Remote work is shaping up to become a significant factor that will determine the future of work, especially at this period of pandemics.
The COVID-19 pandemic accounts for over half of the global workforce working remotely, pushing remote work mainstream.
In the world today, strong digital strategy is critical but there is also a need for a culture conducive to its execution. It’s this culture that will define the social order within the organisation, shape the behaviour and attitude of employers and employees alike, creating an environment that fosters productivity.
Organizations are embracing the remote trend, but to do this effectively, there is a need to set a remote work culture that successfully reaches all the different verticals and brings about a sense of belonging. A few ways to do these are:
Define remote work policy
Remote work can mean different things for different people, hence the need to be specific about organisation’s policy for a common understanding between employers and employees. There should be an inclusion of what a company will allow and provide for the employees, and answers to questions on how productivity and availability will be measured. A well-defined policy facilitates a healthy remote work culture.
Communicate goals
The perfect remote work culture is one where there is clarity of goals, short term, and long term. State and communicate a company’s goals in such a manner that there is no feeling of burden and an understanding of responsibilities. It can work as motivation for the employees.
An environment of trust
Trust in the workplace is a fundamental building block. It builds loyalty and the willingness to stay with a company. One way to do this is to communicate decisions with employees and avoid micromanagement. Trust that they can handle their work and give the space that allows them to do so while making it also easy to seek managerial support where needs be.
Social interaction
One of the most common challenges of remote working is social isolation. Sitting by oneself in front of a laptop, week after week, can become isolating and alienate employees from an organisation. Leave some time during work hours for non-work items, have physical meetings or seminars that bring everyone together – it could be monthly, quarterly or annually depending on what works for each organisation. Structure ways that allow employees to interact socially, build better connections and celebrate accomplishments.
Feedback
Feedback is a two-way thing in a workplace. Feedback from employers and employees is vital to a company’s development. Let your employees know where they can do better. Constructive feedback is one of the best things employers can provide to their employees: listen to how you can serve your employees better, what is working and what isn’t; provide them with encouragement and empathize with their struggles.
Some elements of remote working that also needs consideration when creating the perfect remote work culture includes:
Technology: this contributes to a large part of the remote work culture and tech overload is also one of the biggest remote working challenges. An interesting way to handle this is to centre all work activities around a single easy-to-use platform. This will also enable quick access to information.
Flexibility and growth: the remote workforce is notable for its flexibility. Therefore, in mapping out the perfect remote work policy, flexibility is an element that requires consideration. There should also be the provision of opportunities to grow, learn new skills, and explore.
Creating the perfect remote work culture is an ongoing process that requires hard work, time, and attention. The idea is to make the most of it.
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