Telework Tips and Best Practices
In today's world, remote work has become an essential aspect of our daily routines. To maintain productivity and ensure smooth operations, both employers and employees need to adapt. At 511NY Rideshare, we are committed to helping you achieve long-term success in remote work. These tips and best practices are aimed at organizations that have decided to allow some of their employees to work from home.
511NY Rideshare is always available to assist you. We have put together a list of tips to quickly implement a telework program. You can contact our telework experts at 866-NY-COMMUTE (1.866.692.6668) or info@511NYRideshare.org. Additionally, you can live chat with our experts by clicking on the message icon in the bottom right corner.
Telework Tips for Employers and Managers
Organize a dedicated team or individual: Depending on the size of your organization, establish a telework team or designate an individual responsible for planning and implementing the necessary steps to enable a distributed workforce efficiently.
Identify and implement collaboration tools. Immediately identify and set up collaboration tools that can be used by all employees throughout the remote work arrangement. These tools can include virtual meeting platforms, file-sharing applications, and instant messaging tools.
Conduct a trial run. To ensure a seamless transition to remote work, consider scheduling a mandatory telework day for your workplace. This trial will evaluate your company's operations, procedures, and IT systems, allowing you to address any concerns related to employees' network access, email, and communication with each other
Define the working arrangement. To establish a clear working arrangement, address the following points.
Start of remote work: When can employees begin working remotely?
- Eligibility and social distancing: Which employees can work remotely, and what is the plan for those who cannot? Consider implementing social distancing measures for on-site employees.
Frequency of remote work: How often can employees work remotely? Determine if telework is full-time, part-time, or situational.
Duration of the arrangement: Inform employees about the duration and maintain transparency. Communicate whether it is a short-term situation (e.g., one week) or provide regular updates as decisions are made.
Remote workable activities: Identify the tasks that employees can carry remotely. Recognize that certain activities may not be feasible for remote work. Consider options like suspending those activities or adjusting priorities to accommodate remote work conditions in such cases.
Communicate. Maintain open and regular communication with your team to keep them informed. Communicate what to expect while teleworking, highlight the benefits, and provide guidance on accessing help if needed. Consider creating a comprehensive quick reference guide for all employees, including essential contact information like the help desk number, VPN access details, and conference call lines. This ensures that employees have easy access to the necessary information they may need while teleworking. Additionally, hosting daily check-in calls with the entire team can help foster connection, address issues collectively, and keep everyone in sync.
Manage the transition. Ensure consistent management practices for teleworkers as you would for on-site employees. Recognize that although they work from different locations, they still perform the same tasks and responsibilities. Provide teleworkers guidance, support, and feedback to maintain productivity and collaboration.
Telework Tips for Employees and Students
Communicate. Establish clear expectations with your manager regarding work hours, check-in times, and tasks. Be transparent about outside responsibilities that may arise due to unforeseen circumstances.
Stay focused. Minimize distractions, including frequent news updates and closures. Establish routines and allocate specific time for checking news updates.
Dedicate a workspace. Create a dedicated telework area in your home to separate work and personal life if possible. Ensure the area is secure and lock away sensitive equipment and data. As schools close, designate a space for your child to complete school work and establish routines for them as well.
Evaluate your home technology. Check your home internet speed by contacting your provider or using online speed test tools. Consider upgrading to higher-speed internet if necessary. Check if your company has virtual private network (VPN) access. Coordinate with your employer regarding the ability to bring necessary files, tools, or equipment home. To stay connected with colleagues, utilize collaboration tools, such as virtual meetings, file-sharing software, and instant messaging tools.
Avoid sitting for extended periods. Take regular breaks, stretch, and have proper meals during your telework day to maintain a healthy work routine.
