Should You and Your Workforce be Working Remotely?
By Andrew Patricio
May 27, 2015
Small Business & Entrepreneurship
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By Stefanie Neyland, Small Business Content Developer at BizLaunch.com
If you’re a business owner and cutting back on overheads is important to you, chances are you’ll have considered the merits of ditching the traditional office space and working remotely instead. Remote working comes with a whole host of benefits, and Canadian business owners are keenly embracing the concept.
“Work is something you do, not a place you always need to be,” explains Brian Monteith, President at Intelligent Office Canada. “Flexibility is a big advantage. The freedom of having control of your own destiny is a huge benefit for most entrepreneurs. It gives them the quality of life they want and works well for both them and their family.”
However, remote working also comes with its own set of unique challenges. Disciplining yourself to work is hard at the best of times, and it’s made even more difficult when your desk is your dining room table, your coworker is your dog, and the day’s water-cooler gossip consists of talk of the latest schoolyard disagreement.
With this in mind, here are some tips designed to help you optimize your remote workforce.
Utilize the facilities available to you
It’s undeniable that having a professional address is critical to any small business. It’s a necessary component to creating a polished image and building your brand, and also addresses the privacy concerns associated with running a home-based business. If you’re tired of holding meetings at your local coffee shop, consider leasing meeting rooms and workspaces through companies like Intelligent Office and Regus – both of which offer rented space by the hour. For more permanent solutions, investigate local coworking facilities.
“Nowadays you don’t need to be in a physical office five days a week,” says Brian. “You can choose where you are for the day – you can work from home in the morning and, if you have a customer meeting in the afternoon, you can meet them at any location you need to.”
Leverage technology
Disparate teams are a concern of business owners working remotely. However, there’s a wealth of software, apps and systems on the market to remedy this issue and make team members feel more connected. Client Relationship Management (CRM) systems can make a big difference to small businesses that don’t have a physical office space. These systems allow staff to gain access to the same client and project data and work together towards common goals. Project management apps like Basecamp, and cloud-based storage solutions such as Google Drive are tried, tested and loved by many a remote-working entrepreneur.
Go virtual
Virtual office solutions have transformed the traditional concept of a fixed workspace. They fit the requirements of the independent work style which is becoming so common in today’s business environment, and tailor their services to meet the varied needs of entrepreneurs. Simply having a business address in the “right” location and a local contact number can make all the difference, which is why most virtual office providers also offer call management and mail-handling services as part of their packages.
Gone are the days where we have to go to a physical office space to use computers, access the Internet and make calls. Nowadays, we can efficiently run a business using a smartphone the size of our hand — at any time, from anywhere.
If you’re a business owner and cutting back on overheads is important to you, chances are you’ll have considered the merits of ditching the traditional office space and working remotely instead. Remote working comes with a whole host of benefits, and Canadian business owners are keenly embracing the concept.
“Work is something you do, not a place you always need to be,” explains Brian Monteith, President at Intelligent Office Canada. “Flexibility is a big advantage. The freedom of having control of your own destiny is a huge benefit for most entrepreneurs. It gives them the quality of life they want and works well for both them and their family.”
However, remote working also comes with its own set of unique challenges. Disciplining yourself to work is hard at the best of times, and it’s made even more difficult when your desk is your dining room table, your coworker is your dog, and the day’s water-cooler gossip consists of talk of the latest schoolyard disagreement.
With this in mind, here are some tips designed to help you optimize your remote workforce.
Utilize the facilities available to you
It’s undeniable that having a professional address is critical to any small business. It’s a necessary component to creating a polished image and building your brand, and also addresses the privacy concerns associated with running a home-based business. If you’re tired of holding meetings at your local coffee shop, consider leasing meeting rooms and workspaces through companies like Intelligent Office and Regus – both of which offer rented space by the hour. For more permanent solutions, investigate local coworking facilities.
“Nowadays you don’t need to be in a physical office five days a week,” says Brian. “You can choose where you are for the day – you can work from home in the morning and, if you have a customer meeting in the afternoon, you can meet them at any location you need to.”
Leverage technology
Disparate teams are a concern of business owners working remotely. However, there’s a wealth of software, apps and systems on the market to remedy this issue and make team members feel more connected. Client Relationship Management (CRM) systems can make a big difference to small businesses that don’t have a physical office space. These systems allow staff to gain access to the same client and project data and work together towards common goals. Project management apps like Basecamp, and cloud-based storage solutions such as Google Drive are tried, tested and loved by many a remote-working entrepreneur.
Go virtual
Virtual office solutions have transformed the traditional concept of a fixed workspace. They fit the requirements of the independent work style which is becoming so common in today’s business environment, and tailor their services to meet the varied needs of entrepreneurs. Simply having a business address in the “right” location and a local contact number can make all the difference, which is why most virtual office providers also offer call management and mail-handling services as part of their packages.
Gone are the days where we have to go to a physical office space to use computers, access the Internet and make calls. Nowadays, we can efficiently run a business using a smartphone the size of our hand — at any time, from anywhere.
