Moving to Remote Work ??

Last week I was delighted to accept Peter Craven FCIM 's invitation to take part in a panel discussion about The Future of the Workplace, hosted by BlueSky Video Marketing .

The discussion among the expert panel got my brain ticking ??.

This topic is well documented, but reflecting on the level of personal change in my own working life has been significant.

Previously I was dashing about spending my Friday night in Edinburgh or Birmingham airport, starting the day in one hotel and ending it in another, or I was seeking permission to go to dentist appointments.

Now I’m working remotely in an environment where inclusivity, ownership, purpose and output are more important than the 9-5, and I couldn’t be in a better place professionally and personally.

So, I have swapped the aircraft seat for a seat in my sunroom, but like as the saying goes “you can’t take something made for TV and just put it on the radio”. This change has been more complex than just the practicalities of managing a busy work-life balance or just forgetting the commute ever existed ??.

Before I write more about my experience working in the remote world, I feel it’s important to say that there are still lots of versions of the 2023 “workplace” and many were discussed during the panel. From the in-office 5 days a week, to a hybrid mix between home and office-based work, to 100% remote, home (or anywhere) working.

But let’s be clear – remote working due to a global health crisis is not the same as remote working in the norm.

Founders and Leaders need to consider which is right for them and focus their cultural strategy and tactics in that space. They need to be excited by the culture they want to create regardless of whether they have a physical space or not.

The key is to create a culture where you know who you want to be, help people connect to it through their heads and heart, and then celebrate, grow, and watch people flourish in your organisation.

The environment is important and I had a particularly interesting discussion on the experience that graduates have at university. Colm from Queen's University Belfast (QUB) talked about their new Elmwood Student’s Union building and the incredible modern space that has been created. This state-of-the-art facility provides the Student Services team with a great place to work and collaborate and QUB students a facility to study, socialise and attend to their student admin.?Is this the ideal work environment?

Interestingly, research by the Institute of Student Employers found that 40% of graduates want to work remotely. So, while I would suggest that yes a great facility does influence graduates, it does not deter those who want to work remotely.?

Making Remote Work

In other words, remote working isn’t going to stop, if anything it is going to evolve.

Being successful working remotely, in my view has several factors. The biggest factor is change. You can’t just do what you have always done, you’ll simply get what you’ve always got.

"You can’t take something made for TV and just put it on the radio"

But let’s focus on the three practical elements that came up in the audience Q&A at the Clockwork , Belfast venue.

1.??????Managing Self

My key learning from the last 18 months working remotely is this: work when is most productive for you. But (and it’s a big but!) you must have discipline and establish a routine. Acknowledge upfront the need for agile working (this includes agile HR!).

?For example, I know that my most productive times are in the morning, so it’s freeing that time that helps me to move my OKRs forward. I can easily get distracted in my afternoons, so I put my calls in the later part of my day, where I can connect and collaborate with other great colleagues and friends, across the world.

Simple enough but takes discipline and organisation to build the habit.

Another part of managing self is the environment, be comfortable.

In early 2020 I heard of someone resorting to working on an ironing board. Extreme I know.

But, luckily here at SciLeads as we don’t have the expense of an office, we can support our team, financially to create an environment right for them. For example, I have a great chair, a set of Bluetooth headphones and a standing desk that lets me stand and move.

The final part of managing self is accountability and being proactive in consulting stakeholders. Seeking out feedback and being open to change, in a remote environment is paramount. But also is being aware of your own well-being, and taking steps to manage it effectively – i.e. asking for help when you need it!?

In summary:

• Quickly find a routine that works for you and stick to it.
• Create a comfortable space that is productive and works for you.
• Hold yourself accountable.

2.??????Leadership

The next topic from the audience at the event was the role of the leader. Again, another well-documented skill. However, those that lead in the same way remotely, as they did when their team were all co-located will struggle, to get the best out of their team.

As with all “types of work” the role of the direct leader, in a Remote environment is absolutely critical, to the success of the individual. ?Often determining whether a team member can go from good to great.

Same, same right?

Well, leaders need to lead in a slightly different way.

The foundations of building trust and a solid relationship cannot be overlooked.

Leaders should commit time to build authentic professional relationships where collective goals are defined and clarity is given to the parameters in which they will work, together with their team members.

In other words set a contract, a framework to help bring out the awkward questions and take the time to connect. Open a meeting 5 minutes early, or close it 5 minutes late, using these pockets of time to talk about life.

Finally in a remote setting Leaders should communicate and share information by design, not by accident. Over-communicating, sometimes in this environment can be beneficial to make sure everyone is on the same page.

In summary:

• Make time in your schedule to build rapport and relationships. This will pay off time and time again.
• Contract with your colleague or leader.
• Communicating purposely and repetition, sometimes remotely isn't a bad thing.

3.??????Communication

This leads me to the final element; Communication.

First of all, we all imagine remote workers, to be sat at home on Zoom calls all day. They are not.

But one aspect of Remote collaboration is working together in a meeting, which underlines an important skill for remote work. The ability to facilitate.

Communication, in a virtual meeting, can sometimes (mainly by accident) seem formal you wait for the host and they welcome everyone to the Zoom meeting and lay out the agenda.

Do something different, use simple tactics to hear different voices and engage your colleagues, but also to lose the formality.

Other ways of communicating are more asynchronous or in the moment.

For example, was Wales awful at the weekend in the Guinness Six Nations? Well let’s Slack quick a message of commiserations to Rob! Or, a more work-related example: using a Jira board to keep track of projects and update the team on progress, instead of relying on countless stand-ups.

These open methods of communication do away with the more traditional forms of email correspondence and also open up comms channels for transparency, allowing lots of people to contribute. Whilst respecting others’ time commitments, enabling multi-time zone working and promoting knowledge sharing.

In summary:

• Enjoy the social chat.
• Facilitate and present, rather than just present.
• Upskill on asynchronous communication.

This is, of course, just my perspective. There are lots of contrasting thoughts and opinions on the Future of the Workplace.

If you're looking for a cool Remote opportunity then check out www.scileads.com/careers (shameless plug!).

But one thing is for sure, with the political, economic, and societal change that the world is experiencing. The one thing that the world of work can count on – is that the only constant is change itself!

What are your thoughts on remote work and what is needed to succeed?

Comment below and share your thoughts.

Or if you are a manager and would like a soft copy of my Contracting for Remote Template then send me a DM ??.