Have your employees insisted on remaining working remotely full-time throughout this pandemic? Whether these are employees who started as the COVID-19 pandemic began, or your longest tenured employees, the inclination to remain remote can be seen in every business. The truth is, though, that full-time remote work isn’t all that bad for business. It was even proving to be effective prior to the pandemic. Between 2005 and 2018, organizations throughout the country saw an increase of 173% in the number of remote employees that were employed. While these past two years were out of safety concern, those thirteen years saw little to no public health influence. Luckily for organizations, there are a handful of benefits that remote employees bring. Saving money through lower overhead costs and a smaller operational footprint, for example.
As previously mentioned, with the benefits also come the drawbacks. The first amongst the list of challenges that organizations will face is related to how managers will retain authority amongst their remote staff. Some managers are just naturally more effective when working alongside their staff, both in communication and authoritative style. While working remotely, however, these managers may struggle to maintain the same level of efficiency. This includes making sure their employees are remaining on task and being held accountable the same way they would be in the office. Remote work often includes delayed communication across all teams as well. Meaning the way in which employees work through cross-department projects will fundamentally change, often for the worse.
There is also additional liability that companies have to be prepared for as a result of their remote employees as well. Injuries while reporting to work from home still have to be covered by organizations. This is largely accomplished through workers compensation packages that have extended coverage for those remote employees. Loaned hardware that is either damaged or stolen can also prove to be challenging for organizations to deal with. What often comes from stolen hardware are data breaches, which can be extremely detrimental to an organization as well. Choosing the right insurance policy to cover these damages is imperative.
There are two different types of insurance for protecting organizations in these situations. The first, is first-party cyber liability insurance. These policies cover damages as a result of a data leak exclusive to one organization. Third-party cyber liability insurance covers the damages as a result of an organization’s clients’ or partners’ data being exposed. While both polices are suggested, the best way to keep these policies from being a necessity is through educating employees and utilizing the correct VPN. Employees who tread carefully through cyberattacks are imperative, but so are up to date firewalls, antivirus software and other protective agents that organizations should invest in for the sake of their cybersecurity.
While all of this may seem daunting, the truth is that businesses should find ways to make remote work accessible for their employees. The way in which their employees benefit as a result of this accessibility is worth any amount of investment. Giving an increased sense of freedom and additional free time to spend with their families allows a more relaxed work-life balance outlook. This, in turn, can improve mental health states and increase employee productivity. Any business searching for additional guidance regarding these remote work conditions, take a moment to review the infographic paired alongside this post for more information. Courtesy of B2Z Insurance