Page 14 - HC B2B Fall20

PROS AND CONS OF HAVING REMOTE WORKERS
•••
By McKinley Winkle
PLAN AHEAD
Check for closures,
pack supplies and have
Who would have thought working from home would be such a commonality these days? Regardless, as of now, this is the new normal.
While the last few months have been slightly different, just like anything else, there are pros and cons to each situation. For some, working from home may be a choice, while it could be the only option for others. We talked to a few of our Helena area employees and Chamber members about what they have seen as the pros and cons of this new adjustment.
Sara Medley- Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
a backup plan.
Responsibly.
Sara Medley and her crew at
Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, along
with other businesses in our community,
feel isolated when working from home.
are learning about the pros and cons of
Sara and her team tackle this with virtual check-ins every two weeks to talk about
suddenly going from a staff who largely
work from an office to the majority of staff
“how everyone’s weeks are going,
PLEASE
As you enjoy our state, be Montana Aware
working from home. The lessons come
On the cons side of working from home,
the biggest one, according to Sara, is
managing the increased risk to cyber
security and protecting sensitive
information. Employees working from
home are still supported by office
having to drive back and forth to work
ember
survey also ensured no one is “working
from the couch.” Sara’s staff is helping
at-home employees assess their
workspace for proper screen, desk and
technology and staff, but arguably take
on more of the responsibility to ensure
files are locked up or properly encrypted
BE RESPECTFUL
and confidential phone conversations are
chair positioning to avoid neck and back
plore
issues. Respect the guidelines, Of course, otnhefilnaanl dproainsdstapfef’sopableili.ty to dress down in more comfortable
clothing when no stakeholder meetings are scheduled and the ability to throw a load of laundry in the washer between emails!
Minimize impact and give wildlife space.
private and secure.
Sara says another major challenge to overcome is maintaining employee morale
and sense of belonging. When people are used to being in an office setting for social and professional interaction, they can
something funny one of their kids said, or and take these steps thow btheyareretusrnpinognlesmibonlsei,nto
from two sides of the same coin: staff needs and experience and business obligations and planning.
lemonade,” Sara says. Sara and other respectful traveler. members of Mountain-Pacific’s leadership
Pros from the business side of remote team also send weekly emails to all staff working include a reduction in overhead MAINTAIN S
expenses. With little to no staff going physically into work, office space and equipment are being used less or not at all. However, the con here is, while utility costs decrease, being locked into a lease with no workers means essentially paying for empty space.
Another pro, especially for companies
such as Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
that cover a larger geographic region, is
with updates, tips for staying physically
Visit our website for more ways to be Montana Aware.
VI
more flexibility to hire “based on skills and talent, not just location,” says Sara.
and mentally healthy at home and other
information or anecdotes. Mountain-
Pacific recently conducted a staff survey to learn most employees appreciate the different kinds of communication to help them feel connected to the company and to one another.
Mountain-Pacific staff also report
enjoying the flexibility of hours, which they
say leads to maintained or increased
productivity and better focus. Employees are also saving time and money by not
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HELP US SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID-19
WEAR A MASK
EXPLORE LOCALLY
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support local businesses.
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BE MONTANA AWARE AND HELP US SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
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