Remote working was already on the rise before the Covid-19 pandemic, but it has now become even more commonplace and the practice is sure to continue to increase in the coming months and years. While most big companies have transitioned well to a culture of remote working, small businesses have found the change to be much more challenging.

Furthermore, employees who work remotely for small businesses tend to have more issues and gripes than those that work for large companies with firm infrastructures in place. A recent study of small businesses in Europe, by Ricoh Europe, gives a good indication of the negative impact remote working has had on employees of small businesses.

The survey found that 42% of small businesses are likely to lose members of staff due to technical frustrations concerning remote working. The study also revealed that almost three in ten employees who worked for small businesses found it challenging to stay engaged and motivated when working remotely.

And 48% of employees were unhappy that they had to provide their own technology in order to work remotely because their employers did not provide it. The survey shows the sorts of issues that small businesses face, such as finding the money to supply tech to their remote workers, and the issues that the employees experience.

However, any good business owner knows challenges are opportunities in disguise. So, many small business owners have managed to adapt and now have happy and productive remote workforces. Here are some of the ways in which you can adapt your small business for a future of remote working.

Equip Your Employees with the Right Tools

According to Inc Files small business entrepreneurship report from 2021, the shift to remote work due to the pandemic impacted small businesses in many ways and nearly half of the small business owners said they planned to make working from home a permanent solution.

But, as seen in the introduction, that could be easier said than done.

One of the best ways of ensuring the change to remote work runs smoothly is to equip your remote employees with the right digital tools to stay connected.

That involves setting up work chat apps, using interactive platforms to provide online team-building activities, and leveraging digital tools that encourage regular interactions between team members.

The key is to replicate all of those things that employees value in the physical workplace. The more you carefully consider how remote employees stay connected and communicate, the more your team will remain motivated and productive.

Put Helpful Rules in Place

Remote workers can often become frustrated due to a lack of structure. So, it is important that you put some rules in place to ensure everyone is on the same page and understands how a remote system works.

For instance, you should agree with your employees regarding when they will be available. You may allow them to work flexible hours, but it is still important that you know when your employees are on the clock so that there are no issues like communication problems when deadlines are near.

You may also wish to provide guidance about email response times. It could help to switch from email to a messaging app.

Make Sure You Catch Up with Your Employees Regularly

Your employees not only need to have the tools in place so that they can communicate and collaborate with each other easily. They also need to be able to communicate with you and feel valued by you.

So, you should make sure you have designated times for touching base with each of your remote employees regularly to ensure there are no outstanding problems and that they are happy with their work.