06/08/2021
Remote working, here to stay!
In an instant, the pandemic changed the world as we knew it and society had to adapt quickly. In many circumstances these adaptations have, and will continue to be, the new norm as businesses and leaders around the world grew and evolved overnight. But still, 18 months on, the debate remains. As light begins to shine on the possibility of a looming return to pre pandemic life for Australians, what is the most effective workplace?
There is no doubt that working remotely presents challenges to the traditional office environment including innovation, collaboration, culture, leadership, and engagement but it also provides a new way of thinking that could create an abundance of opportunity, growth and success.
So what are these opportunities?
1. Working remotely drastically increases the reach of potential employees. Recruiting from all over the world can mean more experience, knowledge and the right person for the position is found.
2. Businesses can significantly lower their overheads reducing the cost of rent, maintenance, rates, travel and other such expenses associated with the office environment.
3. The ability to work from home can increase the wellbeing and job satisfaction of many employees. Eating better food, greater opportunity and ease for exercise and more time with family are just some benefits. An Owl Labs state of remote work report shows that 55% of remote workers would look elsewhere if their work from home option was taken away. They are also 13% more likely to stay in their role for 5 years than their counterparts.
4. Starting the day with elevated cortisol levels is not ideal and making sure youâre on time, catching public transport or sitting in traffic can be stressful starts to the day that remote working eliminates. Alternatively, more time to spend doing the things you love releases oxytocin, setting you up for a happy and great day ahead. This not only has huge benefits for individuals but the collaboration and effectiveness of teams as well.
5. âGo Home and Go Hardâ. There are studies and statistics everywhere to show that the efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity of those working remotely increases compared with their office counterparts. A Stanford study of 16000 workers showed that performance improved by 13% in those who work remotely, whilst another shows a 47% increase in productivity.
6. Working from home instils greater trust in employees which in turn sees workers accept greater responsibility and accountability as they align themselves with the vision and mission of the business. Such feelings become ingrained values in team members who seek to add greater value and contribution to others thus improving their leadership effectiveness and overall engagement. The Gallup state of American workplace report shows us that engagement levels are higher for remote workers at 32% compared to office workers at 28%.
It is evident that working remotely can provide a business with significant advantages including enhanced engagement and leadership as addressed above, however, how can leaders ensure that collaboration, innovation and culture are not impacted without daily face to face interaction?
The beauty of technology in 2021 is that different modes of communication via platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat and many more, ensure that accessibility and connectivity to people anywhere in the world is at the click of a button.
Regular zoom meetings and breakout rooms, weekly goal setting with clearly benchmarked results, a brainstorm hub where anyone can innovate and put forward ideas, interactive team games that are fun or team building games that include solving real world challenges, online lunch breaks, a âculture hour of powerâ are just some simple things that leaders can easily adopt to ensure collaboration and innovation remain at the forefront of business growth in a remote workplace setting.
Whilst it is obvious remote working has tremendous benefits for both workers and the business there are still great benefits of having a day in the office weekly, fortnightly, or monthly depending on the needs of the business and the people within it. With the obvious benefit of variety, such a day can provide more personal face to face engagement with everyone in the business, a chance to review, connect and discuss those all-important items that are sometimes best done in person but not necessary every day.
It is an exciting space to watch with many of the larger organisations already changing their policies to include remote working options. Only time will tell of the long-term impacts but there is significant precedent for the change and with effective leadership and management we should see remote working become a huge success for many businesses in the future.
