meeting with your supervisor every three to six months. This will allow you both to assess how the arrangement is working, request changes, or make suggestions for how to communicate more effectively. Whether you put this in your proposal or discuss it in person, you should ensure that both you and your supervisor have clear expectations for what successful telecommunicating looks like and what would prompt a need to reassess the arrangement.

Elements of an Effective Remote Work Proposal

Introduce the proposal with a brief cover letter, particularly if it will be distributed to multiple people. The proposal itself should be modeled on a business proposal. Think of your employer as a client you are trying to convince, and use your proposal to sell your idea of working remotely.

Introduction

Explain what you want and why it is good for the company. If you are proposing a trial or part-time telecommuting arrangement, state that as well. You will have room to expand on your points in later sections, so your intro should be a brief summary.

State any favorable background information, such as your qualifications, positive performance reviews, or years on the job. This is a good place to include information about the company’s existing remote work or flexible work policies.

How Working From Home Would Work

Explain the details of how this arrangement would work. This will likely be an information-dense segment of the proposal so you may want to divide it up with bullet points or section headings. Not only will this make the proposal easier to read, but it will also allow you to highlight information that is most important for your argument. Outline the items you thought of when planning a telecommute in detail.

This isn't the time to talk about how working remotely will benefit you personally; instead, make the case for how telecommuting will benefit your employer. How can working from home help you do your job better? Will it save the company money? Improve efficiency? Make it easier to match your hours to clients who live in different time zones? Use sales tactics to show how the features of remote work create tangible benefits.

Potential Problems and Solutions

If there are obvious challenges created by working from home, especially if they have already been brought up by your supervisor, address them and include how you will solve them. Otherwise, leave problems out of the written proposal. Instead, jot down a list of potential challenges and how they can be addressed.

When you speak about telecommuting with your boss, you'll be ready to propose a solution to any objection raised.

If you have young children at home, it's better to assume that your childcare arrangements will stay the same and leave your kids out of your proposal. However, if your employer already has expressed concern about working from home overlapping with family responsibilities, you may want to outline your childcare arrangements to reassure them that they won't be paying you to do two things at once.

Giving your supervisor a clear next step to take after they review your proposal. This will keep your proposal moving forward and eliminate months of waiting for a response. Suggest a time for an in-person discussion to answer any questions about your proposal. Thank your employer for considering your request, and let them know when you will be in touch to follow up.

Not all companies, or jobs, will be compatible with telecommuting. But as the options for remote work and distance collaboration increase, more employers are considering working remotely as a regular part of employee scheduling.

If you want to turn your current job into a telecommuting position, start by putting together a work-from-home proposal. Even if the discussion ends up being more informal, a proposal will help you organize your thoughts and make the strongest case possible for your new arrangement.

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What to Include in a Remote Work Proposal

Show that you'll be a productive work-at-home employee

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In This Article

Jump to a Section

• General Remote Work Proposal Tips
• Describe Your Work Plan
• List Any Extenuating Circumstances
• Show How the Company Will Benefit
• Outline Your Availability
• Describe Your Home Office Setup
• Be Clear About What You'll Need From the Employer
• Include Additional Assurances and Strategies

A remote work proposal is a written request to work from home or some other virtual office location outside of the corporate location. Detailed remote work proposals can help convince your supervisor or employer to allow you to telecommute , at least part-time.

Write the work-from-home proposal from your employer's perspective and answer any questions or concerns about your not being physically at the office.

There are some things you should know before asking to work from home.

Remote Work Proposal Tips

Below are the questions you should answer in your remote work proposal. The idea is to answer what your supervisor will most likely be wondering when it comes to whether or not you should be given a work from home position.

What's Your Work Plan?

Give a description of the proposed work plan, with details on the length of the plan and the proposed trial period.

This is important because you want the proposal to be framed as a trial only. You're not suggesting an ultimatum or putting pressure on the company to make a decision right now. They can gauge your performance while you work from home and see if it'll ultimately be a benefit.

Here's an example:

I would like to explore the possibility of performing my duties as a web developer from my home office for three days a week. I propose that we can do a three-month trial telecommuting arrangement starting on March 1st and then evaluate continuing that work arrangement based on my productivity and quality of work.

Are There Any Extenuating Circumstances?

If you have pressing reasons why you need to work from home, go ahead and mention them, but if not, don't make them up.

Maybe you're pregnant but you want to keep getting your work done while at home with your baby. Or, maybe your wife or child just passed away — or you were recently injured and can barely walk — working from home would help ease the transition from homestay to going back to work.

Another reason could be that it's hard to deal with your co-workers. Maybe they're extremely distracting or unhelpful, and working from home would provide you that much-needed peace of mind. However, be sure to really consider whether this is worth mentioning because it could cause a rift between you and the other workers or even your boss.

How Will the Company Benefit?

An important question your employer will most definitely be wondering is how advantageous to the department and company your working from home will be. If it doesn't benefit them financially, it's probably a no-go.

State everything you can think of for how telecommuting will benefit the business. Here are some ideas that might apply to your situation:

• Cost savings : They won't be buying your coffee, or taking you out to lunch, or ordering office supplies for your desk, or paying for your electricity and water usage, etc. The same is true for you: you won't have to pay for gas to get to work, or train/ Uber /bus fees.
• Increased productivity : Many people who work from home explain that with fewer distractions and zero over-the-shoulder management, it's easier to get work done and stay on task for extended periods of time. Describe how you think your work will improve being away from the office.
• Greater employee morale : It can be hard to be enthusiastic about your work when you're surrounded by downer employees and the typical office setting. Explain in your remote work proposal that being at home or in a more relaxed setting is exactly what you need to stay motivated and excited about your work.
• Flexible schedule : Some people who work from home manage to arrange with their company that they'll work the hours they want so long as the work gets done on time. This type of schedule can be really helpful to the company because they can rely on you basically any time of day, or even on the weekends.

Reinforce that you have been a valuable staff member and that you believe you can maintain or even increase your productivity and work quality from home, where there are fewer interruptions than at the office. If your company already has a telecommuting policy, incorporate facts about it here.

How Will You Communicate With the Office?

Indicate whether your current schedule will stay the same or not and any effect it may have on workflow. For example, note if you'll be in the office on days when regular meetings tend to happen or if you'll be available for meetings on other days in person or via remote conferencing.

Assure your employer that you will remain available from home during regular business hours for keeping in touch with your supervisor, co-workers, and customers.

How Will Your Home Office Function?

Provide a description of your work address, location, and phone number(s), as well as your workspace. Emphasize the ways in which it ensures privacy, allows freedom from diversions, and enhances focus.

It might even be a good idea to set up your home office ahead of time, even if you're unsure whether your remote work proposal will be accepted so that you can get a feel for how it looks and feels. This will help you explain how it all works.

What Will You Need From Us?

Do you need equipment and other resources from the company? Outline your current setup and what the company might need to provide.

For example, your home office might be fully equipped with everything needed to perform your job efficiently and effectively: broadband internet access , a computer, a dedicated work phone number, and a webcam.

However, you might have to propose that you'll need to use the company's established VPN setup to connect to the office desktop and transfer files securely over the network.

Mention any hardware or software needed for your specific job duties. You probably don't need a desk or a computer chair, but if you have lots of items that need printed and taken into the office every few weeks, for example, you might ask about printer paper and ink. Or, if your work computer runs specific software that you'll need at home, you'll have to request that, too.

VPNs and other remote access software would be useful in this situation. Instead of requesting software copies for your home computer, you could explain that remote access programs let you use your work computer from home; no additional software licenses or installations needed.

Additional Assurances

Include any facts about your job that are suited particularly well to telecommuting and your strategies for staying productive and accountable.

For example, you might mention emailing weekly status reports and maintaining availability through instant messaging.

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Remote Work Best Practices (Plus Sample Policy)

With so many businesses now having employees work from home, it is vital to have a well-thought-out plan that fosters this new working environment.

Prior to COVID-19, the future of work was already heading toward flexible schedules with telecommuting options. The pandemic has only sped up that trend, as thousands of companies have made the shift to some sort of remote workforce.

Remote work has perks for both employers and employees, but companies that are making a more long-term or permanent switch to a remote environment post-COVID can help the transition be successful by ensuring a smooth transition, excellent remote management plans and a well-devised remote work policy.

What are the best remote work practices for businesses?

To help ensure remote work is a success across your organization, follow these best practices for remote work:

1. Maintain a company culture.

Some employees choose an employer for its company culture. Whether your company is only recently remote or has always been, maintaining the culture that attracted employees to your organization in the first place can help keep employees happy and working for your company. For example, if your company had to go remote because of COVID-19, you could support a caring culture by broadening your wellness benefits,  like Actualize Consulting did . Previously, the $750 wellness benefit available to each employee was for use toward a gym membership and fitness purchases such as treadmills and classes, but it can now include child-related expenses, such as tutoring and day care.

As another example,   Sarah Danzl, head of global communications and client advocacy at  Degreed , said that a priority for her was to ensure the holistic care and mental health of her team with regular check-ins, specifically to ask about how they're doing and dedicate some time to non-work chat. Degreed also provides access to mental health support and wellness options like the Calm app, and it introduced companywide days off to help people recharge during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Use video tools to stay connected.

Working remotely can be difficult for people who strive for face-to-face interaction. Utilize the best practice of acting as if you and your team are in the office with the help of technology. Consider keeping spirits high and teams connecting by hosting a Friday video happy hour, video team meetings, and virtual employee lunches. The goal here is to stimulate activities that would done in the office, outside the office.

3. Go paperless.

Just about everything can be done digitally these days. Use a tool like DocuSign for contracts that need signatures, and encourage employees to lean on  customer relationship management (CRM) software  and other digital tools instead of paper for notes, project management and other tasks.

4. Invest in internet security.

A network is only as secure as its weakest link. As a result of COVID-19, many companies have ordered their workforces to work remotely. As a result of more people working for home, weak security links are inevitable. By investing in internet security, you can provide (and even mandate) the tools that keep everyone's devices safe. This, in turn, keeps company information safe. Most importantly, it minimizes the risk of personal data being leaked through a vulnerability in your infrastructure.

At the heart of your internet security is a virtual private network (VPN). It allows for direct, safe communication between all remote workers and the office.

5. Consider employee monitoring.

Employee monitoring is necessary in large organizations. A significant part of leadership and management is keeping people on task; however, with remote work, that becomes challenging.

Employee monitoring systems allow you to see a worker's computer activity. This informs you as to how much of a workday is actually spent on work projects and tasks. Employee monitoring solutions allow you to track productivity with the work-from-home model.

6. Accommodate flexible work schedules.

There are many benefits that come with remote work such as reduced overhead and lower liabilities, to name a few. If, though, remote work is hastily or poorly implemented, the downside is lost productivity. The key to preventing lost productivity (which can be hard for a company to come back from) is to allow employees to work a flexible work schedule.  

Many at-home employees are juggling child care and school. Flexible work schedules empower them to find a better work-life balance that enables them to work productively around their kids' schedules. One suggestion to make this transition more smooth for your company and team is to shift to a completion-based work model. In this model, the focus is less on how many hours an individual works but on what they accomplish.

7. Invest in collaboration tools.

Collaboration tools are everywhere. Some of the biggest names to rise to the top include Skype and Microsoft Meetings. Of course, the most popular by far in Zoom. These tools allow for adjustable online workgroups. They include video and audio chat, and they allow for screen sharing.

You can also look into apps that created shared workspaces. File sharing systems are similarly important. You can even look at dedicated communication servers with resources like Discord and Google Chat.

Editor 's note: Looking for the right video conferencing service for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

How do you create your remote work policy?

Your remote work policy sets the standard for what you deem acceptable and unacceptable from your remote employees. Every remote work policy should have conditions that ensure clear expectations and communication between the company and each remote team member.

Sample remote work policy

Hiring company Betterteam offered a  sample policy  that outlines what a sample remote policy should include. We've listed the key points and combined some of Betterteam's tips with our own.

1. Eligibility

What constitutes remote work eligibility? For example, an employee who has a job that can easily be done from locations other than a traditional office might be eligible, while an employee who works in a warehouse with specific equipment that cannot be accessed from home may not be. Eligibility may also depend on specific characteristics of the employee. For example, look for the following traits:

• Self-motivated
• Trustworthy
• Disciplined
• Results-driven
• Communicative

2. Rules and other company policies

In this section, lay out conditions as they relate to your employee handbook, such as maintaining confidentiality and adhering to your company's paid-time-off policy.

3. Work expectations

What expectations do you have for your employees? For example, you may not care what days and hours they work as long as they meet their deadlines. Or, conversely, you may want them to work during a standard set of hours.

4. Communication

Determine your communication standards. Here are some examples of policies you may want to include:

• Employees must be available on company chat at all times except while they are in meetings or out to lunch, at which time they are to set an away message.
• Employees must be available and respond to all management inquiries during normal business hours within one hour.
• Employees must notify their team when they sign on for the day and go to lunch.

In addition, you may want to specify when people should use phone calls versus virtual meetings. For example, virtual meetings may be best for planning meetings, as they offer a more personable approach than regular phone calls do. Virtual meetings are also typically better for collaboration. Phone calls are best when someone has something quick to discuss that would be too complicated or long to explain via email or instant messaging.

5. Insurance and liability

Just because employees are working from home does not mean they should be excluded from company benefits, such as health insurance and 401(k) plans. Remember, if you treat your employees well, they are more likely to stick around. Identify which benefits and insurance types you'd like to offer.

6. Security

Because most businesses have access to sensitive customer information, having a security policy can help protect critical data and your company. Identify your company's security measures, such as having all files saved on a secure network.

7. Compensation

Because remote workers do not have commuting-related expenses, if you currently pay a travel stipend, be sure to note in your policy that this is not included. But what about internet and phone expenses? The norm is to supply remote workers with a company phone but not cover at-home internet costs. In addition, state the eligibility requirements for promotions and salary increases at your company.

How to transition to remote work

For companies that are new to remote work, laying down a foundation for a smooth transition is the key to a productive remote work team. Here are some steps you may want to follow:

1. Have a remote work policy. Draft a remote work policy that clearly communicates what your expectations are for your employees.

2. Maximize technology.  Technologies such as video conferencing and instant messaging make remote work a more personable and collaborative experience.

3. Hold virtual "hype" meetings.  Get your team excited about your company and its goals through some team bonding by holding a weekly or monthly hype meeting. During these meetings, encourage employees to talk about some of their accomplishments, and be sure to give out praise where it is due. Use this time to get employees excited about new projects and clients.

4. Encourage engagement.  Let your employees know you want to hear their feedback about remote work. Be sure they know you want to hear both positives and negatives. Getting that feedback will help you refine your remote work policies. Also make sure you are available to answer any questions employees have about the remote work policies.

What remote work equipment do your employees need?

Consider providing your employees with the following types of remote work equipment:

Collaboration tools

A collaboration tool helps workers stay connected. To save time and money, your collaboration tool should also serve as a complete project management, communication and productivity platform. Here are a few of the best tools for this type of work:

• Salesforce CRM : Keep track of every customer, automate tasks and send targeted emails.
• Trello :  Get access to boards, lists and cards to track and organize projects.
• Asana : Manage goals, organize projects, set deadlines and more.  

Video conferencing service

A  video conferencing service  – such as Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting or Zoom – lets users make video calls and host internal and external video conferences. 

Whether via a mobile phone or a  business phone system , employees need to be able to call not only one another but also clients and vendors.

Instant messaging service

It can save your employees time if they can send a quick instant message via a chat tool, such as Slack or Google Chat, instead of texting, calling or emailing.

Work computers

If you expect your employees to work effectively from home, it's wise to provide them with a computer that is preloaded with all of the applications and security features you want.

How to be a good remote manager for your remote team

As a business owner or manager, you can expect your team members to look to you for leadership and guidance. While they won't be able to physically knock on your door, you still need to be there for them. Here are some tips for how to be a good remote manager:

1. Keep communication open.

Let your employees know you are available for them, and don't just wait for them to come to you. Be proactive by checking in with them regularly. When applicable, offer feedback and words of encouragement. Also, be sure to make time to meet virtually and to hold performance reviews.

2. Give great direction.

Whether working in the office or remotely, employees appreciate a manager who is a clear communicator and offers clear direction. For example, when you give employees instructions, make sure you are direct and offer enough information for your team to fully understand what you need. Poor communication results in frustration and lost productivity.

• Be empathetic.  With the dog barking, the kids crying and the neighbor mowing his lawn, it's not always possible for remote employees to have a distraction-free environment. But as long as your staff members get their work done by their deadlines, be empathetic about at-home demands that may pull them away from their work for a few minutes each day.
• Stay organized.  If your kitchen or living room doubles as your home office, it can be easy to get disorganized. Use calendars or project management tools to keep your tasks organized and stay on top of your game.

What are the benefits of remote work?

Remote work can be a win-win for employers and employees.

Remote work benefits for employers

• Cost savings:  Without office space, there's no commercial real estate to pay for, or any of the expenses that come along with it, such as utilities and office furniture.
• Improved employee productivity:  Without having distractions from loud co-workers, many employees are more productive.
• Lower absenteeism rates:  When people don't feel well, they may be more likely to take time off of work if they have to go into an office. If employees have minor symptoms, they may feel more comfortable working from the comfort of their home, where they also will not spread illnesses to co-workers. As a result, employers can expect lower rates of absenteeism.

Remote work benefits for employees

• Improved work happiness:  Studies have shown that working from home is a perk that boosts employees' happiness. In a study from Owl Labs and Global Workplace Analytics, full-time remote employees said they were  happy in their job 22% more than employees who never worked remotely.
• A more comfortable environment:  There is a good chance that your employees aren't thrilled with your office environment, whether it's an open office layout or a cubicle farm. By working from home, employees are free to create a more comfortable workspace.
• A healthier workplace:  When employees work from home, they don't have to worry about co-workers getting them sick. Even before COVID-19, the flu and other sicknesses spread easily among employees in the office.

How to fit remote work into your business continuity plan

The concept of business performance during a crisis is perhaps a frightening and uncomfortable thought. Certainly, without a business continuity plan in place, there can be real consequences for your company; namely economic difficulties, poor company image, and reduced productivity of employees.

But, what is a business continuity plan? It’s effectively a scheme put in place to manage routine business operations when employees must work remotely. We are possibly living through the most significant remote working phenomenon to date, with the onset and increasing danger of Covid-19. Do you have a business continuity plan in place to combat this threat?

With a whole workforce working remotely, in some cases, it’s essential to have a solid business continuity plan to mitigate risks to your organization. We’ve put together some key considerations to help you incorporate remote working into your business continuity plan.

Empower your employees

Above all else, you need to ensure that you are giving your employees the best possible chance to continue their usual productivity. This encompasses many factors, but primarily ensuring that your employees feel trusted while they are not physically present in the workplace, and also supported if they require any guidance.

In the current circumstances, it may also be worth revizing your flexible working policy, as this is not to be confused with remote working. Consider the personal obligations of your employees; if they are taking care of a vulnerable person, or have new childcare commitments, authorizing more flexibility with their hours may allow for more productivity in their own work. Putting measures in place to support parents without childcare, or employees that develop sickness is also a crucial reflection when developing your business continuity plan.

It is therefore also worth reviewing your sick leave and paid time off procedures. More now than ever, it is important that employees are allowed time off to recover from illness; the last thing your business needs is someone entering the business premises and infecting the rest of your staff, because they’re worried about being paid.

Have you got the hardware?

To empower your employees, however, you need to make sure that they physically have all the tools that they need. Make sure that each employee has a way to access all of the company information they require to perform their normal job, whether that be through a personal laptop or PC. If they don’t, do you have enough technical equipment within the organization to provide it for them? If not, you may need to buy new technology, or organize for them to take their usual hardware home from the office.

Given that meetings will naturally take place through the medium of video conferencing, there may also be an unforeseen need for video equipment such as webcams, mics, and headphones, among other tools. If your company doesn’t already have these, it may also be time to consider this purchase.

Having the right software in place is also essential. You may never have used video conferencing tools, or cloud file storage, or even collaborative online workspaces. These will now become an important part of the daily running of your business, with your workforce in remote locations. There are several video conferencing tools available, as well as cloud storage, and collaborative platforms such as Google G Suite, Microsoft Office 360 and Adobe Cloud. Work out which one is best for your business, but ensure to roll this out correctly and comprehensively to all of your employees.

When these software elements are established, ensure that your employees know who to contact if they have any issues. Do you have an IT department? Do you use an outsourced company? Having an open line of communication with these experts will resolve future stumbling blocks.

Be serious about security

Similarly, whether it be some, or many, of your workforce working from home, you need to ensure that you have strict security measures in place. Perhaps your employees would benefit from more enhanced training on data protection, particularly to incorporate remote working.

Do you have a secure password manager? Do your employees have comprehensive antivirus software? It is imperative that you ensure your employees have up to date security systems in place, as they would in the office, and that they understand how to use them.

Concentrate on communication

During this anxious and uncertain time, your workforce will need strong leadership, with clear messages. Arrange for a clean line of open communication, allowing employees to question leadership, and discuss any problems they come across. It is also recommended to schedule in frequent virtual team meetings, in order to provide a sense of normality, and the ability to discuss business matters together.

Get ISO 22301 certified

One way to ensure that your business is ready to take on any unexpected disruptions, is to achieve the ISO 22301 standard. The standard mitigates risk against disturbances to business activity, and assesses vulnerabilities to address, in order to protect both your company and your workforce. It also provides a system to follow to recover from disaster, and any consequences this may have already had on your company’s framework. By becoming ISO 22301 certified, you ensure resilience in the face of threat to your organization.

With these key considerations, you should be closer to refining your business continuity plan to incorporate remote working. Having a holistic plan in place, one that is robust but constantly updated, is essential to combat any threat to your organization. Provide your employees with an adaptable culture, which will foster both their loyalty and their trust, and drive productivity.

Interested in finding out more about ISO 22301? You can get a free copy of our ISO 22301 guide here .

If you are interested in achieving the ISO 22301 certification to ensure that you are prepared for future threats to your organization, and to resolve any current risks that it may be facing, you can request a free consultation and quotation with us here.

For a free Quotation or On-Site presentation by an ISO Specialist, contact us today!

IMSM Inc USA Headquarters 515 S. Flower Street, 18th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071 USA

I'm a CEO who ran my company from a cruise ship for a month. It requires a lot of discipline, but I'd do it again.

• Tony Fernandes, CEO of UEGroup, managed his company from a cruise ship for 21 days.
• Fernandes experienced challenges with slow internet and communication but found workable solutions.
• Despite the hurdles, he finds value in being offline at times and plans to continue cruising.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tony Fernandes, a 60-year-old founder and CEO of UEGroup based in San Francisco, about his experience working remotely on a cruise ship. It's been edited for length and clarity.

My wife and I are in the post-kid, post-pet phase of our lives. Our kids have gone off to college and we had a beloved dog and house rabbits that have passed away. After they passed, that really opened up a window for us to travel — and we did — but extended travel is new for us.

In November, I embarked on a trip where I spent several weeks leading my company from a cruise ship with my wife. We ultimately circumnavigated the globe on two different cruises and with air travel. Leaving California, we went through Europe, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan.

It's been a cool experience. But I found that while working on the ship , you do need some discipline — especially on a 21-day cruise.

You have to create a time for work and a time for play

We didn't realize it, but when we upgraded our internet, it upgraded our drinks package. So, it turned out we could get bottles of Moët & Chandon Champagne for free.

We had a couple of lunches and dinners where we enjoyed Champagne , but we also developed a rhythm where we had work time and playtime. It wasn't rigid — but there were times when my wife, who does finance at UEGroup, and I knew we had to get things done.

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Working can set you apart from people who are on vacation. That doesn't mean you can't work in your bathing suit or have a beer before you start your work, but it puts you on a slightly different footing than some of the other people on the cruise.

Expect very slow internet service

One thing I didn't realize prior to the trip was that the cruise ship had only one satellite connection shared by thousands of people. The internet was oppressively slow at times.

For our next long trip, I'm looking into getting a data satellite phone so I can put an antenna on my patio facing the right direction for the satellite. I've still got to figure it out, but there were times when it was really important for us to communicate, and we couldn't.

We're now very mistrustful of statements the cruise lines make about the quality of their internet. For example, we upgraded our Internet, but it turned out the cruise line's definition of upgrading was that we could have more than one device, not that there was any better speed or reliability. You've got to read the fine print about how they define an upgrade.

I would also recommend asking what kind of download and upload speeds to expect.

Create a backup plan for meetings and other communication challenges

Internet access can be unpredictable even with research and planning ahead, so we had backup people for important meetings back at the office. If we weren't able to show up, there was someone prepared with the slide deck. I can't say it didn't create awkward moments at times — and it is one of the downsides — but you can plan for it the best you can.

When my wife was dealing with a bank and needed to get a two-factor authentication code without working SMS, there wasn't much she could do. So, that was a challenge as well.

At some points, I was forced to go ashore and buy SIM cards to leverage local cell service, but this requires research. Depending on the country there might only be one cellphone service that works there, or you might be able to get SIM card brands that work for a larger area.

Being offline can end up being a good thing

I find it hard to be offline, but because the connectivity was so bad sometimes, it just forced it to happen. We were in the middle of nowhere, and it wasn't going to change. In a way, being offline was good because I could just tune out.

My wife and I plan to cruise more in the future and even recently bought a home in Portugal near a cruise port that we're going to commute to using cruises as much as possible.

When we did the math, taking a cruise from California to Portugal was less than two business-class air travel tickets. Plus, you get meals, entertainment, and no jet lag — it seems like the way to go.

If you live or work on a cruise ship and would like to share your story, please email [email protected] .

Watch: Microsoft's chief brand officer, Kathleen Hall, says the company's employees are its best product testers

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Why remote work is incompatible with a company's long term growth.

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UNSPLASH.COM

Tech giants around the globe are pushing or pulling employees to return to the office. Strategies range from offering to donate to local charities in exchange for coming to the office to warning that attendance will be considered as part of performance reviews. But the reality is that most companies are bracing for remote or hybrid workplaces for the long term. Just 4% of U.S. CEOs say they’re prioritizing a full-time return to the office, according to a 2024 CEO survey from The Conference Board . A 2023 survey of roughly 500 business executives echoed that sentiment: remote work isn’t going anywhere.

Some leaders fear that employees are unwilling to return to the office. Others cite productivity bumps of WFH. Others point to eliminated costs of rent and office equipment. But those reasons may be shortsighted. If you’re focused on sustainable, long-term growth, there are strong arguments for returning to the office.

Here, a closer look at why despite the upsides of remote work, the benefits of face-to-face interaction tip the scale toward an in-office workplace.

More Effective Onboarding For New Hires

Imagine gearing up for the first day of your first job only to travel to your living room (or bedroom, if you have a studio, as is the case for many young professionals). Aside from the anticlimactic feeling of entering the workforce from the comfort of your home, learning the ropes—from technical skills to office practices to how to work—is immeasurably more challenging when you’re not interacting face-to-face.

Remote work is a rocky on-ramp for entry-level employees. With my company, Jotform, we realized as much after transitioning to remote work during the pandemic. Productivity may have hovered around the same level, but something was broken. New hires were floundering. They were struggling more than any other cohort of new hires and some were resigning.

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The human connection was missing. There’s an ineffable satisfaction and comfort to learning from someone right next to you; someone you can shoulder tap with questions while developing a real rapport. When new hires don’t have the chance to form in-person connections, the onboarding process is frustrating and challenging. That’s what researchers found when comparing the experience of senior students to first-year students. When both groups were forced to transition to online learning, the seniors, who had already developed face-to-face ties with their colleagues, found it easier to continue their interactions remotely. First-years viewed remote teaching as difficult and unsatisfactory.

Returning to the office ensures a smoother onboarding experience for new hires and sustainable growth in the long term. Most leaders would agree that these trump the convenience of working from home.

Better And Bolder Ideas

Warhol and Basquiat. Frankenthaler and Hartigan. Gauguin and Van Gogh. Great artists throughout history have found companionship in other artists, swapping ideas and paintbrushes while creating their masterpieces. Physical presence is an important part of that creative synergy.

While a digital connection is a great alternative, it’s not as effective for collaboration. Indeed, studies show that interacting through a screen makes employees less likely to generate ideas. The researchers explained that the effects are due to the difference in the physical nature of videoconferencing versus in-person interactions. When someone uses videoconferencing, the screen steals some of the communicator’s attention, which narrows cognitive focus. Those memes about looking at yourself during a Zoom meeting are right on the nose.

What’s more, an analysis of 20 million research articles and 4 million patent applications concluded that in-person teams make more breakthrough discoveries than their remote counterparts. Remote teams may be creative, but physical presence is more conducive to out-of-the-box thinking and innovation, which companies need more than ever in a rapidly progressing world.

Invaluable Camaraderie

When you’re engaged in your most meaningful work—the reasons you choose your career path in the first place—hours seem to fly by. But all jobs inevitably have busy work—tedious tasks like invoicing and scheduling that make the wheels of your business turn. You can automate the lion’s share of your busy work, but at the end of the day, being satisfied with your company’s larger mission keeps momentum afloat during inevitable lulls. This is where camaraderie comes into play. Forming strong bonds with your coworkers can transform your work experience.

Writing for Harvard Business Review , Art Markman explains the phenomenon of “goal contagion”—when you adopt the goals of the people working around you. This, in turn, makes people feel more connected to their organization’s mission and boosts overall job satisfaction. It makes coming to the office about more than just another paycheck.

Interacting IRL facilitates the formation of bonds and promotes goal contagion. Not only that, real life relationships have been shown to boost well-being—just as much as a 50% increase in income.

That might be the tastiest carrot for employees who are hesitant to return to the office—underlining that it benefits the organization, but also, their personal happiness and job satisfaction. And when the work is rewarding and employees are satisfied, people are drawn to the company—and they stay.

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What will be closed or closing early on solar eclipse day April 8 in Erie? Here's the list so far.

This story has been updated to include just-announced closings.

It won't be business as usual in Erie on Monday.

That's the day of the solar eclipse, and tens of thousands of people are expected to come here to see it.

Erie is the largest Pennsylvania city where the moon will totally block the sun for a time. The eclipse will begin at 2:02 p.m. and end at 4:30, with totality from 3:16 to 3:20.

Most Erie area schools and some government buildings and businesses will be closed, at least for a time, on April 8 to allow students and staff to enjoy the eclipse or avoid heavy traffic. Others will ask employees to work remotely.

Businesses and services

Erie County's largest employer is asking employees who can work remotely on April 8 to do just that.

Many of Erie Insurance's 3,446 local employees will be working at home as a result.

"That said, customer and claims support is always available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 1-800-458-0811," company spokesman Matthew Cummings said.

Wegmans stores in Erie and upstate New York will close from 3 to 3:30 p.m. to allow employees to view the eclipse during totality.

YMCA of Greater Erie will close its Downtown, Glenwood, Eastside and County branches at noon.

The Millfair Compost and Recycling Center will be closed.

Experience Children's Museum will be closed but will offer eclipse-related activities during Eclipse Day Downtown in Perry Square, sponsored by the Erie Downtown Partnership, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Erie Community Blood Bank's Erie Donor Center at 2646 Peach St. will be closed.

Public buildings

The Erie County Courthouse will be closed to the public, and courts won't be in session.

Offices of Erie County's 13 district judges also will be closed.

Erie City Hall and the North East Township Municipal Building will be closed.

Closing early will be the Fairview Township Municipal Building, at 11:30 a.m., and the Millcreek and Summit township municipal buildings, at noon.

Schools and colleges

Twelve of Erie County's 13 public school districts will have no classes on April 8.

General McLane School District students will learn remotely.

Private and parochial schools will be closed or offer remote classes.

In Crawford County's four school districts, students will be dismissed after a half-day.

Here's what the colleges plan:

• Gannon University: No classes from 1:20 to 4:30 p.m.
• Mercyhurst University: No classes.
• Penn State Behrend: Remote classes.
• PennWest University: Faculty encouraged to offer remote classes or alternate assignments.
• Allegheny College: Faculty have the option to cancel classes.

All local colleges and universities plan eclipse viewing events for the public.

Contact Valerie Myers at [email protected] .

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: What will be closed or closing early on solar eclipse day April 8 in Erie? Here's the list so far.

Full-time Part-time Freelance Entry-level High-paying International

HR Compliance Analyst at Prime Therapeutics

Title: HR Compliance Analyst – Remote

Location: SC-Columbia; US Remote

JobDescription:

The Human Resources Compliance Analyst is responsible for supporting the coordination, oversight, and management of various regulatory and compliance processes within Human Resources (HR). This position will work closely with the Senior HR Compliance Analyst and will interface cross-functionally with HR, departments across the organization, and vendors.

Responsibilities

• Provide reports, data, and responses to for HR’s business continuity plan and corporate audits, accreditations, client requests, government contracts RFP responses, and related activities (i.e., corrective action plans, audit responses, etc. )
• Research, interpret, and monitor employment regulatory compliance; identify potential impact(s) and support cross-functional HR teams with the analysis, recommendation and implementation of applicable federal, state and local regulations; ensure required compliance documentation (i.e., labor postings, notifications) are accurate and provided timely
• Support compliance reporting, partner cross-functionally to ensure accurate and timely submissions (e.g., EEO-1, California Pay Data, workforce certificates, etc.)
• Manage the administration and review of HR policies
• Oversee the processes and the timely completion of HR Compliance employee tasks (e.g. I-9’s, License updates, trainings, checklists, attestations and acknowledgements, etc.)
• Respond to inquiries and requests to the HR Compliance inbox, participate in projects and maintain HR Compliance documentation, tools and resources
• Serve as the HR lead for records retention and information management process and coordinate the process to maintain and/or update HR documents such as standard operating procedures, desktop procedures, policies, business continuity plan, etc.
• Support the internal immigration processes; respond to inquiries and request for data; ensure completion and retention of required documentation.
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business or related area of study, or equivalent combination of education and/or work experience; HS Diploma or GED is required
• 2 years of experience working in compliance, legal, or Human Resources
• Must be eligible to work in the United States without need for work visa or residency sponsorship

Additional Qualifications

• Ability to collaborate and communicate with all levels across the company and build strong working relationships
• Strong attention to detail, well organized and able to manage time effectively
• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality work in a timely fashion in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to analyze data and interpret requirements with a high level of accuracy and consistency
• Proven ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality
• Basic understanding of applicable state and federal employment and labor and compliance requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years of experience working in compliance, legal, or regulatory focused role within Human Resources
• Experience handing immigration, and researching and interpreting HR and employment regulations
• PHR (Professional Human Resources) Certification, Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP) or Certified Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Healthcare, insurance, or pharmaceutical industry experience

Minimum Physical Job Requirements

• Constantly required to sit, use hands to handle or feel, talk and hear
• Frequently required to reach with hands and arms
• Occasionally required to stand, walk and stoop, kneel, and crouch
• Occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus

Reporting Structure

• Reports to a Vice President in the Human Resources department

Potential pay for this position ranges from $57,600.00 – $86,800.00 based on experience and skills. Pay range may vary by 8% depending on applicant location.

To review our Benefits, Incentives and Additional Compensation, visit our Benefits Page (https://www.primetherapeutics.com/careers/benefits/) and click on the “Benefits at a glance” button for more detail.

Prime Therapeutics LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage diverse candidates to apply and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, family status, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class under federal, state, or local law.

Positions will be posted for a minimum of five consecutive workdays.

Prime Therapeutics’ fast-paced and dynamic work environment is ideal for proactively addressing the constant changes in today’s health care industry. Our employees are involved, empowered, and rewarded for their achievements. We value new ideas and work collaboratively to provide the highest quality of care and service to our members.

If you are looking to advance your career within a growing, team-oriented, award-winning company, apply to Prime Therapeutics today and start making a difference in people’s lives.

Prime Therapeutics LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage diverse candidates to apply and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. If you are an applicant with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact Human Resources at 1.866.469.1257 or email [email protected].

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