Not that long ago, online work used to be a foreign concept for many organisations worldwide. They didn’t think that hiring remote employees in other states was a challenge they had to face because they always had the necessary resources or knew how to maintain productivity.

Things took a turn when the global pandemic came in full force. Companies were forced to switch to virtual setups, even for their onsite employees. Many professionals who only knew how to work in an office had no choice but to adapt to the changing work environment.

Managing the schedules of remote workers

One of the major obstacles for businesses with distributed teams is the lack of face-to-face engagement. Although most organisations are using tools for team collaboration, they must understand that their efficiency relies heavily on the quality of the interactions than the quantity.

When you choose to hire home-based staff, there are ways to ensure that they maintain productive schedules through proper communication and collaboration. These methods include:

• Establishing clear expectations from the very beginning and avoiding the use of vague language.
• Ensuring that files, tasks, and documents are in a centralised area to minimise miscommunication.
• Allowing for social conversations to happen so your team members develop bonds with each other.
• Being transparent with your team, including when progress and performance require improvement.
• Maintaining regular one-on-one conversations, even if it happens only once or twice a week.
• Giving praise and/or credit where it is due, such as when they make a huge contribution to a project.
• Instilling a feeling of trust on your team rather than micromanaging every aspect of their schedule.

Letting remote employees work flexibly

Flexible schedules are no longer something for freelancers as many companies are offering these to their employees these days. As an employer, you might be unsure as to why you should follow suit. After all, aren’t the workers the only ones who will benefit from it?

It’s true that workers benefit from flexible work, but businesses who provide these arrangements also gain from it. From being an organisation that struggle to scale to a company that’s exploring global diversity, the advantages of flexible schedules helps your business maintain an edge over competitors.

What flexible schedules are like

This is when you provide your remote staff in the Philippines or elsewhere the freedom to work from home when they want. There are two main kinds of flexible working and these are:

Flexi-time: This model allows individual team members to choose their own hours. For instance, they may want to work from 9AM until noon, go on a long lunch, then log back in around 5PM until 9PM. They may also want to work from 8AM straight until 5PM with a one-hour lunch break in between.

Flexi-place: This hybrid model gives your team members the choice on where they want to work on given days. If you’re thinking of paying for a co-working space for them, for instance, they may want to work there only on Mondays to Wednesdays but prefer their home the rest of the week.

Why adopt schedule flexibility

Flexible work setups benefit both the remote assistant and the company. Employees achieve better work-life balance therefore having lower levels of stress and absences. It’s especially advantageous for those who have important commitments such as academic studies, child-rearing, and elderly care.

As for the side of the employer, here are some of the things you stand to gain:

Attracting top talent

A lot of job seekers are preferring flexible schedules over other perks. It’s especially appealing for professionals who are based on the other side of the world. This is why if you offer them this kind of freedom, you’re more likely to hire remote staff that are highly qualified.

Boosting work productivity

Some companies worry that staff will become lazy when they are allowed to work flexibly. A 2019 survey by Airtasker reveals that remote workers worked 16 more days per year compared to those who worked in an office. They also only lost 27 minutes per day compared to 37 minutes for office workers.

Providing sustainable choices

Flexible schedules have a positive impact on nature as well. This is because employees no longer have to commute to work, put on corporate attire, or eat lunch out every day. When your organisation has a lower carbon footprint, you leave a better impression on your target audience too.

Reducing overhead costs

With flexibility comes cost savings since you don’t have to pay for additional office space, work equipment, janitorial services, or even perks like snacks and drinking water. If you so desire, you may pay for the computer of your virtual employee but that’s still cheaper than what you’d pay for an office worker.

Increasing retention rates

A flexible work schedule enables a remote assistant to achieve better work-life balance. As they’re able to spend more time with their loved ones or on their hobbies, they lead more fulfilling personal lives and so are capable of coming into work with renewed vigour every time.

Managing diverse teams

Continuing on the topic of attracting global talent, your business ends up with a more diverse workforce. Workers coming from all backgrounds means that you have more people contributing fresh ideas and perspectives towards your products and/or services. You’re better able to cater to different audiences that way too.

Improving customer services

Providing options for flexible working hours or spaces means you may extend your hours of operation. For instance, virtual employees in other parts of the globe may login during evenings in your area so they may start giving 24/7 technical support and customer service.

Arranging for virtual personal assistance

If you don’t already have a distributed team or at least a remote assistant, now is a good time to recruit as more and more people are working online these days. There’s much to consider if you want to hire remote staff that suits the needs of your company though.

In this case, working with a remote personal assistants agency like Remote Workmate is a great help. We are specialists in connecting employers like you with top talents around the globe. We specialise in providing remote staff in the Philippines who are skilled and qualified in different industries.