The Remote Work Dilemma

Since COVID, remote work has been a hot topic. Many employees love it, and plenty of managers hate it. Despite advances in technology, old habits die hard. Many still find it easier to work with people in the room.

But remote work has some interesting benefits for employers. To name a few:

• Lower office costs
• Access to people outside your location
• Stronger value proposition to candidates
• Improved employee retention

Our Experience

At Vokke, we were 100% in-person before the pandemic. While we had a team in the Philippines, we required them to go the office every day.

But during COVID we noticed how much happier our team were working from home. They were saving time commuting, spending more time with family, and finding a better work-life balance.

And our productivity didn’t drop.

So after the lockdowns ended, we embraced remote work and switched to 100% remote. We’ve since built a stronger remote culture and its become a key part of our talent acquisition strategy. Now we can recruit from a wider talent pool and entice them with more benefits than our competition.

While this has been positive for us, I know many business owners that haven’t had the same results. But love it or hate it, it’s here to stay.

So why not embrace it and equip your team with the tools they need to thrive?

The Essential Remote Work Toolkit

• Video Messaging (Loom): Hold less meetings. Record quick videos to explain ideas or give feedback. Work asynchronously wherever possible
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• Team Chat (Slack/Microsoft Teams): Quick video and text chats. I like open channels for everyone to stay across what’s going on (like overhearing your team in person)
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• Virtual Office (Gather): A bit gimmicky, but a virtual office can improve remote culture and make it easy to chat. If this is a bit much for you, then a platform like Workplace may be a better fit
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• Project Management (Asana/Trello): Keeping everyone aligned on goals and deadlines is critical for remote to work
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• Cloud Storage ( Google Drive/Dropbox): It goes without saying, but easy access to all files is a must have
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• Virtual Whiteboard (Miro/Figjam): Tools to emulate the ’round the whiteboard’ brainstorming sessions
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• Password Manager (LastPass/1Password): Secure and easy access to passwords is a must have for remote teams

Building a Remote Culture

Remember, no tool alone is the answer. The real magic happens when you build a culture of trust and clear communication. Set expectations, focus on outcomes rather than hours logged, and create opportunities for social connection.

Implementing a solid remote work strategy can boost productivity, expand your talent pool, and even reduce overhead costs. When done right, its a win-win.

Until next time!