Allowing for remote workers has advantages. It gives you versatility,
helps to reduce expenses, and allows you to draw from a larger pool of
potential job candidates.
There can be drawbacks as well. Top complaints:
- A sense that there’s less communication.
- Management’s struggle with knowing whether employees are staying on task.
So how can you maximize benefits while limiting the drawbacks?
Hybrid Approach
Some companies allow employees a certain amount of flexibility to
work from home. However they still require that employees be “in office”
for a certain number of days per week or month. Yahoo had a famously
liberal policy on remote workers and shifted to a stricter hybrid
approach. Many of Yahoo’s top engineers left the company because of the
perceived lack of flexibility.
This isn’t to say that a hybrid approach is doomed to failure. But it
is important to understand how a team may respond to such changes. If
your company is moving away from a strict “in office” policy in favor of
something more flexible, a hybrid approach can be a great way to test
the waters.
Going 100% Remote Worker.
A surprising number of service companies have begun moving toward
being 100% virtual. By eliminating a physical workplace, a number of
expenses can be eliminated. Additionally, being allowed to work from
home 100% of the time gives employees a greater sense of work-life
balance. This also makes attracting high quality employees easier.
Millenials are especially attracted to flexible work situations.
But being 100% virtual means a business must be more deliberate in
encouraging collaboration and community. These efforts can include
conferences and parties. They can also include leveraging technologies
such as video conferencing and instant messaging.
“Going Remote” Requires Better Hiring Processes
The reality is that only some individuals work well on their own.
Many others prefer the socialization offered by an office setting.
Others lack the discipline to keep on task through the day. Grocery
shopping, running kids to soccer games, and getting to the gym can
become distractions. In these situations, workers fail to create strong
boundaries between “personal time” and “work time”.
A well-designed hiring process begins with attracting the right
candidates to the role. They have the characteristics and experience to
work well in work-from-home settings.
Once someone is hired, it is critical to have a well defined
onboarding process. Such a process gives workers the tools they need to
succeed while allowing managers to hold workers accountable for
outcomes.
Micromanagers and Remote Workers Don’t Mix
Managers need to set up routine check-ins so that remote employees
aren’t forgotten. It can also be beneficial to leverage time management
software so that workers can concentrate on their jobs. Such systems
help employees avoid productivity sappers like social networking. (Some
roles, such as sales and customer service may need to be significantly
more active in social networking…)
And this is an important point… remote workers need dynamic
leadership. They need managers that don’t micromanage. They need clearly
defined objectives backed by excellence in managerial support and
guidance. This requires an intentionality that many managers simply
aren’t accustomed to.
But by managing based on outcomes, it is possible to evaluate a
remote workforce without the need to specifically worry about the number
of hours they work on a given day. As long as employees get the work
done on time and under budget, it’s a win for everyone. Specifically
working 8 or 9 hours a day isn’t the goal in successful work-from-home
arrangements. (Note: some roles like customer support definitely require
consistent hours of availability.)
Watch Out for Regulatory Pitfalls
Individuals that work from home still fall under all state and federal employee guidelines for wages, breaks, etc.
Also, companies considering a remote workforce need to understand
their responsibility for worker injury at home. For example, employers
could be liable for an employee that suffers injury due to bad
home-office ergonomics. A worker’s injuries while on the job at home
will still result in a claim against the company’s Worker’s Comp
insurance. (If you are thinking about allowing remote workers, it’s
important to talk with your insurance professional. Get the facts about
potential risk and risk mitigation before you leverage remote workers.)
Will it Work for YOU?
Ultimately “going remote” can be challenging but worth it depending
on the business, the management team, and the workers involved.
The key to success is going into the effort “eyes wide open” and to understand potential pitfalls well in advance.
The greatest thing that’s required is a willingness to experiment and
an ability to be flexible until the company finds a balance that works
well for the bottom line.