Many businesses see the advantage of allowing employees to work from home. With so many people leaving their jobs rather than returning to full-time office work, offering remote options can prevent your firm from losing talent to the so-called “Great Resignation.” It can also give you an edge when recruiting and increase overall job satisfaction, which means better work for clients.
What isn’t so clear, however, is how to successfully balance a remote-hybrid workforce. How can you ensure that staff working remotely have access to the same guidance and support as in-office staff while maintaining productivity? These 5 tips can get you started in the right direction.
Tip #1: Provide Resources That Support Greater Autonomy
After communicating reporting structures, workflows, and performance expectations, invest in the skills and tools that remote team members need to do their jobs with greater autonomy. These resources may include training in the use of video software like Zoom or scheduled check-ins to measure progress. You also want to ensure that all managers know how to support and evaluate performance for staff in a variety of locations.
Tip #2: Assign a Work Environment for Key Tasks
Design a workforce guide that outlines which work environment is appropriate for certain types of key tasks. For example, certain aspects of case preparation, such as research and document reviews, can be done from home while client intake will require some time spent in the office. Make sure that all members of the team are held equally responsible for being on or off-site at the designated times.
Tip #3: Ensure All Employee Experiences are Equal
For managers, it can be easy to have an unconscious bias toward team members who have a presence in the office. These employees may be seen as more committed, trustworthy, and productive. Unfortunately, if value is based on presence, it can lead to imbalance and even discrimination. To avoid this outcome, create a workforce strategy that allows visibility, information access, and employment benefits to be mutually beneficial for on-site and off-site workers.
Tip #4: Establish Terms and Expectations
Performance expectations that used to be enforced before the pandemic may not work in a remote-hybrid firm. To ensure that everyone is on the same page, offer extensive training and onboarding to clarify and confirm the new requirements for remote workers and their managers. The goal is to provide the guidance that these team members need to autonomously assess their own performance and ensure that it continues to align with the firm’s goals.
Tip #5: Make Information Accessible
When you work at the office, you have multiple opportunities to observe and participate in what’s happening at the firm. From conversations with colleagues to memos on the bulletin board, you always know what’s going on. Those working remotely don’t have access to this office “buzz.” Leadership will instead need to construct clear and consistent communication channels for conveying the information and resources these workers need to stay connected.
These five tips can help your firm establish a strong foundation for a remote-hybrid workforce. When you consider the organizational impact and fill any gaps in communication, access to resources, and professional development opportunities, you’ll be in the best position to thrive in the U.S. workplace’s new normal.
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