A guide to enable Work-From-Home for your Business.

Working from home is not a reality for every company, especially those across the African Continent where such culture and practice is less common. Companies with no work-from-home policy in today's century will definitely find themselves in sticky situations and mainly during pandemic crisis like the Covid-19. And of course, for a range of others reasons, such as operational costs, effectiveness, efficiency and the whole paradigm shift in the new-age working culture.

Platforms, Tools and Equipment

Companies should provide basic tools and equipment allowing their staff to work remotely such as:

• Hardware:- Laptops, Headsets or even hard-phones ...
• Communication Platform:- Microsoft Teams, Slack, Skype for Business, Google Hangout ...
• Management System:- A Cloud-Based ERP or a VPN connection for Hosted/On-Premise Solutions ...
• Meeting Conference Tools:- Go-To-Meeting, Zoom, Join.me, Google Chat ...
• Productivity Tools:- Trello, Task.me ...

Core Benefits

Working from home is very common with Multi-nationals like Deloitte, PWC, E&Y, Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle and more... It's becoming more of a perk, helping to attract more dynamic and young employees. In summary, it's a win-win situation, both for the staff and the employer. From saving on travel time to maximising the productive hours at work, work-from-home policies in Companies are no more a question. And on a social note, it empowers parents with kids to manage their work accordingly.

A work-from-home policy is all together a green policy and eco-friendly contribution to the community, as it encourages less traffic, less commute and consequently, less pollution in every way. With the pandemic of Covid-19, we have seen statistically that during confinements, the air quality has been enhanced drastically by more than 40% in China, with rivers and canals getting cleaner, clearer and purer by more than 70% like in the Canal of Venice.

Naturally, during a pandemic or any other crisis, your staff working from home is safer for the company at large and safeguard a better and smoother operation. Furthermore, when operational costs such as rent and utilities are concerned, companies can make consequent savings to increase their margin.

Ensuring Productivity

• Establish Daily Check-ins

With no face-to-face interactions to foster connections, it is crucial to virtually replicate such contacts. A morning check-in via video chat, phone call or instant message can create a sense of normalcy. These check-ins can be one-on-one or held among small groups.

Set virtual office hours and be online on communication apps throughout the working day.

• Encourage Dedicated Workplaces

Many regular office workers have never needed dedicated workspace in their homes, but if they are now regularly working from home, managers should encourage the creation of home offices that are separate from communal space. It is crucial to ensure your workers are free from distractions. Some companies have even started giving a stipend to provide their staff with a highly equipped home office.

• Regular Coaching and Emotional Support

Working from home can easily lead to laziness and loneliness. Employers should do what they can to provide an emotional support to employees. Leaders should set the tone for their virtual offices with a calm and upbeat presence, which helps create a level-headed workplace where people can still get things done. Managers and Supervisors should also be more available than usual for check-ins and other questions that may pop up given the unfamiliar circumstances.

It is crucial to put in place a self-care program such as regular coaching, mentoring and check-points with their staff to ensure they are adapting to the company. It is crucial to build a culture of interaction, showing that the leaders care for their employees. The self-care program could involved virtual groups sharing fun stuff such hobbies, weekend plans, weekly diet etc..

And lastly, don't forget about some non-work interactions.

It is crucial to create a family atmosphere to foster loyal employees rather than a typical corporate environment which does not work perfectly with the concept of work-from-home. Hosting virtual happy hours, virtual cooking classes, or online gaming events could really help foster such family culture within your company.