Moreover, the future of work suggests that a number of trends - such as globalisation, the desire to reduce carbon emissions combined with energy challenges, increasing technology, and emerging economies - will rapidly increase remote working over the next few decades. In light of working for a virtual agency, I have devised a few key ways to help build and maintain trust with remote employees. So, the secret recipe to a healthy remote work life and future is as follows:
A conversation about training or working with your remote workers to give them a better working environment could help you achieve a greater trust with them. All professionals have different working styles and distinct work ethics, as no discipline is necessarily good or bad. It just needs to be heard, adapted to and learnt from. It is up to you to consciously allow individuals to work in their respective ways for the purpose of mutual respect and trust.
Sometimes recognition and appreciation of team members is forgotten. As agencies, you are here not only to service clients, but to also acknowledge the hours staff invest in pursuit of positive results. Remote workers can often feel isolated, working on their own for most of their day. It is undeniable that self-motivation is essential; however, it is equally an agency’s responsibility to make remote employees feel valued. Encourage them!
A genuine approachability to reassure your team that their concerns will be heard and dealt with as a priority is vital. As a virtual agency, take pro-active responsibility to schedule meetings and check-ins with each team member personally. This way, the agency can also understand potential challenges the team could face on a day-to-day basis. All of these actions contribute towards an environment of trust, which encourages a healthier workforce.
With developments made in technology and increased emphasis on work/life balance, remote working is a trend that is here to stay. Recent research has even suggested 50% of the UK workforce will work remotely by 2020. Since trust is built on a two-way street, both the employee and agency must have a positive outlook towards efficiently running and delivering a service. This way, trust is developed, maintained, and utilised to the benefit of your agency.
