Since 2020, the number of people who work from home has increased. What started out as a necessity in an era of lock-downs has shifted into a bit of a battleground between CEOs and their employees. While those who can remotely often want to continue to do so, the CEOs of many companies want their teams back in the office.
You may be facing a similar situation with your own company. Your team wants to keep working from home while you’d rather have them back in the office. It can seem like a lose-lose situation, as you don’t want your most valuable employees to quit over your work-from-home policies, nor do you want your company’s productivity or culture to suffer as a result of a far-flung team. A vCFO can provide a neutral opinion, giving you advice and helping you see whether staying remote or having people come back to the office really is the best option.
Understand the Benefits of Remote Work
Remote work has its benefits for employees and companies. From the company side of things, working remotely tends to lead to an increase in productivity. Employees no longer have to spend an hour or so in traffic daily to get their jobs. They start the day fresh rather than weighed down by commuting stress. Often, they’re able to accomplish more in less time.
Working remotely also gives employees more flexibility and work-life balance. They can take care of little errands throughout their day. If they have kids and a child has to stay home sick, the parent can more likely than not still get some work done, rather than having to miss an entire day.
Focus on Boosting Your Company Culture
CEOs who are hesitant about continued remote work are nervous about losing their company culture. But it’s possible to create a company culture even when everyone works in separate buildings, perhaps even in different states or countries.
You just have to make more of an effort. Team members won’t bump into each other and have a few seconds to chat when they’re working remotely. It’s important to create those moments for connection, such as through a Slack chat room or by having virtual water cooler Zoom meetings every so often.
Give Employees an Option
While many employees want to work remotely, not everyone does. Some people may prefer to get out of their homes daily. It allows them to better separate their home and work lives. In some cases, employees may not have an ideal home office setup and may prefer to go into a space where there’s a real desk to work at and other office amenities.
The best option for your business may be to give employees the choice. They can stay home, work in your office or a mix. It’s a best-of-both-worlds situation that can help you increase your retention rates and keep your most talented team members happy.
The vCFOs at New Direction Capital can help your company navigate the new working normal and find a path forward that allows your business to grow. Contact us today to learn more.
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