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Guide for Businesses Shifting to Work From Home
Today’s current world conditions have forced many businesses to have their employees work from home to prevent spreading illnesses. But, it’s not as easy as just sending your workers home, because you need to make sure you have processes and systems in place. And you’ll want to get the right work-from-home policy to help protect your business from liability issues.
As an insurance company with over 200 years of experience, we’re sharing some working from home tips to help your business as you rely on remote employees. From getting the right small business insurance coverage to helping your employees adapt to their new work environment, we’re here to help you make the transition to a work-from-home business.
Business Insurance for Working From Home
Working from home is becoming more and more popular. And while today’s technology makes it a convenient option for both business owners and employees, there are several pros and cons of working from home. As a business owner, allowing your employees to work remotely has notable perks, like:
- Promoting a satisfied workforce
- Cutting down on office expenses
- Possibly increasing productivity
Despite the benefits, there are potential liabilities of letting employees work from home, such as workplace injuries and damage to your employees’ equipment.
Research from the Insurance Information Institute found the majority of home-based business owners lack insurance coverage beyond what they have in their homeowners insurance policy.1 This policy won’t cover business-related claims, so it’s important you have the right business insurance coverages. A good place to start for work from home insurance is:
Tips for Employers Managing a Remote Team
There are challenges to learning how to manage an off-site virtual workforce. You’ll have to change your management process and try to overcome the unique challenges of working virtually.
Learn our work-from-home best practices and read our seven tips for effectively managing remote workers to help you start a telecommuting program for your business.
Use Technology to Connect Teams That Work From Home
Regardless of where they are, a virtual workforce makes it easier for your employees to work from anywhere. To make your team successful and to effectively manage your remote employees, you need the right tools in place.
That’s why picking virtual workforce technologies is an important choice. These tools will help your team:
- Communicate
- Hold meeting
- Share documents
- Manage projects
- Track progress
Ensure Your Employees Have a Work From Home Space
If you want to successfully run a business from home, it’s important to have a separate place dedicated as your work space. It’s the same principle your employees should follow as they work remotely.
Be aware your employees’ homes may not have the most ideal physical office setup. So, you may want to suggest they pick or create a space that’s best in their home to be dedicated to working.
Tips for Business Owners Working from Home
Starting a business that allows you to make money from home is more achievable than ever. But, it’s important to ask yourself questions before starting a business from home and to assess if your work-from-home program is on the right track for growth and success.
Can You Grow Your Business Remotely?
Many small- to mid-sized business owners face the same challenge as they enjoy rapid growth: how to quickly scale their operations without dramatically increasing overhead expenses.
Creating a virtual workplace can help overcome this challenge. One benefit is that employees work from home so you won’t have to lease office space and constantly move into a larger office as your business grows.
However, a virtual workplace does prevent you from having daily face-to-face contact with your team, so it’ll likely change your business’ culture. That’s why it’s important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a virtual workforce and look at the pros and cons of working from home vs. office location.
Do You Need to Supplement Your Virtual Workforce?
Not everyone in your virtual workforce needs to work full time. You may find you can outsource jobs to freelance contractors or use offshore resources for some of your business functions. This lets your full-time staff focus on important projects and tasks that can help your business grow and succeed.
Balancing Home Life While Working From Home
It’s clear there are benefits and drawbacks to working from home. While it’s more convenient and less expensive, it can be lonely and you have to be self-disciplined to both getting work done and ending your day. Working from home blurs the line between your home and work lives.
To help your productivity, you can stay professional while working from home. For example, putting on work clothes can put you in a more productive mindset and make you focus on your work.
Ending your work day is an important part of maintain work-life balance. Working from home gives you access to your business equipment and makes it easy to work longer hours. But, knowing when to end your work day can improve your mental health and overall productivity.
Whether you’re a new business owner wondering how to get small business liability insurance or looking to create a virtual workplace, we’re here for you. We can help answer questions you may have like “What does compensation mean?” Our specialists can help ensure you have the right insurance coverage to help protect your business and employees. Get a small business insurance quote online today.