8 best practices for efficient and harmonious teleworking

The confinement imposed in 2020 marked a profound change in the way we think about work. Telecommuting has become the norm for many companies, even though the practice was still marginal a few years ago in France. In 2019, 22% of companies used telecommuting. By 2023, 47% of them will be doing so, demonstrating a new and significant commitment to this way of working. And with good reason: many companies have been won over by the undeniable advantages of telecommuting. Increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, improved employee well-being, reduced real estate costs - these are just some of the benefits that contribute to a company's success when telecommuting is well executed. However, poor execution can have the opposite effect, and be detrimental to the company.

Here are 8 best practices to help you reap the benefits of telecommuting while avoiding its pitfalls.

1. Establish clear teleworking policies

The transition from 100% office to telecommuting can be disruptive for your employees. To ensure the success of this new approach to work, characterized by the integration of telecommuting and flex office, it's essential to define its contours, with well-defined rules and expectations. The teleworking charter is the document you need. In particular, it covers :

• Authorized teleworking days and days when presence at the office is required.
• Accepted teleworking locations (employee's home, coworking spaces...) and equipment requirements.
• Work schedules during teleworking periods, including availability for meetings and communications.

The benefits of the charter are manifold: for employees, it provides transparent access to all necessary information on teleworking conditions. For employers, it enables them to better organize the occupation of offices during the week, thus preventing all employees from teleworking on the same days.

2. Promote a spirit of trust in the office

When switching from the office to telecommuting and flex-working within the company, one of the main challenges for managers is to manage employees' work without seeing them physically in the office. Many of them fall into the trap of micro-management, trying to control employees' tasks excessively.

To avoid this pitfall, you need to adopt an approach based on mutual trust rather than excessive monitoring. Focus on results rather than time. Set clear objectives with deadlines, then allow employees the freedom to choose their methods. In addition, it's important that you are available to answer their questions and encourage them to share their progress regularly.

3. Provide the right equipment to work in good conditions

When introducing teleworking and flex-working in the office, it's essential to create the ideal environment that combines comfort, ergonomics and efficiency for your employees.

When telecommuting, make sure you provide them with the equipment they need for their work, such as a computer, ergonomic chair, adapted desk, headset for calls and online meetings.

In the office, reorganize your rooms to create flexible, collaborative spaces adapted to hybrid working.

4. Invest in good flex collaboration tools

Remote working requires the use of high-performance, intuitive tools to facilitate communication between office-based and telecommuting collaborators, and guarantee project continuity. Different types of software are essential for this:

• Communication software, such as Microsoft Teams or Slack, which enable instant and fluid exchanges ;
• Videoconferencing software, such as Zoom, is essential for remote meetings, enabling you to hold face-to-face discussions even from a distance;
• Cloud-based document sharing solutions such as Dropbox, making it easier to share and collaborate on files;
• Project management software for assigning and tracking tasks, ensuring better coordination.

5. Encourage regular communication when teleworking

To maintain good team cohesion at a distance, encourage regular communication between your employees through online or face-to-face meetings. These exchanges make it easier to share information and get back on track with projects as soon as you return to the office. Encourage remote social interaction to make up for lost time in everyday life. Organize virtual coffee breaks or online lunches to encourage informal exchanges. Create spaces dedicated to non-professional discussions to reinforce the sense of belonging. These interactions maintain a friendly atmosphere despite the physical distance. Also consider semi-present, semi-virtual events to include all your employees both in the office and at home.

6. Guarantee IT security

Ensuring IT security is crucial when telecommuting to protect your company's sensitive data from various risks, such as data theft. Here are some of the measures you can put in place:

• Use a secure remote connection via a VPN (virtual private network) to protect communications and exchanged data.
• Encourage the exclusive use of secure business tools rather than unprotected personal tools.
• Make sure that the software and systems you use are regularly updated.
• Use effective antivirus solutions to reinforce your information system (IS) protection.
• Ensure the security of business passwords with two-factor authentication, for example.
• Make employees aware of good IT practices.

7. Encourage work-life balance

Teleworking blurs the boundaries between personal and professional life, and can have negative consequences for your employees, such as burn-out. As a manager, you need to ensure that this balance is maintained. Respect the right to disconnect by allowing your employees not to respond to solicitations outside working hours. You can even prohibit business communications during certain time slots. Finally, talk regularly with your employees to understand their needs and constraints in terms of work-life balance.

8. Install flex office management software

If you decide to telecommute or flex in your office, the simplest and most efficient way to manage office space is to opt for specialized software. Your choice should be software that can easily identify on-site and telecommuting presence, book offices online in real time, facilitate team collaboration by reserving spaces close to each other, and analyze room occupancy rates.

Hamilton Deskbooking is an all-in-one flex office management and booking software, ideal for any company wishing to make an easy transition to teleworking. Any questions? Contact us