Don’t let the winter weather disrupt your work schedule this year!

As I sit here wrapped up in my warm fluffy blanket and XL hot water bottle, with no intention of putting the heating on due to costs being extortionate, I am thankful that I’m not having to make the dreaded commute to work that so many others are having to take right now.??

For those of you who haven’t been in the UK for the past two to three weeks, we have endured blisteringly cold winds, slip-and-break-your-back iced over roads and snow. On top of that, numerous people have been hit with COVID 2.0, the flu or just a plain nasty cold. Safe to say, winter is here, with no sign of a random heatwave anytime soon.???

While some may have to attempt the painful commute in, whether this be down to the industry that they work in or simply because the company they work for hasn’t yet adopted remote working, the lucky ones have had the opportunity to work from home.???

Before the pandemic, remote working was alien to a lot of us. There was never a justified ‘need’, it was more of a luxury. However, as soon as COVID-19 hit, it became a necessity for business continuity. While this was a big shift in the way many people worked, with numerous success stories and failures, many businesses decided to remain remote post-COVID. It has been reported that 1 in 5 offices are currently working a hybrid model (a mixture of working from home and the office).????

Why should your business consider remote/hybrid working??

No travel involved??

What is the worst part of the working day? It has to be the commute at the beginning and end of the day. Whether you drive to work, battling rush hour or traffic, or having to wait for a bus or train, commuting is a headache. With the most recent weather forecast, it’s considered dangerous to be driving, or relying on public transport, to commute to work. Accidents are inevitable and are just not worth the risk – no one enjoys being stuck in traffic in a snowstorm. By introducing remote/hybrid working you can also save time and money on your commute, as well as reducing your carbon footprint.??

Reduced sick days?

Are there some days where you just wake up and aren’t feeling 100%? Whether that be poor mental health, a cold or even a stomach bug, why does calling in sick make you feel so guilty? If handled in the correct manner, remote working can allow you to work at your own pace throughout the day. By notifying your manager or colleague that you are feeling under the weather, but still want to continue working, you can snuggle up with a warm duvet and medicine and work over short periods throughout the day.??

Improved work-life balance & employee retention?

There is nothing better than happy employees – especially over the winter period. Like most people, this is the time where people want to celebrate the festive period with family and friends without feeling burnt-out. Believe it or not, when you work remotely, you frequently have less distractions and are more productive, allowing you to finish work on time and spend more quality time with loved ones. This will also have a positive effect on employee retention, as your employees have a job that they love in the comfort of their own home.??

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What do you need to implement a hybrid/remote workforce???

The right equipment & technology??

Starting at a new company or a new role can be daunting, we have all been there, it’s the fear of the unknown. Or whether you’ve been at a company for a while and a decision has been made to move towards a hybrid or remote workforce, it’s crucial that you prepare your employees with the necessary equipment for them to do their jobs. This can be in the form of hardware, such as laptops, monitors, headsets and webcams and software, such as cloud-based conferencing and collaboration solutions, licences and applications. With the correct tools employees can be empowered to communicate and present through audio, video, SMS, instant messaging and document sharing.?

All this sounds fantastic, but it’s important to purchase intuitive technology that is easy to use, set up and to keep your documents secure to protect data and privacy, for both your employees and customers sake!??

The move to cloud-based solutions in recent years has made managing remote workers much easier. After the initial scrabble for business continuity during Covid-19, people are now looking more strategically at the best ways of managing remote workers and considering how to optimise their contact centres for remote working.??

At Britannic, we can help design, plan and implement an effective hybrid/remote working strategy that is right for your business. We offer a variety of different solutions from class-leading partners such as 8x8 , Five9 , Mitel , Bizvu , Pangea , Calabrio, Inc. , Red Box (Now part of Uniphore) and more that help create an efficient, highly motivated workforce.?Learn more about Britannic and their solutions now!