Remote Workforce Paradigm Shift

The work-from-home model is being widely accepted by many companies and industries. Covid 19 has made this trend a more acceptable solution  across the globe. Yet, one can easily see the trend of remote work was already here in 2018 when it had increased by 173% from 2005.  

Due to restricted movement during the pandemic lockdown, the workplace has moved to one’s home. Almost all companies have undergone a paradigm transformation with challenges to employers to redesign and re-imagine the evolution of the remote work environment. 

Working remotely brought numerous benefits for both the employer and employee that include productivity and satisfaction. Yet, some employers transitioning to the remote work-from-home model as the new norm are meeting it with difficulty due to the lack of tools and technology.

A skilled-labor shortage is a continuous gap in this industry, despite a substantial group of people looking for jobs. Companies have openings they cannot fill and are unable to attract the talent they once had. It is a very odd situation where job openings and job seekers both exist. A substantial number of employees no longer want to work in an office environment. They don’t want to wear masks all day long. This is where companies need to rethink the way of transitioning with the new norm. Being able to hire across geographies is one way to address this.

Job seekers are busy finding jobs that meet their need with many looking for work-from-home jobs. They want to avoid the risk of being exposed. Working from an office is no longer the only option.  

How can this issue be fixed? Companies need to adjust their business models with a hybrid model of at-office and at-home arrangements. Digital platforms are being used massively to run operations through remote connections and save businesses from enormous disruption. This is time and cost effective with business resiliency built-in. 

To embrace the transformed remote working, ARDEM has to innovate its system of dealing with its teams. Organizations need to make remote work policies due to confidentiality concerns. Remote work can be incredibly successful with virtual tools that make employees feel seen and heard. Yes, of course, self-motivation and commitment are necessary to stay proactive and agile.  

To implement policies successfully in the remote work system we have: 

• Set a clear purpose 
• Outline the scope 
• Describe the process 
• Set working days 
• Frame expectations clearly 
• Set technology support and requirements  

For us at ARDEM a WFH/remote work system is an integral business model. To convert the challenge into an opportunity, corporations need to ensure that the workforce is rebooted.  

We have redesigned the organizational policies to restructure our working model by anticipating what talents and skills they require. Redefined job roles with reskilling makes outsourcing effective.  

With the transforming work environment, newer service providers are also on the rise, such as on-call workers and freelancers. HRs are outsourcing employees across the globe. We can easily manage the workforce by outsourcing and have available talent across the globe.  

Measuring productivity has also been changed in WFH arrangements. We look at managers equipped with skills to measure performance. A company can set key performance indicators and outsource such managers without adding an initial cost of new hires and training. A study shows that employees are 13% more productive in the companies following the WFH model. 

We can outsource the complete business processes like accounts payable or receivable, and get tech-based data entry solutions. To reskill new hires in the company, training is easier. We can record the training sessions and download them for reference.  

Working outside the boundaries of the offices surely increases information security risks. We at ARDEM recognized the need for a sound set of guidelines and tools to mitigate such risks.  

We have defined our security norms and provide employees safe and secure VPN access into network and software applications to work remotely. Meeting and screen sharing can be managed via hangout meet, WebEx, Zoom, Teams, etc. 

We also have a non-disclosure agreement with employees by which they abide. While restructuring the working system, all those confidentiality clauses can be revised with additional clauses to enhance security measures, like employees are permitted to work only in a private, secured work area for data encryption and maintaining protection standards.  

Employees can not use unauthorized software to store, process, or share confidential data that includes price-sensitive information. If any employee’s family member is working in a contending company, it should be informed to HR.

Communication is one of the most crucial elements in a remote working system which we are focused on. To maintain productivity and efficiency in the business, its objective, and the employees have been aligned by ARDEM’s operating model. Employees should have official communication channels.  

We take various measures to enhance employee engagement, like periodic virtual meet-ups to connect employees, mentorship programs, an announcement of the employees’ achievements on the company’s social media handle, grievance redressal mechanism to raise an issue, develop blogs and newsletters to update the team about company’s achievements. 

There have been various studies to prove that the remote working model can benefit the employees, employers, and society. Following are the significant benefits which ARDEM enjoys:  

• Benefit for employers 
  • Remote working/WFH improves productivity. 
  • There will be a reduction in operational costs. 
  • Cost efficiency in new hires with technology.  
  • Fast business processes with outsourced solutions. 
  • Improved security on cloud platforms. 
  • You have access to a broader talent pool from the globe without geographical boundaries.  

• Benefit for employees 
  • Reduced commuting time; a study shows that people spend on average 7% of the day commuting.  
  • Reduced travel and other associated costs. 
  • Better work-life balance with increased family and leisure time Increased job satisfaction. 

• Benefit for the society 
  • Reduced air pollution. 
  • Less stress on natural resources and amenities in metropolitan cities.  
  • A better inclusive society with opportunities for well-qualified differently-abled people also. 

As the solution for an effective remote work model, at ARDEM, we can meet our client needs by providing a remote and highly trained workforce. One clear benefit is the cost savings and the ease of transitioning these work activities in a short amount of time. In addition, we have the technology infrastructure to make this happen quickly.  

ARDEM provides Business Process Outsourcing and Business Process Automation Services to established companies to help them improve operational Efficiency and Reduce Costs. For more information, please reach out to us at pricing@ardem.com or call us at 908-359-2600.