Ann Marie Puig discusses how to properly train employees to work from home

If you’re a business owner who is considering letting your staff work from home, there are many benefits for your company, but taking that leap can be scary. However, when done right, letting your employees work from home can be one of the best business decisions you make. Ann Marie Puig, an entrepreneur and philanthropist from Costa Rica who has led many international work teams, breaks down the benefits of remote workforces and how to ensure they perform up to standards.

The truth is that analysis predominantly supports working from home as the most practical business model. According to studies, 85% of companies confirm that productivity has increased in their company after going remotely. Additionally, 90% of employees say more flexible work arrangements would boost employee morale. Remote workers are 57% more likely than the average American to be satisfied with their job. 65% of remote workers are more productive in their home office than in a traditional workplace. 50% of remote employees said working from home reduced their sick days and 56% said it reduced their absences.

States Puig, “Many business owners fear that their employees will spend their days watching Netflix or wasting time on Facebook. And, unfortunately, sometimes they are right. But overwhelming evidence suggests this is more of a hiring issue than anything else. And if you have a network that you trust, you should have no trouble moving from an internal company to a 100% remote office.”

Provide your staff with the right tools. If you are transitioning from an internal company to a remote workspace, you must ensure that your employees have the right tools for the job. At the very least, that means making sure your staff has high-speed Internet access and a reliable computer. This doesn’t mean you are responsible for paying the bill for all of these expenses; however, it’s something that has to be considered.

Connect your communication system. One of the biggest challenges in managing a remote network is communication. This is divided into two categories - communication between your staff and your customers and internal communication between your team members.

Monitor employee behavior. This is possibly one of the most challenging parts of monitoring your remote workforce. You may receive an initial rejection of this advice, but it should be done. “The fact is that even if your employees are at home, they are still in their time. As such, you have every right to make sure they are productive and do their job,” asserts Puig. However, this doesn’t mean that employees need to be micromanaged.

Schedule company-wide meetings (but not too often). Many remote companies make the mistake of holding too many meetings or not holding enough meetings. You want to find the balance. That means scheduling enough meetings so your staff doesn’t feel like they’re drifting aimlessly month after month, but not so much that they’re eating too much company time.

Be available to your employees. As you move to a remote working environment, it’s important to make sure your staff knows they’re not going on permanent vacation. That means sharing your schedule with them. This will be difficult for business owners who are not known for their organizational skills, but by using a simple tool like Google Calendar, you can share what your day-to-day looks like with your staff.

Understand international recruitment policies. Hire internationally for the image of your remote workforce. When you take the leap to become completely remote with your staff, you’ll probably end up hiring new people at some point. That’s why he may find the idea of international talent attractive to him. However, you should make sure you understand the rules and regulations that come with hiring international staff.

Create and distribute a work-from-home checklist. You should provide a checklist for your employees to help them establish themselves in their new roles. The first item on this work-from-home checklist was to give your staff the right tools for their work. Part of this includes making a list of everything you’ll need to be successful in telecommuting. And if you want to go further, you can include a comprehensive resource on how to be productive while working from home.

About Ann Marie Puig

Ann Marie Puig has been a distinguished Consultant, Assistant Controller, Accounting Manager, Director of Accounting and Finance and Chief Financial Officer for almost 20 years.  She is bilingual in Spanish and English and has a reputation for accurate, clear and concise record management in month-end closings, accruals, reconciliations, AP, AR and JE, as well as superior human resource skills.   She is extremely knowledgeable in current technology, eCommerce and a variety of Industries.

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