Everybody is talking about Remote Working again. As we face into a new and necessary phase of working at home for many people and organisations, I wanted to share some practical advice on how to get the best out of your situation.
Who likes being “Remote”?
Firstly, a change in language and mindset is important: who among us likes the idea of being “remote” in our work environment? I prefer the term “Distributed” when we’re talking about an organisation or team that isn’t based in the same central place of work. If your organisation happens to be distributed across various locations or timezones, there’s no reason why anyone on your team should feel “remote”.
“The Great Hesitation”
The first three waves of the COVID pandemic which, depending on where you live, mainly happened between March 2020 and March 2021, triggered an urgent and massive drive towards Distributed Working arrangements. However, many organisations have hesitated or stalled when it came to making these arrangements permanent.
Perhaps because they implemented home working out of necessity, or because they struggled with the challenges of managing their new Distributed Team, many businesses have failed to create and implement a permanent strategy or policy. Additionally, team members may have been challenged by their home working environment or missed the dynamic of working side-by-side with fellow colleagues.
Therefore, many organisations returned to “business as usual” in the workplace in Q2 and Q3 of 2021, and much of the momentum behind Distributed Working was lost. Recruitment has become more challenging than ever, with many candidates seeking time and location flexibility, and many employers stuck within their traditional working model.
As we face into the fourth wave of COVID in Europe it’s clear that a new focus on the Distributed Working model is not only necessary to preserve safety, but it can also help retain and attract the best talent for your team.
Learn from the Experts
My advice to organisations who are grappling with the challenges of a decentralised workforce is to learn from those who have done it successfully in the past. Just because you’re not a tech giant or “digital native” organisation doesn’t mean that you can’t implement a Distributed Working model that’s appropriate to your own organisation.
Senior leaders and managers in Services organisations know all about the challenges of managing large teams that are geographically dispersed, working non-regular hours, and engaged in varied and complex activities. This is part and parcel of the challenge for leaders in sectors like Contact Centre, Facilities Management, Security and Supply Chain.
My Top 3 essentials for leading a Distributed Team
1. Leverage the power of “Smart Trust”
In over 20 years of working with Distributed Teams, I have never asked colleagues to log their time worked (other than for Working Time purposes) and never needed to scrutinise their start or finish times at work.
Successful leaders know the importance of trust to the success of their team. When your team is a Distributed Working model this becomes an even more essential pillar of what you do. “Smart Trust” means explicitly telling your team that:
- Trust is one of the foundations on which your success will be based
- You are placing your trust in them
- You expect them to place their trust in you
Of course, other leadership principles like shared values, teamwork, personal relationships, goal-setting and communication are vital to the success of your team.
But for a Distributed Team, trust needs to be established from the outset as a central part of its foundation, and spoken about in everyday interactions: “Trust me I will resolve this”, “I need to trust I can leave this with you”.
“Smart Trust” also means that you don’t offer your trust blindly. You’re experienced enough to know that trust sometimes breaks down, and as a smart leader you must always be vigilant for problems and opportunities.
If trust is a challenge for your organisation an experienced facilitator or advisor can help you develop the right strategy.
2. Extract maximum value from your existing Technology and Data
Every organisation uses technology and data. If your organisation isn’t a Digital Master you can still maximise your tech and analytics capabilities to make the most of your Distributed Working arrangements.
At a minimum, your organisation will certainly have all of the following:
- Communication technologies like instant messaging and video conferencing;
- Enterprise workflow tools that your business uses to manage workflow, follow processes correctly, record activities and share information;
- Data analytics that enable aggregation and analysis of information, to enable better planning, more efficient use of resources, and enhanced performance.
My top recommendation is to start by optimising the technology and data you have, rather than waiting for “ideal” solutions.
Your organisation’s enterprise technologies may well be under-utilised or under-optimised and your technology partners may be able to help you get the most out of them.
Consider also if you’re getting the maximum efficiency from your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace applications, which can help your Distributed Team be more efficient with communication, collaboration, and data collection.
If you think you need it, seek help with your technology strategy.
3. Create good Communication habits
No doubt you already have a busy schedule of regular meetings to manage priorities like trading, operational performance, financial performance and risk.
However, to get the best from your Distributed Team the following are essential communication habits that have worked for me in the past:
- Daily team check-in for 15-30 minutes every morning to discuss that day’s priorities, and identify issues for 121 discussion. This not only serves as a useful tool for organising and communicating with your team, but it also helps prevent the isolation that colleagues can feel when they’re part of a Distributed Team.
- 121 time with your direct team using Teams or Zoom, and alternating with old-fashioned phone calls. It’s vital that these happen at least fortnightly, and more frequently for colleagues who need more support.
- Facilitating regular cross-functional communications. Teams will feel less siloed if they’re working with colleagues on a mutual problem. Perhaps a colleague in Donegal and a colleague in Dubai can work together on a common challenge or initiative.
- Meeting in person whenever possible. While technology now enables instant communication and regular face-to-face time, there’s no substitute for meeting the 3D versions of your colleagues. Canvas your teams and figure out the appropriate frequency, best location and safest way to meet in person.
The challenges that lie ahead in working with your Distributed Team are not new, and they are far from insurmountable.
Contact Us
To understand how we can support your organisation’s Remote or Hybrid Working strategy, contact us at hello@ireganadvisors.ie.