| ave a mobile workforce, or you’re | | | | assistance when needed, be it to look up a phone |
| thinking of sending your current office employees | | | | number or find out how to fill in a form correctly. |
| on a virtual mission with a new work | | | | Have a dispatch or virtual administrative assistant |
| arrangement. Studies show that your decision to | | | | by the phone to handle the incoming calls of your |
| allow your team to work remotely is a good one. | | | | team, and to relay those messages to the right |
| Not only does it reduce stress and lead to | | | | people. |
| lengthened staff retention, it also increases | | | | With a professional virtual office service, you |
| productivity. An article by the Financial Post titled | | | | should also have a place where mail can be sent |
| ‘How do I manage a mobile | | | | to and picked up, so your employees know there |
| workforce?’ explains it clearly: setting your | | | | is a physical location they can go to for picking up |
| employees ‘free’ to work virtually | | | | supplies, pay cheques and other company-related |
| can be a benefit to all parties involved. You save | | | | things. If the headquarters is your house, you not |
| money, they stay happy. | | | | only risk security (who knows who’s |
| However, that’s only if you do it right. | | | | coming along with your employees and learning |
| When managing a mobile (a.k.a. virtual) work | | | | how to enter your home at a whim), you also |
| force, it is important to implement procedures and | | | | project an unprofessional image and an awkward |
| technologies that will keep employees motivated. | | | | situation when your work life interferes with your |
| But at the same time, these procedures need to | | | | private life. When you have a mobile work force, |
| allow your employees to feel the freedom and | | | | keep the office separate from your home for |
| trust that comes with being a virtual worker. Yet, | | | | your employee’s sake. |
| keeping them connected to your | | | | Have regular in-person meetings: virtual offices are |
| company’s core mission, values and profit | | | | mostly ‘invisible’ and run by |
| goals is where the balancing act comes in. Here | | | | technologically advanced phone systems, but they |
| are some ideas, to give a few examples: | | | | do have a brick and mortar aspect. Even if you |
| Make it a point to communicate daily: | | | | need to rent an hourly boardroom or meeting |
| we’re not living in caves anymore, so use | | | | space, it is important to have staff meetings at |
| your BlackBerry’s, iPhones or | | | | least once a month, if not weekly. This will keep |
| old-fashioned regular handsets to call one another, | | | | your team cohesive and everyone will stay in the |
| even if on the road (of course, using hands free | | | | loop and not feel out of touch with the company, |
| mics!). Find out what each employee is doing | | | | especially when changes occur. |
| today and what challenges they may need your | | | | The above are only a few of the guidelines to |
| help with, or how you can involve other team | | | | maintaining a mobile team. There are also |
| members into the picture. If you have a lot of | | | | technologies to consider, such as mobile apps, |
| employees, this can take up a large chunk of | | | | Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), cloud computing, |
| your day, but it’s an important step. | | | | CRMs and many others that can help your team |
| Have a central touch down point: being virtual | | | | communicate with you as effectively as you |
| doesn’t mean not having a headquarters | | | | communicate with them. However, you set the |
| at all. Virtual office services should also come with | | | | best example by taking the lead with the above |
| a business address plan and centralized phone | | | | points. |
| number that your employees can call to for | | | | |