With greater flexibility comes greater responsibility…

To steal from the great Uncle Ben from Spiderman, “With great power, comes great responsibility.”??Or for you purists, Voltaire said, “With great power, comes great responsibility.”??Even Winston Churchill proclaimed,?"Where there is great power there is great responsibility." (in 1943 my friend Google tells me).

And now in 2022, the less nimble, less noble, less notable Dave Harmon?would modify that phrase to talk about the new workforce culture,?“With greater flexibility comes greater responsibility.”

Whether you use the term telecommuting, flexible workplace, remote work, virtual work, work from anywhere, mobile work, flexible work, or telework, all are terms used to refer to an arrangement in which an team member regularly works at an alternate work site such as their home (shorts and a dress shirt anyone?), their parent’s home (maybe some free parent cooked meals?), a telecenter or rented office space near home, a local Starbucks or library (close ... but out of the house), or any other location that allows the team member to accomplish work in an effective and efficient manner.

Flexible work will remain a permanent feature of the future working culture, thanks in part to the experiences made with teleworking during COVID over the last two years (Did anyone think we would still be dealing with COVID 24+ months later?).??The rise of video platforms (I do not even make phone calls anymore – all video), the enhanced productivity tools like Slack, and the minimization of office space – all a direct outcome of COVID.

The use of telework before COVID (BC … get it?) varied substantially across countries, sectors, occupations, and firms – and I would argue was much more limited in scope.??

Recent studies have shown that widespread telework has the potential to improve productivity and a range of other economic and social indicators (worker well-being, gender equality, regional inequalities, housing, emissions, less employee expense, zero commuting, better work-life balance, and ease of focus ... and for me better snack choices), its overall impact is not without concern and still and carries risks especially for innovation, connectivity, mental health, hidden overtime, and long-term team member satisfaction.

To take advantage of increased flexible work, leaders will need to explicitly focus on tools for productivity, connectivity, and innovation. Leader best practices, self-management, self-development, social interaction, investment in home office tools, and ensuring fast and reliable internet services will be some of the key tools for success.

What we have learned in the past two years is that telework has offered benefits in the following areas:

·??????better alignment of employees' peak productivity periods with their personal schedules (morning people can now start at 5am and not have to worry about lights or heat being not being on)

·??????potential for increased productivity and less distractions (reading and writing reviews is much easier without interruptions every 15 minutes)

·??????some improvements in employee morale and effectiveness (greater ability to balance family and work ... but with social interaction costs)

·??????retention of skilled employees and reduction in turnover due in part to increased job satisfaction, work from anywhere and flexibility (that NYC commuter from Pennsylvania is not on the train 2 hours each way)

·??????cost savings regarding office space, security, sick leave absences, and energy conservation (we certainly have a lot of semi-filled office buildings these days)

·??????easier accommodation of employees with short- or long-term health problems or family responsibilities, such as those associated with elder care and latch-key children (some of these employees may not have been able to work in an office role prior to COVID)

·??????reductions in commuting costs including car insurance, tolls, gas, maintenance, road upkeep, and auto wear/tear (and given the recent cost of used cars ... geez)

·??????reduction in air pollution and traffic congestion (and for some {you know who you are} - road rage)

Life Meets Work, Career Life Alliance, and Boston College Center for Work & Family released results to their National Workplace Fexibility Study.??The joint research study found that workplace flexibility improves team performance when managers are given the right tools and feel confident in the program themselves. These results are encouraging if managed correctly.

Many leaders balk at granting flexible working privileges to their team members. Leaders often cite concerns about managing remote teams due to a perceived loss of control over efficient business operations. Many leaders are accustomed to communicating face-to-face and need to adjust to our video driven world. Managing flexible teams places added responsibility on leaders and their performance management skills.?

Maintaining performance levels and meeting improvement goals in a flexible environment requires excellent supervisory skills with more focus than ever on the following four key areas: planning the work, setting expectations, monitoring performance, and recognizing team members for their performance.?Managing full-time or part-time flexible teams requires the use of SMART goals, consistent feedback and interaction, and regular conversation about progress.?

I tried to keep it simple and focus on three areas.??These are the areas that consistently predict success in a managing a flexible team member:

·??????Setting goals?– establish SMART goals and milestones together.?

·??????Partnering?– proactive collaboration with leaders, team members and customers.

·??????Follow up -?communicate regularly with team member on progress and milestones.

Let’s get into the detail a bit more on how you can become more effective leading in the post pandemic flexible work culture (and for those companies not embracing the flexible work culture – you will miss out on 20-45% of the available talent).??

·??????Set goals?– set SMART goals, actively involve team members, agree for commitment, understand what support is needed.??Focus on the “what” and “how”.?(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time Bound)?

·??????Prioritize performance/ Focus on results?- define what success/excellence (including timelines and deliverables) looks like rewarding team members based on their?output.?

·??????Value output?(over the work put in)?–?measure and track output to assist employees who work remotely.

·??????Track progress?(regularly)?–?schedule (and increase frequency of) performance check-ins individually and with teams.

·??????Support and connect?– create mechanisms (morning “stand-ups”, text check ins, etc.) to better port remote team members. Understand how your team members like to connect.

·??????Document?– define work processes, policies and programs and make available in shared online workspace.??

·??????Availability?- allow access (and set “office hours”) to answer questions, clarify next steps, or discuss potential obstacles.

·??????Transparency?– communicate openly, honestly, and frequently with both positive and constructive information.??

·??????Encourage communication -?between remote workers?in the office, at home or hybrid to reduce conflicts.

·??????Build relationships?– allot time for small talk during your check-ins and team meetings.??It's important to maintain rapport and help team members feel included.

Leaders should continue to challenge team members to set high standards for success and regularly review team members progress toward meeting their goals. Expecting excellence and asking about progress encourages productivity because it enables leaders to celebrate team member’s success, maintain accountability and remove barriers to progress.

And in person meetings and celebrations should never go away, they have a different set of benefits as well. The answer is not all or none. Just be flexible and responsible.

“With greater flexibility comes greater responsibility.” - Dave Harmon.

Together.??We.??Win.