Many roofers are now working from home, which is a new trend. Working from home might be difficult if you're accustomed to being in the office daily, surrounded by your colleagues, and having access to the company's resources. It would help if you got things done, but your sofa has replaced your workstation, your cat has no idea what you're talking about when you ask it about that one roofing project, and you can only get to your files through your laptop. Tips for thriving in a telecommuting environment.

It is feasible to maintain productivity and control of one's work life while based in one's own house, but doing so calls for creative thinking and preparation. Two approaches are covered in this tutorial to remote work specifically for roofers. First, this article advises on maintaining productivity and efficiency when working remotely, which is especially useful for office and sales workers. After that, we educate supervisors on how to oversee remote workers effectively. Read on to find out what information every member of a roofing staff must have to make the most of their newfound flexibility.

Part 1: Working From the Remote Office

How can roofers work from home? Here are some tips for being productive, getting the tools you need, and maximizing remote work.

1. Keep Yourself Organize

The organization is key to distant productivity. In your roofing office, you probably utilize a whiteboard with work notes, a file system, or just checking in with each other. Some of these problems disappear while working remotely, and others get tougher. The organization reaches more complex—and more critical.

Keeping yourself organized and on schedule can enhance your productivity and help you interact with your team (for example, if someone asks how a job is doing, it'll be easy to locate the response). An organizing structure might help you concentrate while working from home.

A home organization may take many forms. Use Google Calendar, Trello, or reminders to keep track of your tasks and to-dos. Even a to-do list may be helpful—just don't lose it. If you depend on other team members to keep organized, find innovative methods to mimic those contact points remotely. Keeping papers and files in a secure, readily accessible area may also help you keep organized.

Roofing software helps contractors keep organized. If so, the program will be a formidable home office organizing tool. You'll have access to the same information at the workplace, making the organization simpler. Use the digital tools your company uses at home.

>>Related post: How to Tell If Your Company Needs Roofing Management Software

2. Get Creative About Connecting

How difficult is working from home? Separation from colleagues is often cited. Not being with your colleagues might be challenging for office workers forced to work remotely. You can't ask someone a short inquiry at their workstation. More difficult meetings. And working with others takes more energy.

With remote employment on the increase before the crisis, there are many methods to engage with your team. Zoom supports remote meetings and presentations. Slack, which lets you send brief messages to your team, replicates the "have a second?" conversation. You may use the capability in roofing software like RooferIntel to send a message or bring attention to a task.

SMS, phone conversations, and video conferencing to perform things you usually do in person may feel unusual or awkward. You can't work alone; you're on a team. Remind your staff that you're all in this together, and create methods to remain in contact. As long as you're connecting consistently, that's all that matters/

3. Don't Be Afraid to Ask More Questions

A remote job complicates communication. It may take some time to acclimate if you've never used the following tools. Instructions and obligations may be unclear. When working remotely, many individuals have the reasonable want to work alone and minimize interactions. Since everyone is busy, wouldn't it be simpler not to call or message?

Since you and your team are separated, it's more critical than ever to communicate clearly and be on the same page. This is particularly true if coronavirus has affected your firm. You may have a concept of how things should be done, but habits may have changed.

Ask questions to remain informed and on track. Once we learn how a company operates, we stop asking questions. Only inquire whether you're functioning correctly from your remote workplace. Since team members are separated, you must actively communicate. So ask questions. It will help you operate more successfully and be more confident in the long term.

4. Stick to a Routine

This is terrific advice for distant employees. In an office, you have business hours, meetings, and a workflow. When not at work, routines change. For some, a loss of regularity is a comfort, but it hinders productivity and job performance for most.

Creating a homework regimen might help you remain productive and mimic office life. Start by sticking to a schedule. The closer you can work office hours, the better; your brain is most effective then. Working in the same place or time of day might also assist. If your production meeting is usually on Tuesday mornings, maintain it that way—remotely.

Your job schedule will be different at home. Having a routine can help with this. Sticking to a routine can help you work productively from home and apply the other recommendations in this section.

>>Related post: Several Positive Aspects Of Using Commercial Roofing Software

Part 2: Managing Remotely

Homework may be difficult. Home management? How can you remain connected to your staff, give guidance, and boost morale and motivation? Here are some ideas for roofing managers that have remote teams.

1. Management tools help track employees

Knowing what remote roofers are doing is difficult. How do you know whether your salesmen are meeting quotas? Is that job progressing or on hold? Dispersed personnel is tougher to track, and being away from the office means specific check-in systems must change.

Roofing software helps you monitor your crews' work. Many roofing software packages provide options to help you visualize job progress, allocate tasks, and check if anything has gone through the gaps. RooferIntel's sales leaderboard helps managers monitor their sales staff. In RooferIntel, you can check when and by whom modifications were performed and issue messages or assign jobs. RooferIntel lets you monitor work progress at a glance. The RooferIntel dashboard shows which tasks are in the pipeline, so you may follow up with staff. As cloud-based software, you can manage from your sofa.

2. Communicate clearly and stay connected

Engaged, communicative managers are essential to remote team success. As the manager, you establish the team's communication tone. Expecting individuals to ask for assistance and questions can help teams function more effectively and reduce miscommunications.

Instructing and assigning may help managers model good communication. Speaking clearly, following up to make sure staff understand, offering reminders, and checking in along the process can provide clarity and ensure good performance. Remote workers need more effort and intention than office employees. The clearer you are with your teams, the better they'll function.

Managers must preserve team culture while everyone is separated. Everyone can catch up at a virtual team lunch or happy hour. Positive message. Roofing is a traditionally durable sector, so this is a difficulty. Keeping your team's spirits up and creating connection points can boost their productivity and help you build your workplace culture even when you're not there.

3. Equip Your Teams

Working from home requires more than motivation and attention. Your staff needs tools to execute their duties efficiently outside the office. For many roofing company owners, this means adopting technology to help remote staff interact and remain productive.

Some of these technologies will replace more traditional corporate practices. If your salesmen wish to video chat with homeowners, put them up using Zoom or Skype. Once you can knock on a homeowner's door, your salespeople will likely quit utilizing video conferencing technologies, but for now, they're essential to selling efficiently.

However, certain technologies may aid your organization throughout the year and beyond. Working from home is difficult if your roofing firm uses paper files and documentation. Who has files? Must they be picked up at the office? How do you collect customer signatures when homeowners ban outside contact? Roofing software solves these issues.

RooferIntel is cloud-based, so it's available from anywhere with the Internet. Anyone with access to the program may locate your employment. RooferIntel provides electronic document templates so roofers may produce, transmit, and receive legally binding electronic signatures. These features make it simpler for roofers to obtain information from home, reducing work site trips. Once you return to the workplace, roofing software advantages continue. Never search through paper files again, and keep everyone on the same page regarding work. Adopting roofing software at this time can empower your staff with the tools they need for remote work and help you work more successfully in the office.

>>Related post: Introducing RooferIntel’s Human Resource Module

4. Process Evaluation

This is a good moment for roofers. Firms adjusting to new settings highlight their issues and pain spots. Functioning from home helps you evaluate which areas of your company are working and which need improvement. Some roofers have more time now than they usually do at this time of year, so you may adjust your company that you would usually put off until December.

Use what you discover about your firm to improve operations and generate new initiatives. Creating strategies to sell more successfully, learning new lead sources, and embracing new technologies may help your firm function more efficiently. Whatever it is, look to the future and take action to make your company stronger and more productive. Share these innovative ideas with your staff to help them see the light and remain inspired.