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I gathered with a bunch of business execs from small, medium, and large companies, in a range of industries from the service sector to retail. We began discussing our true feelings about our increasingly remote-friendly workplaces. I’m not about to share any huge reveals that you haven’t already thought of or experienced yourself. As expected, many noted the advantages of attracting a broad, talented workforce, employees’ embrace of flexibility, lower costs, and reduced commutes. Naysayers articulated concerns about inefficiency, longer time to ramp up, reductions in creativity, lack of mentorship, and impact on corporate culture. I will share my learning about what organizations are doing to maximize the positive implications of remote work and alleviate the challenges.
By discussing our unique situations, we quickly appreciated that the effectiveness of remote work differs in every organization. How well remote employment works depends on a host of factors:
All of these factors affect managers’ and executives’ thinking about the effectiveness of remote workers and their readiness to embrace it. Yet, all agreed that collaboration and training enhance performance. Therefore, the question for all of us becomes, how do we do that? How can managers embrace the positives of flexible work schedules AND tackle the challenges of remote workers? The following techniques may help organizations to onboard new employees, keep existing employees collaborating effectively, and adequately develop talent through training and coaching.
If virtual meetings with colleagues and clients have become the norm due to working with remote employees, set these norms to optimize their effectiveness in fostering the development of relationships:
If your team is not showing up to the office each day, develop ways for the group to get together. Engineer ways to build relationships, collaborate, and enhance their ability to problem-solve together. After all, strong relationships are a critical component of trust. In turn, trust and psychological safety correlate with improved team performance. Try these best practices when working with remote employees:
Younger generations who are new to the workforce may be accustomed to digital communication and reluctant to make phone calls. Having grown up in a world where they can text a friend to meet for a meal, they may also be less practiced in meeting new people. Consider too, the different expectations of Millenials, GenX and GenZs. They’re purported to be more demanding, self-advocating, and less accepting of working their way up. Workplace norms continue to evolve, but human interactions take millennia to evolve. You many need to explain:
In our fast-paced, ever-evolving world, we can all be quick to judge.
Some companies will best thrive with face-to-face employees; Others are best served by drawing from a broad, remote, talent pool, and meeting face-to-face only periodically. As managers sort out these needs, they ought to articulate them and discuss them openly.
By the same token, some employees prefer to work from home, while others crave the company of their colleagues. Employees should be on the lookout for jobs that suit their preferences rather than requesting that employers yield to their wishes.
Let’s all expect to experience a bit of a shuffle until employers and employees find their perfect matches. Both employers and employees should clearly articulate their needs and expectations when it comes to working with remote employees, right from the start, during the hiring process so that all can find suitable work arrangements.
Make Virtual Meetings Magnificent