In the last few weeks, the Covid-19 Coronavirus has sent many businesses into a last-minute rush to figure out how they can keep their business afloat in the face of this disruptive threat and period of uncertainty. Across the globe, we have seen the impacts on economies and businesses from the epicenter of this outbreak in China to now, here in the United States. Many businesses such as yours are now faced with the necessity to transition their workforce from the office to work from home in an effective and productive manner that will minimize impacts on your business activity and revenues.
Create a Remote Work Policy for Your Office
If you have not already done so, now is the time to develop a plan focusing on your most immediate needs to keep your business in motion in the weeks and possibly months to come. Concentrate on a strategy that will delineate simple procedures and provide the tools to your workforce that will be necessary for them to successfully fulfill their work duties and responsibilities from home.
Practice Your Work from Home Policy
With many markets looking for new solutions, including the U.S. workforce, plus widespread school closures and social distancing recommendations by the CDC the necessity to transition workers to their homes will be occurring sooner rather than later. Allow small groups from your office to begin working from home to practice implementing the procedures you have created and work out any kinks in the system that should be addressed while you are still able. It is essential to take advantage of this time, before your entire workforce may need to transition to remote work.
Use Software such as Time Tracker to Manage Your Remote Team
Implementing applications such as eBillity’s Time Tracker, as well as conferencing capabilities, will help you maintain control and manage your remote workforce efficiently. Our Time Tracker software is easy to access and use wherever you are. This valuable software tool will allow your business to keep moving forward and keep your employees on track through this difficult and uncertain time.
Mobile Capabilities
Our Time Tracker software is accessible through our free mobile apps which allow access from any device anywhere in the world. You and your workforce will even have the capabilities to enter data if necessary offline and then submit entries and information when a WiFi connection is available.
Your remote employees will easily be able to:
- Add time using the weekly timesheet
- Clock in, take breaks and clock out, or
- Run timers to capture every billable minute
- Submit completed entries for approval by a supervisor, manager or your payroll administrator
Time Tracker’s GPS Tracking
During this time when your workforce is working remotely, it is important to effectively manage your employees and the management of their time while on the clock. Time Tracker’s employee GPS tracking On the Clock feature allows you to increase accountability and maintain the productivity of your workforce while they are working from home.
You can track and view your team from any device which will allow you to:
- Check on the status and location of employees
- Improve schedules and rotations if needed
- Reduce employee time theft and improve productivity
Scheduling of Your Team
With Time Tracker, you can quickly create your remote team members’ schedule for the day, week, or month and share them with your team in just a few minutes. During this uncertain time, it is wise for businesses to stay within their resources and budget for their payroll. Use a scheduling strategy for your business that will allow your workforce the time to complete their objectives within their required shift and minimize the needs for overtime if possible.
Managing Employee Time & Workshifts
Some office-based businesses whose work allows will be able to fully transition to remote work without much impact on operations. However, it may be possible for your business to continue in its full capacity while telecommuting depending on your sector of business. With eBillity’s Time Tracker software you can support your workforce by providing equal and fair scheduling to ensure everyone is being given the opportunity to earn an income which they will greatly need during this time. The application will allow you to check each individual’s hours and shifts easily and allow you to make adjustments to schedules and the number of work hours if necessary.
Coronavirus Impacts Are Felt Around the World
While it may be a drastic change in the way your company engages in business, the companies around the world that are able to are shifting into remote work; from big tech companies like Google and Twitter to doctor’s offices switching to virtual appointments and extracurricular activities teaching online lessons. The Coronavirus pandemic has created a wave of uncertainty for businesses and governments across the globe. With the proper preparation and tools at your disposal, you can ensure that your business and its workforce continue to operate safely and efficiently.
Work From Home Solution: Consider the Possible Benefits of Remote Work For the Future of Your Company
This work from home experiment may open your eyes to the benefits and advantages of remote work for your business. While it may be difficult for all the operations of a business to take place remotely, there is a possibility for your company to learn from this experience. You may continue to use remote work to your advantage in the future to cut down on overhead costs and focus more on productivity. Consider this an opportunity to identify and analyze the roles of your workforce that can possibly be transitioned permanently to a flexible workplace in the future.
During this time we are working hard at eBillity to provide solutions for businesses that are faced with this impending need to transition their employees to work from home. Time Tracker can help you manage the transition, try it free for 14-days. No credit card required.
