Many companies have transitioned their teams into working remotely because of the pandemic. While transitioning from in-house to remote work is one thing, considering to make it permanent is another.

What happens after COVID-19 is under control? Will companies return back to the way they are operating or will they explore permanent remote work.

Some companies might be contemplating doing an entire remote work setup. Tech giants like Facebook, Google, Twitter, and many others have already declared to continue their work-from-home setup until the end of the year because of the pandemic. 

If your company is considering remote work long term, here are the things to consider when transitioning from in-house to remote workforce.

Company Processes

Your company’s existing processes may accommodate some aspects of remote work, but not all of them. It’s a great opportunity for you to review your current business processes and analyse points of improvement to make output delivery and operations more seamless remotely.

Conducting thorough business process improvements can increase efficiency and seamless workflow for remote teams. It’s a great way to know the bottlenecks in your current processes. At the same time, you will know the things that no longer work.

Company Culture

Maintaining company culture and translating it into remote setup can be a challenge, especially if your company seeks a long-term remote work setup. Before taking a big leap, examine your company structure and culture to find out if you can have a smooth transition or there will be fundamental changes needed. 

Take your company size into account and if your leadership team has the same mindset aligned with the environment of a remote workforce. If you’re uncertain it will work, it’s always good to reevaluate your current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This will help you anticipate and prepare for future disruptions in your company because there might be other pandemics and unforeseen circumstances that may disrupt your work in the future. 

Transitioning from in-house to remote workforce might be challenging and may require more effort, but it might be strategic to do it now rather than be overwhelmed just in case similar events may happen again.

Tools, Technologies, and Infrastructure

Many organisations will approach remote work differently. Adapting to WFH setup varies depending on their industry, current processes, and their means to operate. “Means to operate” represents the tools, technologies, and infrastructure you need to accomplish the day-to-day tasks and achieve business objectives.

Most remote processes are facilitated by a form of technology. Companies can leverage hardware and software on as-a-service technologies. You may get value for money if you switch to a pay-as-you-go basis.

Services are also available through the cloud using secure web-portals which may enable you to hire and train your teams remotely. The secret to a successful transition to remote work is to give your team the right tools, technologies, and infrastructure to do their duties with efficacy. You may utilise many SaaS solutions for project management, portfolio management, scheduling, collaboration, workflow management, marketing, email, customer service, etc.

Talent pool

Some employees can be hired or transitioned to working remotely, but not all are cut out for remote work. Some of them may need assistance adjusting, may not work well alone or may not be as productive as they were in the office. Concerns about telecommuting and skill gaps are on the table, too. 

The mark of great leaders is when they understand and get to know the work style of their teammates first, before implementing changes. Know your team and combine their work style with the current processes. Then, create a strategy on how to solve their challenges.

Transitioning your team might be easier for SMEs compared to large companies. Remote work might not be a realistic option for manufacturers, assembly lines, grocers, hospitals, care centres, or other businesses that need in-house staff.  

If your company is looking to fully transition to remote work, it’s imperative to take existing processes, company culture, infrastructure, tools and technologies, and talent pool into consideration. 

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