For all those hoping the world might click back to normal at midnight on New Year’s Eve, it hasn’t quite been the case. 2020 rocked a lot of businesses, with lockdowns, standing down staff, and many closing their doors completely. A lot of businesses had to change the way they do things considerably. One big part of that was people working from home, or remote work.
Everybody probably has their own view of how successful the concept is. However, the reality is, remote work is here to stay.
Virus restrictions aren’t gone for good
While we’re all pretty happy to say goodbye to 2020, we’re not out of trouble just yet. Already in 2021 throughout Australia we’ve seen various virus outbreaks, and even three-day lockdown blitzes. We’re definitely managing the virus far better now, but there is still an impact on businesses.
Even a 3-day hard lockdown means people can’t get to work easily. It might not sound like much, but it has an impact. So, businesses who are well equipped to handle remote workers are much more likely to have a smooth 2021.
Staff satisfaction
The other thing driving a push for businesses to maintain remote working arrangements is the staff themselves. Many people have reported feeling much better about their work since flexible working became necessary. The fact is, work-life balance has been high on people’s agenda for a few years now, and it’s only becoming more important. People want time with family, they want to collect the kids from school. Being able to work from home gives people a certain level of freedom. They can enjoy the work-life balance they crave, with minimal impact on their work.
The best business tools allow for remote work
If your business was caught off-guard by the move to remote work, you’re certainly not alone. Many companies were unprepared, without software supporting remote workers and those working from home. However, as the pandemic restrictions stretched longer and longer, most companies have now invested in good software.
Whether it’s just the ability to jump on Zoom calls, or full CRM solutions allowing collaboration, businesses are now well-equipped. So, why let that software investment go to waste? Especially if things are working for the company and the staff are happy.
Automation and remote work go hand in hand
Smart businesses weren’t just ready for remote work, but fully capitalised on it. The good thing is, it’s never too late to catch up, with so many software solutions out there to make life easier in the new world. To make remote work successful, though, you need the right tools. One of those tools is automation.
If you can’t have sales teams in the office, you need a seamless way for work to be managed. A fully integrated CRM helps sales teams with workflows and collaborative tools. With the sort of sales automation you can gain from software integration, website updates and CRM systems, your sales team can collaborate and get things done from anywhere.
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