Article written by Doug Pelland, Experienced IT Leader, Winnipeg
It has been remarkably interesting to watch the evolution of posts and articles on the topic of remote workers as we continue to manage through the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations were quick to find ways for their employees to work remote, although in most cases this was viewed as a temporary solution. “Traditional thinking” seemed to lead the way, suggesting that things would (need to) return to “normal” once we had beaten the virus.
But then the thinking began to change, as organizations started to assess the productivity of remote workers, and the potential cost savings that could result from reduced office space requirements. Those remote workers are being productive. A few companies have even announced the adoption of permanent work from home policies — Twitter being one of the most notable and clearly generating a flurry of responses and opinions.
So here is my opinion: the concept works.
Security is certainly a key matter to address, but the primary hurdle for remote workers is not technology, it is effective leadership. Leaders need to shift away from dealing in the minutia of day to day work and allow team members to do their jobs. And about that software that tracks productive time? That is a dangerous path paved by micro managers — if you believe you need that software you have the wrong person (or leader) in the job.
It is absolutely about trust. Objectives, not minutes. Give your team members a manageable goal with a deadline. And be available to your team when they need the support.
And you know, people are pretty darn capable when you give them space. They can actually thrive in this operating model. It provides the freedom to innovate!
How do I know this? I have been doing this for years. As a leader, I have not had any concern with team members who wanted to work from home. In almost every case they were more productive working remote, away from the noise and distractions of the office and with no time spent commuting. The greater risk was often the failure to stop working when the clock said it was time to “go home”.
Do people need to interact with other people? Of course! But we have watched as millions of first-time users have flocked to video conferencing applications that bring people together to provide project updates or share ideas in virtual greenfield discussions. It is not a black & white model. Spending time in person with your team can be rewarding for all involved — it simply becomes a matter of frequency.
Going forward, this will affect hiring practices. Interviewers should explore the candidate’s comfort and experience with remote working. Hiring leaders should always select the most qualified person for the job. Geographical convenience should no longer be a factor, and this will make more highly qualified candidates available to organizations.
As of today, we are into the early stages of the COVID-19 recovery period. Organizations are faced with tough decisions regarding ongoing operations. There is a much greater focus on reducing expense. And now consider the benefits of remote workers. In addition to the reduced cost for office space, there will be less cost associated with air travel, office supplies and utilities. That sounds like a good uplift in the Green plan, no? And it goes beyond just one office — as more organizations adopt remote working as a viable business model, traffic goes down. Have you noticed how the night sky is brighter? Wouldn’t it be great if that continued?
How would you have responded differently to the COVID-19 crisis knowing what you know now? How will you prepare going forward? Are you going to consider a permanent work from home policy? More tough decisions to be made.
I understand the objections — this is not a model that works for every person, and there are some businesses — or facets of business operation — where the face to face interactions are essential. But it is statistically evident that there are far more opportunities for the success of remote working than what had existed in the “old normal”.
I am confident that remote working is here to stay.
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