If there was any question heading into 2019 about workforce trends, the year firmly established the shift of remote working as viable, real and the future of work.
While startups have long-embraced teams working remote, the concept has taken hold at organizations of all size, including scale-up companies and small businesses. The shift is causing a level of fear among some organizations, but candidly, only those companies that are unprepared for change should feel any consternation.
On the one hand, it’s hard to believe it’s taken organizations this long to embrace the shift. On the other, I say better later than never. Even if it takes a leader too long to learn a lesson, the keen ones take the lessons in stride and find a way to embrace them.
Rise of remote
Nearly half (43%) of employees are away from their teams at least a part of the time, but that number is expected to increase in the years ahead. The number of remote workers has increased by 115% over the last decade, according to the Harvard Business Review.
A study from Future Workplace and Virgin Pulse found two-thirds of remote workers are not engaged, while more than one-third do not have facetime with their team, but more than 40% said face time would help foster more profound relationships.
These numbers make me ask two questions: How and why?
Given all the technology solutions available, how does an organization find itself with such a problem? Why aren’t the organization’s leaders making an effort to remedy the problem?
Worry less about the wrong decision
Too often, organizations paralyze themselves worrying about how the future might shape their businesses. In doing so, they are unable to act, even when they suspect their decision will positively impact their organization.
But failing to act or missing out on a trend is a lesson itself for the organizations astute enough to course correct and seize the opportunity.
As a Roman statesman, Marcus Tullius Cicero, said, “More is lost by indecision than wrong decision. Indecision is the thief of opportunity. It will steal you blind.” It’s a sentiment that holds resonance for businesses today.
When it comes to the intersection of business and technology, stop fretting about the future; it’s already here. How will you catch up?
Recognize worker isolation
In recent months, Gallup has explored the idea of worker isolation. It’s a relatively pervasive problem affecting businesses large and small and is particularly problematic for freelancers, contract employees and home-based organizations.
I think the problem for organizations stems from the fact we focus so much of our attention on technology that improves the bottom line that we forget what matters the most: the people. That is often the case for smaller organizations, which too often fixate on the hustle.
With all the talk about technology, sometimes we forget there’s a real, live person at the other end of the line.
While technology can help replicate the office culture or relay the experience to remote workers, it takes a slight shift in mindset. It first requires leaders to recognize teams do not necessarily cohabitate a single space.
Workers who feel isolated can experience upwards of a 21% drop in performance, according to Gallup. Such a decrease will have a substantive impact on the bottom line of every business. It should come as no surprise that these disengaged workers are less likely to remain with an organization for an extended period.
Offer employees meaning
Workers today want meaningful work experiences, and they value relationships and connections. In the global marketplace, these human connections are often the sole differentiator.
Why not treat it like the human capital they are? You wouldn’t operate fast and loose with your cash on hand, why do you with your team?
The study from Future Workplace and Virgin Pulse found that 7% of employees across the globe have no friends at work. Concurrently, more than half of those surveyed have five or fewer total friends.
It’s important to recognize we can’t eliminate the professional relationship. Not everyone in the workplace will be best mates. Rather than trying to be everyone’s best friend, build a relationship built on professional respect.
Take a moment at least once per week to reach out to your teams and get to know what makes them tick.
How do you offer a meaningful workforce experience to your teams?
