Micromanagement is out – trust is in

By Tamara Morey

It's clear that giving employees flexibility is essential for fostering a thriving and committed team. And in a service-based industry, people are our biggest asset. On the whole, though, the numbers suggest that most businesses and leaders have done a pretty lousy job.?

There are few things in life I would claim to be an expert on. (Remembering numbers, a great chicken soup, reverse parking, Bananagrams.) But as the co-founder of a business that has been 100% remote since its inception in 2013, I do know a thing or two about flexible working and how to build it into a successful business model.

Last month, we advertised for more paraplanners to meet the growing demand of our outsourcing business.?

We interviewed – and recruited – a career paraplanner with a decade of experience. Despite being the most skilled in her team, she was ready to move on because her employer demanded a five-hour round-trip commute to the office once a week. She preferred not to. Their loss, our gain.

Since the pandemic, our candidate numbers have surged. People have gotten a taste for flexible work and most don’t want to return to the rigid 9-5 routine. Meanwhile, many employers are still resisting this shift, insisting that employees show up at the office.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: not every role can be successfully carried out 100% remotely. And sure, some tasks require greater collaboration with team members; in-person meetings often lead to more effective conversations and solutions for tackling 'the big stuff.'

I'm not suggesting that every advice practice should bite the bullet and move to a fully-remote model (although some are doing this with great success). However, I am advocating for more flexible working arrangements for your teams. Begging, even.

In our experience, the scenario with our new paraplanner is not unique. Employers are still too afraid of giving their people more freedom and less supervision, and too rigid to consider different arrangements for different employees. Would this paraplanner have stayed with the previous employer with some softening of the rules and a negotiation?? Perhaps.??

Life today for working adults is a far cry from what it was 20 years ago. Most families have both parents working, juggling the ever-increasing demands of children (physical, social, and emotional), maintaining homes, gardens, and pets, contributing to their community – all while paddling furiously just to keep their heads above water.?

Exhausted just thinking about it? Welcome to the club!

The way we work must adapt to our lifestyle – it needs to be flexible. Right now, I’m typing this from the veranda of a café in Harrietville (gloves and beanie on) as snow falls on the mountains above me, while waiting to collect my son from kinder and take him to an appointment.??

And boy am I grateful that I can.??

Numerous studies conducted since the pandemic confirm what many of us have experienced firsthand: the hybrid working model is a winner. Employee satisfaction, productivity and retention all peak.?

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When we offer flexibility to our teams, they value this more than any pay rise, title or accolade. And that’s precisely what we’ve seen in our business. Next month, we’re celebrating our third employee with a 10-year tenure. Not bad for a small business only 11 years old.

It's clear that giving employees this kind of flexibility is essential for fostering a thriving and committed team. And in a service-based industry, people are our biggest asset. On the whole, though, the numbers suggest that most businesses and leaders have done a pretty lousy job.?

Since the shift to remote work, less than a third (31%) of leaders have received any formal training on leading and managing a hybrid team, as reported by PWC in 2022. I’d hazard a guess that this number is even lower in the advice industry, considering the level of change (read: distractions) we’ve encountered in the last few years.

The result? A trickle-down effect that’s less “trickle” and more “waterfall,” with nearly 40% of employees feeling like their managers don’t trust them to work remotely. Now that’s problematic.?

So, if you’re ready to offer more flexibility to your team or want to do a better job leading remote or hybrid workers, here are some pointers to step up your game:

• Team communication and connection. This is paramount – managers, this one’s on you. Trust your gut if you feel a team member needs a one-on-one catch-up or a bit more support. Also, consider using different communication platforms for different purposes. In our company we use one platform for technical questions and help and another for social chatter, sharing holidays and personal stories. This way, people can hang out in the space that suits their mood and needs for the day. Think of it like switching between the lunchroom and the tech support desk—each has its purpose!
• Equity is not equality. Here's an unpopular opinion: it's perfectly acceptable to allow more flexibility for some employees than others. Your team will have different salaries, experiences, life commitments, and commutes. There's no reason this can't extend to their working arrangements. Don’t get married to a rigid ‘company rule’ that dictates how a hybrid model must operate. Flexibility in the office isn't one-size-fits-all— it's about finding the right balance for each team member to thrive.
• Set clear expectations.?Our company of 20+ has only ever known remote working. We offer incredible flexibility when it comes to hours of work and each person’s workload. We have early birds, night owls and weekend warriors who also happen to be some of the best paraplanners in the country. But we’re also very clear on what we are not flexible on: deadlines, quality of work and communication. Our team is measured (and paid) on jobs completed, not hours logged.? It’s not a perfect science, though, and we’ve had our fair share of people who don’t thrive under this model. Our style isn’t for everyone and we must identify that quickly. You need to get clear on your employee value proposition and understand the type of candidate that will succeed in your business.
• Trust your team. Micromanagement is out; trust is in. Trust is the cornerstone of successful flexible work. Leaders must trust their teams to complete tasks without constant supervision. This involves setting clear goals, and then stepping back to let employees manage their own time and workload. ?

Clearly, the hybrid model is here to stay. In fact, as we saw in the Advice in 2030: The Big Shift report, published on Advisely last week, advisers who are adopting digital delivery and virtual channels in their business expect 22% more employee growth over the next five years. This certainly gels with our experience.

It’s time to say goodbye to rigid schedules and hello to a world where work adapts to our people, not the other way around.