Report: Connecting and collaborating effectively in a remote work world

The sudden shift to remote working has put not only enormous pressures on business as they have had to adopt a strategy which often takes a long time to implement, but also the impact on employees, many of whom have never worked outside of the conventional workplace before. Companies are faced with the challenge of keeping their employees safe, connected, and productive. How and when people go back to the workplace will depend on the business, industry, and company culture. But it is clear, that we are not likely to revert to the ‘norm’. Remote work, in whatever form is here to stay.

Many businesses have adjusted well to the operational aspect of remote work, ensuring that employees have the technology and resources to operate from home offices. However, when it comes to ensuring teams are engaged, productive, and collaborative, the situation varies widely. Rightly so there is a concern. Will less experienced employees get lost without support from colleagues and their line manager? Will productivity be affected? How can employees juggle the demands of work with home-schooling and caring for their loved ones, while staying safe and well? According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than half of adults across the country say that worry and stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic are hurting their mental health, an early indication that the health and economic crises are likely to have a significant effect on people’s mental health.

Businesses that support remote work and invest in technology to help make connection and collaboration easier for their workforces will see higher morale, increased loyalty, more productivity, and better retention.

A recent Talent Tech Labs article gives a real-world example of how one company is doing just that with help from MHR’s People First platform.