The workplace has evolved at a phenomenal pace over the past decade. Few factors have had a larger impact on this change than the widespread embrace of remote employment. Aided by technological advancements that allow for instantaneous communication and information exchange, off-site employees have truly revolutionized the American approach to work.
To reap the myriad benefits of this change, organizations that allow employees to work from home must first establish guidelines that complement the new concept. Has your company addressed these three crucial components of a strong work-from-home culture?
The “Why” for Management and Employees
Workplace fads come and go. However, a fundamental change (and considerable investment) like remote employment needs conviction of purpose from both management and employees. Convey to both groups these research-driven facts about remote employment:
Management
- Increases employee efficiency
- Fewer but more productive meetings
- Virtually eliminates unscheduled absences
- Expands the talent pool
Employees
- Improves job satisfaction
- Widens the scope and opportunities for collaboration
- Cuts down on expenses and time lost on commuting
If both sides understand and appreciate how the change will improve their respective workplace experiences, you will have established a solid foundation on which to build further consensus.
Manage Communication & Ensure Accountability
Communication is the essence of any workplace but it is especially important when dealing with staff across states, time zones, and nations. Fortunately, technology comes to the rescue. From basic chat platforms like WhatsApp to collaborative workplaces like Slack and from teleconferencing to email, tech is a reliable backstop against communication gaps.
Create a timetable for communications between different teams and emphasize the importance of adhering to it. Often, this is a challenge when teams are in vastly different time zones. Some companies use a “twice-daily” system where everyone collaborating with off-site colleagues checks back every 12 hours to stay updated.
Many communication hurdles can be overcome when geographically displaced personnel feel like a part of the regular team. A well-designed onboarding process, the buddy system and regular non-work interaction between all team members go a long way in building the rapport crucial to success.
It is also critical to establish rules which ensure managers and employees are held accountable in remote working environments. How can managers ensure that employees are approaching their days in as structured and effective way as possible? Employees must avoid the temptations that come with an unstructured work environment. Only through accountability on both sides can this arrangement be successful.
Establish and Reinforce Cultural Values
Building a strong work-from-home culture essentially comes down to instilling and propagating the right values in everyone involved.
Revisit your current values and tweak them to match the company’s new trajectory. It should be neither a top-down nor a bottom-up exercise but an open, collaborative process where every stakeholder has a say. The resulting document should be clear on what is expected from them as well as the company’s responsibilities. Consistent hiring standards, performance metrics and routes of advancement must be unambiguous.
As I mentioned in a previous article, one of the business trends we expect to see in 2020 is the continued popularity of remote working. Please contact me today to discuss how business leaders can use the above suggestions to help build trust within teams that are not centrally located.
