WFH: What We’ve Learned (+ How We Can Do Better!)
“Working from Home”
Once, that phrase inspired envy, debate, and confusion. Then offices around the world were forced to embrace Working From Home (WFH) suddenly and without any preparation! For some companies, the transition was more graceful than for others. Now that we enter the third year of the pandemic with businesses realizing that WFH or the hybrid model are here to stay, what have we learned the past two years and how will it inform our new ways of working?
Let us to consider how Businesses can establish + reinforce a sense of shared purpose amongst physically distant teams.
Let me take a step back for a moment and explain that I have been working from home, either full-time or part-time, for nearly 20 years. I started after the birth of my first child, hoping it would afford me some work-life balance. Later, as Creative Director for Oxford University Press (OUP), I managed a global design team with offices in NYC, Oxford, Delhi, and Toronto. Leading Designers on three continents necessitated early morning and late evening meetings — I would end up working from home both early in the morning or late into the evening. At OUP, we had a generous WFH policy, which ensured that my staff had regular access to laptops and OUP systems remotely so that they could enjoy the benefit of WFH as well. Even so, as the Creative Director for a staff of 45, I grappled with many of the challenges that Businesses worldwide are facing now. How to establish, maintain, and reinforce a sense of shared purpose amongst my physically distant teams? But also how to ensure that productivity is maintained along with consistency of brand and product development?
Now, as the Principal of Studiolo Secondari, a Design firm that focuses on Content Design and Design Operations Strategy, I work from my home office and collaborate with team members all around the world. I continue to refine my thinking and approach to how best to work with virtual teams in a virtual office environment.
Based on my experience, I’ve identified 6 critical elements that businesses need to address when considering how to permanently adopt WFH either as a flexible option or a new way of working. These 6 areas form the foundation for creating an effective and engaging WFH environment for everyone. I’ve put together an expanded overview “Tools and Tips for WFH,” go ahead and click the button to download.
6 Elements to support a thriving WFH environment:
1. Hardware
It is crucial to state that a Business must supply its staff with the tools they need to work from home effectively. It should not be the responsibility of the employee. By bearing the cognitive and logistical load, the Business supports the employees doing their best work. Additionally, for data security and Business continuity reasons, the Business should own and maintain their hardware. Other considerations:
Computers / laptops
Monitors—some jobs require more than one monitor or a large one.
Maintenance — this is a critical element. Productivity is challenged by poorly functioning technology. The need for updates and upgrades persist even in the WFH environment.
Ergonomics — employers are incumbent to ensure their employees have a safe and comfortable workspace at home.
2. Connectivity (broadband)
Businesses cannot assume that their staff have high-speed access. Just like hardware, it is incumbent on a Business to supply high-speed broadband to personnel who need it so they can keep working effectively.
High-speed Connectivity
Ensuring high-speed access allows for greater security options for remote assets.
3. Access to Business Systems
To keep operations and work ticking over naturally, it’s imperative that staff have access to Business infrastructure in the following methods:
VPN Access: Via a VPN or otherwise
Server / Cloud Storage: To files and assets needed to conduct work
Relevant File Permissions: Sharing files with others within and outside of the company
Personnel data — This is a global standard that varies around the world regarding how personal data can be stored and who has access to those data. Businesses will need to ensure that they are compliant.
4. Communications
Meetings — is Zoom always the answer?
Alternative communication options — Communication tools like Slack can help minimize email overload while offering a more casual form of communication to replicate that water-cooler vibe.
5. Productivity
Assigning, reporting, and tracking systems — Have your systems been able to migrate to a virtual environment? Apps like Trello and Airtable can help.
6. Engagement
This item is the most challenging. How to develop a sense of community within a team, but also engagement with the Business and its mission is more complicated in a virtual environment. Some ideas:
Virtual co-working hours: This is as simple as it sounds. Establish co-working hours where colleagues can work simultaneously via a video stream like zoom. Co-working replicates the “real world” work environment and highlights that we are all in it together. Co-working also offers accountability. If you tell your co-workers you are going to accomplish XYZ, you are more likely to do so. Another benefit is immediate access as you can reach out to co-workers in real-time to address issues, rather than needing to schedule a call or email and wait for a response. It replicates the in-office experience.
Tools like officevibe and status hero “game-ify” productivity by awarding stars and badges to employees for meeting or surpassing goals that can be programmed into the app. By communicating success to the team in a playful way, healthy and productive competitions help energize teams and push through sluggish periods.
Work time and off time: WFH means you never leave the “office”, it is very easy to lose perspective and burn out. Employers can help by establishing expectations around staff availability. Being flexible about the unique home life requirements of your employees will ensure that stress is kept to a minimum. Support creating boundaries by asking staff to give you a weekly work schedule that outlines time on and time off.
Spirit building: Team building exercises can be as unique as the teams that participate in them. Something as silly as having everyone wear a hat to a zoom call can reinforce a sense of community. Games are also a great way to connect! Ask staff to take a photo of an object in their home and post it anonymously to a shared drive. Whoever is most accurate in guessing which objects belong to which staff member wins! Trivia games, puzzles, group crosswords — the options are endless!
If you’d like to hear me discuss these concepts with other industry leaders, please click here to go to the video of a Webinar I gave for KNK Publishing on this topic.
I would also recommend these articles:
Harvard Business Review: Does Your Company Have a Long Term Plan for Remote Work?
Voltage Control’s Virtual Work Guide
The Wall Street Journal: The Work-From-Home Shift Shocked Companies—Now They’re Learning Its Lessons
If you’d like to talk to me more about opportunities for improving your Business’ WFH experience, feel free to schedule some time with me! Click here and schedule a complimentary 30-minute zoom meeting.
