4 minute read
Embracing Tech for Remote Work
By Lynette Bertrand
Remote work isn’t new. In the years since the Covid pandemic, however, companies have had to shift from all remote, to partially remote to hybrid models. For many, the remote option has expanded, while for others, perhaps they have cut down on remote days offered.
According to CACM’s most recent Compensation Benefits Study in 2022, members reported working remotely between 2 and 6 days a month. And when remote work was offered as a benefit, almost 90 percent of employees used it, according to the study.
Management company executives say that offering the option of working remotely has given them another tool to retain talented staff. With gas prices at an all-time high, it can save employees money to not have to commute into an office every day. Saving the hour or two spent commuting also provides additional work time or personal time.
However, there are challenges to providing this benefit. Key among them:
• Liability (injuries that happen off company grounds)
• Isolation
• Loss of water cooler talk or sharing of ideas
• Cybersecurity/data breach concerns
• Added expense for equipment and software
• Technology adoption
It should go without saying that companies that offer a remote work option need to have an established remote work policy, which should address among many things the hours and schedule for remote work, hardware and software requirements, technical support, worksite conditions and work expectations, and anything else you deem important.
In the work expectations section, be as specific and clear as possible about the frequency of communication, daily task management and reporting, and software or technology that must be used.
Communication and collaboration are one of the top challenges of working remotely, according to a Buffer survey. Unlike in an office where you can simply walk over to a colleague’s cubicle or talk shop during breaks or lunch, being remote means being more intentional about it.
Leadership must be specific about which communication tools to use and set regular meeting schedules or check-ins to keep everyone on the same page. Whether it’s a daily or weekly check-in on Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Facetime, setting aside a time and place to connect should be standard practice.
Establish a way to foster in-person interaction where everyone can come together such as a monthly or quarterly company meeting where lunch is served. This will help keep staff connected to the company and colleagues not only on shared projects and company goals but on a personal level.
Technology is a must for hybrid or remote work – it’s what makes remote work possible after all. This will require research, investment, and training to ensure that the systems chosen are widely used and adopted and that they are fulfilling the communication and productivity needs for the company as well as the employees.
Here are a few apps and systems that offer communication and productivity features. Some of these are used by CACM members. This is not an exhaustive list:
• Smartsheet or Podio for project and team management: Allows uploads of documents including RFPs, meeting minutes, etc. All projects and tasks can be entered into and shared with relevant stakeholders.
• Asana or Basecamp for project and task management.
• Slack for team chat and collaboration.
• Microsoft Sharepoint for file sharing and content management.
• Microsoft Teams for virtual chatting or video calling. (Alternative to Zoom, Google Meet or Skype.)
• TickTick for task and time management as well as collaboration.
• TimeCamp, Toggl, or Clockify for time tracking and employee monitoring.
In addition to these programs, there are companies offering industry-specific property management software that automates many tasks for community managers and association boards. A list of HOA management software providers can be found in CACM’s Resource Guide or Industry Partner directory
There’s literally a bevy of apps and programs out there, so it can be overwhelming to decide which to use. Survey your staff about software they have used or tried in the past and allow their feedback to inform your decisions on what to implement.
Whichever system or systems you choose, it’s important to get the full team on board. There’s no point investing time and money in programs nobody is willing to use. Part of ensuring adoption is providing training so staff know how to use it.
As with any technology, it’s not only about ease of use. If there are no guidelines as to how it should be used, it won’t be successful. It’s not enough to have a system in place if the staff isn’t aware of the purpose and its benefits.
Consider the program’s built-in security features in your selection to minimize potential cybersecurity breaches. Integration with other systems or programs you currently use should also be a consideration to minimize the number of technologies you have to pay for and learn.
