Many entrepreneurs and small businesses owners make the decision to turn their home into their office. With no mandatory in-person meetings, set schedule, or co-workers to distract you, this can be an ideal situation. That is, assuming you are disciplined enough to get your work done. Managing your business from home can save more than just commuting time. It can save a tremendous amount of money. Without the expense of an office and all of that equipment, you can invest your money in other areas of your business.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that working from home also comes with its challenges. It can be more difficult to keep tabs on your employees to ensure they are getting their work done. Communication can also be more of a challenge, which can leave employees feeling frustrated or even left out. It can also be more difficult to collaborate with employees who are also working remotely. For these reasons, we have put together some useful tips for managing a business from home to improve productivity and efficiency.
Set Up a Company System
This is the first and most important step in running a business from home. You need to set up a system so your employees can access files, information, and communication from their own homes. You can do this by setting up a network drive for all employees on the same server. You will also need to backup your data using cloud storage. This is also a great way to create a shared work calendar to help organize everyone’s schedules. Finally, you will need to implement a communication tool on this system so you can quickly and easily communicate and collaborate with employees.
Create an Office Space
It takes a great deal of discipline to work from home, yet alone run a business from home. You should dedicate a specific space in your home for a home office, where you can conduct business as you would in an outside office. You are more likely to be productive if you are in a working mindset and that begins with a professional setting. Your home office should also include all of the equipment you would have in a traditional office including a computer, high-speed internet, a landline phone, a fax/scan/printer, and your smartphone.
Support Your Team Remotely
Again, it can be difficult to communicate, collaborate, and build comradery with coworkers you don’t see on a daily basis. You will need to invest in the right tools in order to make this happen. For starters, you will need to invest in some sort of communication software that allows everyone to communicate, collaborate, and share information with one another easily. A few examples of communication software include programs such as Asana, Basecamp, Toggl, Slack, or Microsoft Teams. You should also check in your team regularly to see if they need any additional help or support. It is also important to conduct weekly meetings with your team via skype or video conference so you can share important information and foster employee relationship building.
Encourage Collaboration
Just because you and your team are not working side by side does not mean that you can’t collaborate on projects. Set up meetings where employees can share ideas and check in on the progress of projects. You can also organize activities outside of work where team members can bond and spend time together. When you create a positive company culture, team members are more satisfied in their job and motivated to work together.
Set a Daily Schedule
One of the perks of working from home is that you have flexibility in your work schedule, but that doesn’t mean you should lose sight of structure. It’s easy to get distracted by things that need to be done at home so set a schedule so you can get the most out of your day. Create a task list each day and make sure to complete it by the end of the work day. You can choose what hours you want to work, but make sure you are productive during those hours and stick to your schedule.