Read the full article at: www.timecamp.com

Managing virtual sales teams is becoming a common theme in the workplace.  

As times change, so does the average worker. Many companies are turning to virtual sales teams to save money on office space and create a flexible working atmosphere.  

This trend will most likely continue to increase with the advancement of new technologies and the current social distancing measures.  

However, many managers tend to worry that their team is either binging on Netflix shows, doing laundry or otherwise goofing off – while in their pajamas.

Guess what? 

The truth is employees tend to perform better when working from home.

Here are some tips that will help you manage a productive and high-performing virtual sales team. 

1. Select the Right Candidates for Remote Work

While the data supports the idea that remote teams are effective, not everyone is effective when it comes to remote work. 

Before you allow a current employee to go remote, you should evaluate their work patterns and ethics. 

Read the full article at: www.vanillasoft.com

This has been a significant year of change across the globe, particularly in the workplace as we have all had to adapt and rethink our workforce strategies. As we look to find the answers to the right, wrong, and most effective ways to move forward in the new normal in 2021 and beyond, one thing is for certain: remote work practices are here to stay. Whether your team is fully remote or is a hybrid of remote and in-office, the workplace has forever been affected. Major companies like Facebook and Twitter have already set a precedent by allowing employees to work remotely, permanently.

As a remote-centric company with 750+ employees spanning 35 countries, remote work has been ingrained in our DNA since Auth0 was founded in 2013. Over the past seven years, we have found success in giving our team the freedom to do their best work on their own terms, regardless of location. Here are a few key lessons we learned on how to make remote work successful.

Read the full article at: chiefexecutive.net

Around the world and in every industry the future of work has changed dramatically. Some roles made an easy transition to remote work delivering significant benefits. Other roles were unable to work away from the workplace leading to furloughs and layoffs.

Most office worker roles actually made a successful transition to remote work. Forcing an urgent transition to what was previously only a workplace experiment. The success of remote work has seen global surveys of executives confirm that remote work or a hybrid version is definitely here to stay.

McKinsey Global Institute have conducted analysis and found that the potential for remote work is “highly concentrated among highly skilled, highly educated workers in a handful of occupations and geographies”.

However at least half the workforce has little or no opportunity to work remotely. People who need to work physically collaborating with others, those who use specialised machinery etc.

Read the full article at: innovation-thinking.com

Many accounting and finance organizations have been forced to close their physical offices and conduct work remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and these companies have had to come up with new ways of hiring staff. In particular, they’ve moved their recruitment and onboarding processes into the virtual world, from a candidate’s initial interview—now via video—to their first day on the job—now from home. The crisis has provided a fresh perspective on the idea that remote recruitment could become common and perhaps even standard in some cases.

Managers need to be ready to address immediate staffing needs and those in the longer-term future, despite not fully knowing what the latter might look like. And since a virtual hiring process could play a bigger part in recruitment now and down the line, it pays to be prepared.

Read the full article at: sfmagazine.com

As more companies ponder the future of remote work, it’s going to be important to keep remote teams engaged with your business and brand. For the past 6 years, I’ve been a part of BKA Content, a award-winning company based in Utah, that has maintained a good reputation among its writers for creating an excellent remote working environment and known for its high standards.

According to Matt Secrist, co-founder and COO, BKA has over 600 independent contractors and 20 employees, all of whom work remotely. Over 200 of those writers have been with the company for two or more years. About 30 writers have been with the company for more than 6 years. It’s not easy to keep freelancers on board that long without some strong ties to the company.

Communication
Secrist states, “I think frequent communication…(makes) a huge difference.” I concur with this statement. BKA sends out a weekly newsletter to all its writers. After six years, I still enjoy reading it because it always gives relevant information. Their culture comes through in the newsletter. It’s not preachy. Sometimes, they have fun games and contests that create camaraderie and give us fun things beyond writing. 

Read the full article at: theamericangenius.com

Remote work is not a new trend. Many forward-thinking companies have been utilizing remote teams for employees who want flexibility and the ability to work from home.

The pandemic has proven that tasks and projects can be successfully completed from anywhere at any time.

Advances in technology have provided businesses with remote programs and apps making collaboration and project completion more effective and efficient.

It is a win-win proposition as workers are not tied to their desks and companies save time and money.

Read the full article at: www.business2community.com

At its core, the coronavirus pandemic is a distinctly human crisis, and one that has caused more than 35 million cases and a little over one million deaths.

However, it would be naive to underestimate the financial and socio-economic impact of Covid-19, which has been visually presented here by Best Casino Sites. 

This has also changed the labour market beyond all recognition, with remote working having become increasingly commonplace since March. But will this trend continue into the future, and does it represent the number normal in the workplace?

The Facts About Remote Working During Coronavirus

There are plenty of statistics which highlight the rise of remote working in the UK, some of which hint at the fact that this trend could remain in place for the foreseeable future.

Let’s start with the basics; with one study discovering that the Covid-19 pandemic had reshaped the leading technological priorities for 95% of businesses. 

Read the full article at: workology.com

What does the future hold for remote workers? And what will post-pandemic workdays look like—back to the office, working from home or a hybrid? While the light at the end of the tunnel seems within reach, companies across the globe are scrambling to create the future workplace. One way to predict the future of work is to understand people’s remote work experiences over the last year. And based on recent reports, one thing is clear: remote work has left an impression. The Limeade Institute’s Employee Care Report 3.0 found that 100% of formerly onsite workers said they’re anxious about returning to the office, 71% said they were concerned about less flexibility and 77% said they’re worried about exposure to Covid-19.

Preference For Remote Work

FlexJobs ran a survey of more than 2,100 people who worked remotely during the pandemic from March 17, 2021 through April 5, 2021. They found that, not only do employees want remote work post-pandemic, 58% say they would absolutely look for a new job if they weren’t allowed to continue working remotely in their current position.

Read the full article at: www.forbes.com

For years, headlines about work flexibility have touted the idea of offering more options for employees to work remotely. Then COVID hit, and almost everyone who was able to work remotely was thrust into it—ready or not.

For some, this meant more flexibility, saved commuting costs, improved productivity, and more. But for others, the picture has been less rosy.

What Causes Burnout?

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons remote employees may be at high risk for burnout, especially now.

• It may be tougher to separate work life from home life while working at home, often leading to employees’ working longer hours.
• When work is staring at you inside the house, it can be more difficult to mentally switch off from it after the workday ends.
• A lack of commuting time may mean employees are actually working more hours.
• Being away from coworkers may mean less socialization, which means employees might have fewer ways to recharge during the workday.
• During COVID in particular, taking vacation time is an entirely different scenario. With fewer travel options and more reasons to avoid being around crowded places, many are opting to skip their vacation days.
• Fewer interactions with teammates may result in coworkers’ missing the signals that an employee is struggling, leaving problems unaddressed for much longer.
• Managers also see their team less often, making it less likely they’ll realize when there are problems.

Ways to Reduce Risk

With these examples, it’s easy to see how remote working doesn’t guarantee better work/life balance if not treated with care. Thankfully, there are steps employers can take to mitigate these risks. Here are some options:

• Train managers to frequently check in with their team members so they’re aware of how their employees are doing. This may seem awkward at first, but it can be beneficial if handled well.
• Encourage employees to use their vacation time, even if that time is used to just recharge for a bit instead of taking a traditional vacation. Time away from work can help both the employee and the employer.
• Proactively assess employees’ workloads to confirm they aren’t becoming overloaded.
• Ensure managers know the signs of burnout in remote employees. Look for things like messages being sent at all hours or changes in employee demeanor, mood, behavior, or productivity.
• Get input from remote employees on how they’re doing. It seems simple and obvious, but it’s often overlooked.
• Assess the previous benefit structure, and see what benefits can be tailored to be more useful for remote employees right now. For example, wellness programs may have components that can be implemented for remote workers. Or new benefit offerings could be considered that can keep remote employees engaged.

Given that we don’t know how long much of the workforce will be working remotely, what other items has your organization implemented to ensure employees are still getting the work/life balance they need? What would you add to this list?