Originally published on techgyd.com
Businesses have learned the true meaning behind the phrase ‘expect the unexpected’ thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Before COVID-19, only a certain number of companies adapted to optional remote working or working from home. Business leaders did not anticipate making this transition on such short notice, and as a result, flaws in quickly implemented systems created further challenges.
Adam Ferrari, founder and CEO of Ferrari Energy, understands the hurdles businesses have had to face due to the public health safety orders. While some companies are committed to learning as they go, others have had to throw in the towel. In hopes of helping other struggling organizations during this crisis, oil and gas entrepreneur Adam Ferrari explores how to assess your business’ preparedness for a completely remote working environment.
How do I determine the right framework for my workforce program?
With the coronavirus continuing to spread, start by considering how to frame your business with priorities in mind. These include the safety of employees and how to adapt face-to-face processes through technology tools.
Do I have the right tools for working remotely?
The right tools for successful remote work include a secure network, a reliable computer or laptop, an efficient and designated office space, and other factors specific to the business process that can be adapted to at home.
Will the culture of my organization drastically change through remote working?
Working from home might make it harder to cultivate a rich and inviting company culture. That being said, technology can help us bridge the gaps in communication and, if used correctly, help maintain company morale. It is up to business owners, staff, and employees to commit to proper communication while out of office.
Will customer relations be negatively affected by remote-working?
Customer relations can be negatively affected if communication suffers. Having the proper remote tools are essential in preventing this from happening. Be sure tools such as Zoom, or Microsoft Teams are set up and tested before any critical client calls or communication. Always be sure that you are in an environment where your attention will not be pulled away from the client (i.e., a quiet room in your residence).
How well do your employees work as a team?
This question is crucial when businesses are looking at the maturity of their business and handling remote workers. If employees are not cooperative in person, they most likely will struggle to work efficiently while remote.
Is investing in security for technology worth it, given the company budget?
A secure network can be the determining factor between a smooth transition to remote work and a potential hack or information breach. If a company cannot invest in security technology for remote workers, they should think twice about moving over to that business model.
Is productive and transparent communication present in your organization pre-COVID-19?
Effective and clear communication is vital for proactive teams. Businesses that lacked this before COVID-19 will have a difficult time managing remote workers.
Are you as a business leader able to assess goals for products and services?
Remote work still requires a defined image of a company’s future goals. If remote employees pose too big of a battle for companies to withstand, they then know they haven’t done a good job communicating expectations or company culture to remote hires.
How will you help your remote employees have a positive experience working from home?
A business with a predetermined and intentional game plan with clearly communicated expectations and guidelines will succeed when integrating remote employees. Upper management should be prepared beforehand for how to lead the way for new-found remote working. This could come in the form of remote training, weekly or even daily check-ins, or group chats via Slack or Teams that will keep everybody accountable and on track. For example, some organizations have implemented daily “stand-ups” that are done remotely via Microsoft Teams. These micro meetings last 15 minutes and are meant to serve as a status update from each team member on projects they’re working on. This helps managers understand availability and allows them to better delegate tasks while their teams work remotely.
About Adam Ferrari
Adam Ferrari is an accomplished petroleum engineer and is the founder of a private oil and gas company, Ferrari Energy. Oil and gas industry entrepreneur Adam Ferrari was inspired to learn more about property rights and the inner workings of petroleum exploration and extraction. After gaining expertise in the energy sector, Adam obtained knowledge of the finance sector through his time at an investment banking firm. He then pivoted to bootstrapping his own privately held business, Ferrari Energy, from the ground up as he blended his knowledge of energy and finance together.