How to make remote work and workers successful
Many tasks have clear processes and structured workflows.
Purchases of office supplies, recruitment, payroll processing, tech support for computers and defect resolution in software systems are some examples.
For each of these there is likely a playbook, processes, identified stakeholders, and defined teams.
If the tools needed to perform the work can be made available and sensitive information protected outside office premises, a case can be made for performing these tasks from a non-office location.
It can be a win for both the employee and employer.
What’s in it for the employee?
Reduced effort, cost and stress of commute.
More time for themselves and their families
Greater predictability of work schedules
“In 2019, 73 percent of people working from home said that the flexibility of working remotely had positively impacted their personal wellbeing and improved their ability to balance work with leisure and community activities” (1)
What’s in it for the employer
Ability to recruit workers who are outside commutable distance of office facilities.
Better quality of life for employees which could lead to higher retention.
Lower costs of office infrastructure, though there will be offset costs of managing and securing remote devices and reimbursement of home office expenses.
Potential for lower costs of compensation and benefits.
Higher employee productivity.
A study conducted by Stanford University in the summer of 2020 discovered that remote workers were 5 percent more productive than those working in a physical office. By the spring of 2022, it had risen to 9 percent. (2)
Pick remote workers selectively
There are some who prefer and will be effective in remote work more than others.
Those raising young children, having caregiving responsibilities, with health constraints on ability to commute, or living far from office facilities are most likely to prefer remote work.
Commuting 3 hours every day, Aneesh found little time to focus on his fitness. At his annual physical he discovered that he was tending towards overweight and borderline diabetic. His employer was consolidating facilities and offering tenured employees an option of working 3 days a week remotely.
Aneesh opted for it. Every evening, he set out to walk and by the end of three months, was clocking 15 miles a week. Mealtimes became more regular and portion sizes more disciplined.
Very recently Aneesh found that he is able to fit into trousers a size smaller. He is waiting for the next Macy’s sale to start a wardrobe revamp.
“By age profile, Baby Boomers were the most confident in their remote work, with 65 percent having claimed no change in productivity when working from home”.3 They have the accrued work experience and skills to be productive remotely.
“On the other hand, Generation Z was self-reportedly the least likely to be as productive working virtually, with only 23 percent stating they were just as productive remotely as they were when working in an office”. (3)
These young employees need mentoring and grooming to be productive. It’s also the demographic which most seeks in-person professional and social interaction with colleagues.
They are best assigned to an office location where they can get the mentoring and engagement.
Enable before deploying remote
Those already proficient in a task are the best candidates to work remotely. They know what to do, how to do it and the results expected.
They also know who to reach out to when needed to facilitate their work.
For those new to the organization, including experienced hires, there should be a methodical in-person assimilation before partial or fully remote deployment.
In addition to learning the ways of working of the employer, the in-person assimilation period is an opportunity to build relationships with team colleagues. Both are essential for success at work – more so when working remotely.
As the skill levels and teaming builds up, remote deployment can be done in phases – fully onsite – hybrid – fully remote.
Remote workers also need to be kept engaged
Ongoing skill enhancement and networking, especially with supervisors, are essential for productivity and retention of all workers – including those working remotely.
Virtual events like remote happy hours and baking sessions have gained popularity in recent years.
In-person meetings at defined periodicity are highly recommended.
These meetings enable face time with supervisors and leaders and with other team members.
They are also opportunities for skill building, launch of new initiatives, celebration of milestones, and corporate brand building.
A good practice is to calendarize these events. It gets participants involved early to plan what they would want to accomplish during these gatherings.
Like many of his colleagues in a big 4 firm, Ravi works Monday through Thursday from his home office or client locations.
On Friday, his employer organizes events at the company office. The agenda includes trainings, team meetings, new initiative launches, meet with leadership, and celebrations. These calendarized Friday events give Ravi an opportunity to network with his colleagues, add to skills, and be involved in important milestones of his employer.
In closing
A case for remote work can be made for standardized tasks with clear processes and responsibilities.
Workers get a better quality of life. Employers save on infrastructure and can recruit from a larger pool.
When identifying workers for remote work, those with proficiency in their tasks and tenure with the employer are the best candidates. New hires, especially Gen Z the least.
Any new hire should be inducted, assimilated, and assessed for productivity before remote deployment.
It is essential to ensure ongoing skill building and in person interaction with remote workers.
Regular, calendarized, and frequent virtual events supplemented by periodic in-person meetings and gatherings are great avenues for building this ongoing engagement.
Keep swinging!
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