3 Steps a Company Can Take to Help Remote Moms

Getting to work from home is a treat for moms who want a break from the daily routines of dropping kids off at daycare, then commuting to the office. Having an opportunity to have a commute from the kitchen to the office frees up a lot of time for mom the employee, but it”s not always an easy transition. New credentials need to be set up for access to the company servers and the files stored therein. And there”s typically an acclimation period for working at home where mom has to juggle her work responsibilities with her home duties. Following are three steps a company can take to accommodate the shift from office to home.

Using the Right Remote Access Software

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Someone working from home needs to have access to the company intranet for a variety of reasons. They include checking the to-do list, finding out progress from others on the project, and when the work is due. A virtual private network, or VPN, is one option to facilitate entry into the local intranet without compromising security. The VPN acts as a secure gateway for a remote employee seeking access and maintains database security.

For files stored on remote servers, or the cloud, a cloud access security broker (CASB) acts in much the same way as a VPN. A remote user logs into the CASB and uses their credentials to gain access to the files they need. At no time are the files exposed to a hacker due to the use of security software.

Have a Clear Remote Work Policy in Place

Employees, and that includes work at home moms, need to have a clear and easy-to-understand remote work policy to follow. There”s an inherent understanding that employees aren”t always at their desk, whether at the office or at home, but it”s easy to abuse the freedom of remote work.

A remote work policy doesn”t have to get complicated. Rather, focus on the important issues such as making sure the employee signs in and shows up as available during the work day, that they are easily reached if they”re not at their computer, and deadlines are respected.

Schedule a Regular Check-In With the Office

Working remotely has a tendency to isolate employees from one another if not handled correctly. Moms still communicate with coworkers when working remote, but they lose out on the physical interaction with one another and sometimes misinterpret a directive. Avoid these issues through setting up a standing date for remote employees to come into the office for the day. Frequency of these meetings depends on different factors, but shoot for at least twice a month. Remote employees aren”t inconvenienced by the need to come into the office and sit down with coworkers for a talk and to discuss issues with management.

These tips are a starting point to help working moms adjust to the reality of working at home. Helping them make a smooth transition means little-to-no loss of productivity as they move from office to home.