The Role Of HR In Remote Workforce Management

For many companies, remote work has become the new normal. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses around the globe were forced to implement work from home policies. Despite its initial scepticism, most companies found that this new business model actually worked, and productivity remained steady.

Fast forward to almost five years later, and many have chosen to stick with the remote model. One of the key elements that makes it work as well as it does, is the role of the company’s HR department.

As more employees are embracing working from their homes rather than the traditional office set up, the requirement of HR management has gone beyond just recruiting and paying employees.

HR has had to rethink its strategy and incorporate employee engagement, mental health, performance management and aspects of corporate culture into managing remote working conditions.

How Has The UK Adapted To Remote Work?

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that approximately 40% of employees in the United Kingdom worked remotely in 2023. This was approximately 5% before the pandemic, indicating the extent to which this working model was embraced by both employers and employees alike.

Additionally, it is worth noting that almost all of the 85% of workers who went on to work remotely favour their flexible arrangements, which has resulted in hybrid systems of working where people work both at home and at the office becoming popular.

This trend is predicted to continue as most corporations understand the benefits of flexible working environments including increased efficiency, reduced costs in terms of rental space and better work satisfaction for the employees.

Companies that offer human resources software solutions in the UK include:

1. Rippling
2. Deel
3. BrightHR
4. Factorial

How Does HR Manage A Remote Workforce?

Managing a dispersed workforce, especially if employees are located in different countries, isn’t an easy task. In this case, the role of HR certainly shouldn’t be overlooked.

Essentially, HR becomes the link between management and employees, keeping the lines of communication open between all parties for cohesiveness.

Recruit And Oversee Onboarding Of Remote Teams

One of the greatest benefits of remote working is being able to employ people from anywhere within the globe, including the top talent. During this process, HR experts need to formulate a recruitment approach that is inclusive yet ensures that candidates are evaluated on their level of independence and time management skill.

Remote onboarding can pose some problems for the new employees as most of them are usually distant from the workplace. HR should incorporate the necessary information in the form of virtual orientations, mentorship programs, as well as collaborative tools to help new employees to settle in comfortably.

Manage Employee Performance

HR have to assist management with establishing quantifiable goals and parameters for employees who work remotely. These goals should be oriented towards the results and outputs, rather than the hours put in by the employee.

In a case where employees are working off-site, yearly performance appraisals are not adequate. HR should advocate for ongoing feedback throughout the year, where managers consistently provide performance and performance progress. This helps to keep employees on track with achieving business objectives.

Legal Considerations For Remote Employees

HR is required to make sure that all employment laws of every jurisdiction that remote employees work from are fully adhered to. This can be a challenging task, especially for global teams where different countries have different employment rules and regulations.

When working remotely, data security and privacy becomes even more crucial. HR departments need to work with IT teams on formulating policies with regards to controlled access to the employer’s systems, confidentiality of employee records, and overall employee responsibility towards protecting all information.

Maintain Communication

One of the most significant challenges that HR faces in a remote work situation is to keep employees engaged. The absence of colleagues and managers leads can lead to remote workers feeling lonely, bored, or estranged from the team and the other employees in the organisation.

It then becomes HR’s responsibility to ensure that employees working from home feel a sense of connectedness. This can be done by regularly checking in with each team member, and organising online activities for employees to participate in outside of work requirements.

Provide Tools And Tech To Assist With Remote Work

From communication platforms to performance management software, it is the responsibility of HR to make sure that there are available tools for employees to use that will promote and support collaboration, productivity and employee engagement.

Remote employees still require opportunities for growth and development every so often. This is where HR is needed to offer online learning platforms and virtual training sessions to help employees with learning new skills and remain relevant in their industries.

These programs play a significant role in fostering a sense of growth and advancement which is necessary for retaining top-performing employees.

Promote A Work-Life Balance

While remote employment offers numerous advantages, it also has the potential to cause individuals to mix their personal and professional spaces, which can increase stress levels and ultimately cause burnout.

HR is necessary for encouraging employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance to avoid this from happening. Moreover, HR has to define the working hours required and urge employees to take breaks when they need it.