Something that everyone already knows: with the confinement forced by the pandemic, millions of workers have begun to work remotely. This transition process has been tough for many companies (and some people!), but you know what they say about “adapt or die”. So most of the organizations, in addition to adapting, have come out stronger and have begun to seriously consider what their work models should be like in the long term.
It is also true that many companies have been modifying their return expectations as events have unfolded: vaccines, new variants of the virus such as Delta, etc. We could say that there is no single perfect recipe, but the important thing is to know how to flow and make decisions, being willing to change course when necessary.
If you have never worked from home and your current company offers you the option of teleworking, the first thing that comes to mind are only advantages:
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Save time: gain a few valuable minutes of sleep.
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Reduce expenses: Get rid of driving, parking, traffic jams and the savings in time and money that this entails.
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Greater comfort: having a leisurely breakfast at home, with that coffee from your new and very expensive Italian machine (now that purchase is justified); or even wear that wonderful outfit that the world of fashion never saw coming, the pajamas + shirt, a mixture of glamour, comfort and professionalism.
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Greater autonomy and ability to organize your time.
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And some extra pros that no one admits but are highly valued, like choosing the level of air conditioning yourself (Winterfell or Mordor?) or working with your cat on your lap.
But thanks to the improvement of the situation, little by little we will return to enjoy a certain normality and, of course, we continue to remember that face-to-face work also has its benefits:
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The camaraderie and teamwork that is generated in the office thanks to face-to-face communication.
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Being able to disconnect when leaving work. From home it is difficult to tell when what used to be the meeting room is now the guest room.
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More fluid communication, without the need to schedule a video call or write through the chat.
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The bonds formed thanks to the talks that take place around the coffee machine and that reinforce the exchange of information and knowledge.
With all these benefits on the table, reaching the conclusion of which is the ideal model is not easy at all. We have to analyze the profile of the workers, take into account their level of digital skills, their ability to work as a team and, in short, we have to know if the organization is prepared for a cultural change. How do you know? Very easy: asking people. Having their vision, their opinions, their learning will help define what decisions we make regarding the most appropriate work model.
Fortunately, we have learned that there are different options that an organization can offer so that its team can benefit from the most productive work method for each person:
Telecommuting
For this working model to work, there are a series of basic aspects to take into account, in addition, it is essential that Leaders know how to manage a team that works remotely, do you need some keys?
Also, with performance evaluations we can make sure if the people in our organization have the necessary skills and resources to do so.
The benefits are notable not only for the collaborators, but also for the company since it saves costs, space and has no geographical limitations to hire the best professionals anywhere in the world. In addition, the level of absenteeism improves and fewer sick leave is suffered. We will gain more in time, autonomy and flexibility. And, as if that were not enough, by avoiding travel we pollute less, and that at an environmental level it's a point in favor.
Twitter recently opened and reclosed some offices as events progressed. LinkedIn recently announced that it would allow employees to work fully remotely indefinitely, removing any expectations in the office for most of its 16,000 workers.
In-person method
We gain in socialization, engagement, stronger ties are created between colleagues, collective learning is easier and there is much more fluid teamwork. Corporate strength is empowered! In addition, we can modernize this classic model by adding new options. For example, if the headquarters is far away, we can offer positions in coworking centers.
Companies like Apple announced their return to face-to-face mode in September but, shortly after, they announced a delay until at least October. Perhaps it was relevant to know the opinion of his employees to a letter to Tim (Cook) where it was found that around two thirds of the staff would reconsider their future in the company if they had to return to an office so soon in a situation that is still uncertain in terms of occupational health. Once again, the participatory vision was essential for decision-making.
Flexiworking or hybrid model
Companies of the prestige of Google already work following this alternative and made this decision after conducting a survey where 64% of their employees expressed the desire to return to the offices, but not on a daily basis. Although perhaps the plus of having slides in the office would tip the balance a bit... Although in this case, Google and also Facebook will require their collaborators to be vaccinated in order to access the offices.
Whether you are in the office or staying at home, surely a large part of your time will be dedicated to video conferencing, do not forget that there are also keys to not stop being professional when you connect remotely with colleagues, clients, collaborators...
Everything is a matter of time, patience and a spirit of collaboration so that we can recover a certain normality and, for this, the advice from a year ago are still fully valid. But now you will ask yourself: How can an organization, with these new ways of working, control the satisfaction of its team and even ensure the alignment of the organizational culture? Well, very easy! You just have to broaden your vision, it is no longer enough to know your work environment, now you have to go further and recurrently measure your virtual climate or simply know how your team sees it. It may depend on the type of work that each person does and you must adapt rules and procedures based on the tasks of each professional profile.
Download a free template to evaluate Telework