On the surface, working from home is awesome. The commute time is however long it takes you to get to the computer; track pants are always a wardrobe option; breaks are when you need them; and no one is constantly looking over your shoulder or interrupting your work with random office banter.
Even with all of those benefits, there are instances in which a remote worker can feel pretty disconnected from the employer. This isn’t always the worst problem in the world, however, such separation can cause problems as it relates to effectively doing one’s job.
Sure, if a remote worker has great discipline, they will be able to get their work done no matter the location or situation. But every now and then, having a video call with the boss, or those the individual shares a department with, can make working from home all the more comfortable.
If you are a boss, manager, or supervisor, it’s time to better understand why conducting regular virtual meetings can make the work experience for remote employees much better.
Social Interactions
While it can be great for a remote worker to have peace and quiet when performing their duties from home, sometimes that silence can be too much to handle.
By and large, humans are social animals. We enjoy interacting with one another. Doing so helps break up the monotony that can be experienced doing any job. What’s more, having positive interactions with one another has the ability to improve a worker’s mental health and general disposition.
When a worker is left to their own social devices during the course of a day, or week, they can get a bit antsy and feel as if their mind is wandering too much.
As such, checking in on them via an online meeting platform on a regular basis will help them feel happier and more engaged on a daily basis.
Relationship Building
In business, relationship building may not be everything, but it is a big thing. More specifically, remote workers want to feel as if they are a vital member of any team they are collaborating with. Sure, this can happen a bit over the phone or via email, but these do not offer the same satisfying results as a live video chat online would.
When a remote worker does not have regular opportunities to meet with those they are expected to conduct business with, it is hard for them to better understand those on the team.
Having such familiarity is necessary, as it helps everyone understand how each other work; individual strengths and weaknesses; and professional personality types.
It also helps for management to encourage remote workers to have regular video conferences with clients, when possible. Just because someone is not working from within a defined corporate office space, does not mean they should be unavailable to those from third party companies.
Project Clarity
Each and every project a company focuses on has its differences. As such, frequent team meetings should occur when time-sensitive and/or complex projects need to be completed.
Remote workers can use this opportunity to understand the status of the project at hand, as well as how everyone else is faring with regards to their portion of it. Additionally, remote workers can use this as an opportunity to easily seek any guidance they, too, require in order to get their job done.
If a remote worker is unable to have consistent virtual meetings with project team members, there is a good chance such a disconnect could slow – or screw up – the completion of an important endeavour.
