Managing remote workers

Many business owners and managers are hesitant to switch to a more cost-friendly virtual office model because they feel that they will be sacrificing oversight over their employees' productivity. 

The virtual office has helped thousands of small businesses and startups save crucial overhead while still maintaining a professional face for customers and clients. This relatively new concept means that you and your employees are free to work from anywhere, anytime, and that your organization is no longer required to maintain an expensive office space.

According to Forbes, 30 million Americans work from a home office at least one day a week, and this figure is expected to increase by 63 percent in the next five years. Still, for those accustomed to the traditional office environment, it can be intimidating to make the change. 

However, with the rise in communications technology, the modern manager has a wide array of options available to ensure the productive work habits of his or her employees. Email, instant messaging, shared documents and video conferencing are all tools that allow instant communication between management and staff. 

Armed with these tools to ensure productivity, management then only needs to adjust their supervision style from one based on observation to one based on results. Instead of stressing over whether an employee is at their desk working, focus on the quality and quantity of the work being submitted. Many are surprised to find that allowing staff to work from home actually increases worker productivity while enhancing engagement and job satisfaction for their employees. 

Of course, if your organization does make the decision to go entirely virtual, you will still need to have a professional space to meet clients and use as a Google Maps address. On Point Executive Center offers Tampa meeting rooms available by the day or hour, as well as address and mail services on an "a la carte" basis, so your organization only pays for the services it needs.