In the current era of expanded remote work, this article is very timely, and the author asserts that businesses can not only survive under this arrangement, but they can thrive if the process is managed correctly. COVID-19 has driven much of the expansion of remote work, but in some cases, it may be very cost effective for employers to consider switching some or all face-to-face (F2F) employment to remote work.
Some benefits to employers and employees can be less distractions during the work-day, time savings the employee can devote to personal pursuits for greater work/life balance, and more scheduling flexibility. Both parties can also realize cost savings: employees can save on wardrobe, commuting and even lunch costs, while employers can save on space and other overhead expenses.
The article explained that managers need to be mindful of two challenges: employees feeling disconnected due to less interaction with others, and employees who need extra attention and may lack the added support and structure from a F2F workplace. In both cases communication and attention are key. The article explored various forms of communication and best practices to maintain the connection with remote workers, and the author cautioned against “death by meeting.”
As managers, we need to set clear expectations and reasonable deadlines, taking into consideration, for example, that these may be affected by other family members being home during the C-19 crisis, no available child care, inadequate work space in the home, etc. The last two points were reminders that remote employees have the same rights as F2F workers to be free from discrimination, have employment policies applied uniformly, and to a safe work environment.