I set up an office on my home office long before I worked remotely and began tapping into the new company I formed. It has grown rapidly, almost a dozen years later. I hired entrepreneurs from book designers and publishers to illustrators around the country. Anyone who doubts if remote work is valid might view my experience as evidence that success in company can be accomplished without entering a centrally-located workplace.
Take advantage of technology
I spent a lot of time and money establishing the infrastructure of my company over the internet, utilizing technologies like Salesforce and Basecamp, instead of paying for a large office for my company. All my distant employees, including myself, can access the same information in real time with these two on-line solutions.
Conferences can also take place virtually. Zoom is a popular alternative along with conventional calling, which can be arranged online in advance. Slack is also an excellent tool for fast, real-time messaging between team members. I also started community earlier this year which enables us to engage through text message with our customers and new customers. As for our contracts for services, we employ a digital online signature tool to eliminate the need for paper contracts.
Of course, it will be harder for a substantial percentage of your organization to operate remotely if you sell real things. However, moving to remote work is a lot of sense for most service-based firms. Attorneys, therapists and even doctors are increasingly visiting their customers online and successfully. All these encounters are centered on technology.
Invest in an easy home office configuration
It is crucial that you focus on ergonomics if you are working from home. Purchase a decent office chair with a large backrest. Don’t skimp — you’re going to rebel your back if you. As someone with many back problems all the years long, I can assure you that my comfortable and supportive chair is the best investment I have made in my home office.
Your monitor needs to be another consideration. Your monitor should be at an arm’s length, according to Mayo clinic, and your eyes should be up to the top of your screen. It is optimal if your wrists are straight, and when you operate with your keyboard and mouse, your hands should be in or under the Elbow level. This balance can normally be achieved by altering your chair’s height.
Put your home members on defined boundaries
If household members live at home while you’re working, you must show them that you’re at home, but that you’re not available unless when you’re having lunch or something important. Treat your whole home with respect and notify them that you are unreachable when your office door is closed. If they need anything, allow them to text you, but if you do not answer you will either be on a customer phone or in emails nose-deep. Once you have a break, you can get back to the household member by SMS.
Keep in mind that some people may find boundaries painful. You may feel dismissed or ignored. The idea is to communicate with them in advance in a respectful and kind way. You should also follow these restrictions so that mixed signals are not sent to them.
