Remote work is here to stay. The arguments have been made and the benefits of flexible working largely accepted—but flexibility alone isn’t enough. Flexibility without structure is chaos. So the question is, can companies have their cake and eat it too?
Can they introduce flexible work patterns, remote teams, and autonomous working while still running an organized, disciplined workforce that continues to delight customers and grow the business?
The evidence says yes, they can. But only by balancing powerful flexibility with necessary structure.
What it means to be flexible in 2023
Flexibility is more important to modern knowledge workers than salary or benefits. But as anyone that’s worked for themselves can tell you, structure is absolutely fundamental to success in any role. Even digital nomads put strict boundaries on their time to make sure everything gets done.
And so we have to ask: what does flexibility actually mean? According to the new Jabra Hybrid Ways of Working 2022 Global Report it really means autonomy.
- Specifying work hours when individuals are most productive
- Choice of remote, hybrid, or in-office workplace
- Trusting employees to execute tasks in any order that meets the objective
Baked into autonomy is the right to prioritize non-work tasks—for example, fetching a sick child from school—and be trusted to deliver the work later in the day, to the same standard.
Creating a flexible work environment
Flexible working is ‘key’ for tech workers looking at future jobs. If all you really need for work is a laptop and internet connection, this is hardly surprising. What COVID-19 did was force companies to accept this possibility, not wave it away like an irritating fly.
The real key to all of this is output. If every employee can create the same output with flexible conditions, and this can be sustained over the long term, then flexible working should be embraced. Why? Because flexible workers have happier lives. They achieve more, have fewer sick days, are happier at work and often work more than in the office.
Flexible work means both the company and individuals benefit. So in what areas should companies be ‘flexible’?
Managing time
There is a growing need for companies to be asynchronous. In other words, creating dedicated time for communicating or completing specific tasks—not trying to align everyone’s schedules to the minute.
This is particularly important for remote teams working on different schedules. But it’s also crucial for local employees who require personal flexibility. For example to manage the school run or because they do their best work in a non-conventional shift pattern. Early starts are popular in hustle culture, but some workers are biologically less capable of focusing early in the day and should be permitted flexible hours as a result.
If companies embrace some level of asynchronous delivery (i.e. at the end of their work day, not their boss’s) then non-traditional work hours are easy enough to implement.
Remote collaboration
Reliance on cloud-based project management tools is massive. Tools like Asana, Trello, or Jira, which allow for task allocation, progress tracking, and collaboration among team members, regardless of their physical location can help.
Video conferencing and instant messaging perform a similar role. These allow valuable meetings to take place with members all over the world—or just down the road, in your colleagues’ homes.
Balancing individual and global flexibility
Some organizations are objectively less flexible than others. The key is that even within large organizations there must be a culture of autonomy and trust. If every manager understands and trusts their team members, then every employee can enjoy a level of flexibility.
Of course, this must be earned by still delivering quality work on-time, despite any flexibility requirements.
Check in on your team’s status with our free
Work-Life Balance Survey Template.
How to maintain structure with flexible teams
Flexibility without structure doesn’t work. Everyone needs some level of accountability and stability to do their best work.
Digital tools for tracking employee activity and performance can play a significant role. However, they’re surface level—in order to create an effective workforce in the flexible era, we need mindset and culture change.
There should be guidelines for communication. For example on response times, preferred communication channels for different types of messages (e.g., Slack for quick updates, email for detailed discussions), and ‘digital etiquette’ (e.g., respecting off-hours, clear and concise messaging).
These guidelines can be adjusted or optimized regularly in meetings, as circumstances change and teams figure out what works best for them.
Core hours (where everyone in the team is present) are a proven asset while the setting of clear expectations every day or week is vital. Combined with an increase in autonomy (giving employees the what and letting them manage the how) will create a motivated, trusting workforce that effectively balances flexibility and structure.
Strategies for fostering social interaction and employee wellness
When the major transition to remote work first started in 2020, lots of companies flocked to ‘virtual socializing’ or ‘remote water cooler’ initiatives. These are well-intentioned, but it’s simply impossible to replicate natural, casual chit-chat in a formal setting. Technology has greatly affected work and social interactions. So instead, we need to adapt our approach to this new normal.
What has been shown to work includes:
- Coworking sessions—These are 30 or 60 minute sessions where 2-3 employees are on a call, cameras and mics on, working on their own stuff. Not only does it create some accountability, it gives employees a chance to chat naturally with a colleague. These are an effective way to meet employers outside your direct team.
- Wellness initiatives—Whether it’s providing ergonomic equipment for home offices, initiating fitness challenges or helping employees access local sports facilities, businesses can always do more to help employees be physically active.
- Mental health resources—Mental health days have become popular. For a negligible drop in output (a day or half-day off work) employees get to fully recharge their batteries. These days should be spent proactively recharging, doing a mindful activity or nurturing a skill.
Final thoughts
No system is perfect and, despite its many benefits, flexible and remote working is no different. The risk of isolation is high, while removing work-life boundaries can have a huge physical and mental toll. This is why companies can’t rest on their laurels after approving work-from-home policies. They need to go further and support employees mentally and physically, too.
Some voices shout loudly about bringing in AI-powered tools to transform the workplace, but the focus should be on the human experience for now. Remote work is accelerating at a lightning pace and flexible schedules have become more sought-after than big paychecks.
The good news is that the technological infrastructure for flexibility is there. It’s well-established and easy to use. The only remaining blocker is a company’s willingness to adopt these new practices.
How’s the balance in your organization? Staying closely connected with your team builds a better understanding of employee experience so you can adjust as needed.
