Remote Teams Are A Great Idea, But Only If You Do Them Right

With the rise of connectivity and global communications, employing someone who lives on the other side of the planet is easy. So long as they have an internet connection and a computer terminal, you can hook them up to your business network, get them started on projects and milk them for all they’re worth. 

Remote working offers massive benefits to both businesses and individuals. Companies, for instance, save around $11,000 per year on things like office space, furniture, and expenses on utilities. 

Likewise, employees save between $2,000 and $7,000 on gas and vehicle depreciation - a substantial saving - not to mention avoiding all the stress and lost productivity of the daily commute. 

Virtual teams, however, aren’t universal yet. They face several challenges that could put their brakes on their wider adoption. 

The first issue, according to the following infographic, is a lack of an increase in productivity. Only 22 percent of firms surveyed reported that their workers were now doing more as a result of working remotely. 

There’s also the issue of misunderstandings and a lack of support. When you’re not in amongst the rest of your team, it’s hard to build the personal rapport that offices and workplaces rely on to get things done. 

The good news is that companies might be able to have their cake and eat it too. The following infographic charts some remote working “best practices” that you can deploy in your business to improve morale and start saving money. Check them out below. 

Infographic by University of Alabama Birmingham