The case for continued remote work: Lessons from a transition

It’s no surprise that the pandemic has changed the way we work, and its impact will be felt for decades to come. Covid has been devastating in many ways worldwide. Yet throughout covid, we have witnessed people go above and beyond to help their communities, employees helping employees, and employees supporting each other. We saw companies show compassion for their people over their bottom line. Most importantly, companies proved that they could continue to operate effectively with a home-based workforce.

However, this process hasn’t been without its challenges, and in overcoming them, there have been several lessons learned. As some companies debate returning to the office in 2022, these lessons make a strong case for companies to become remote-first going forward.

Prioritizing health and wellness

Covid has spotlighted the need for organizations to foster health and wellness programs. Covid, long-haul covid, and remote work have facilitated conversations of accessibility in the workplace and encouraged employers more than ever to take a warmhearted approach to employee mental and physical health. This approach demands not just a compliant approach, but a compassionate approach. As a result, employees feel more empowered than ever to share their mental health status and ask for accommodations when needed. This is because employers have learned to create a stigma-free space in which the employee can feel safe in sharing. Likewise, they are listening and becoming curious and open to change. Not regardless of, but because of the uniqueness each person brings to their company.

Battling covid illness, having long-haul symptoms and struggling with mental health can be difficult for any employee. You have to balance the need to be sympathetic to employees while also paying mind to the work that has to be done. It takes thought, time and often a unique approach for the individual employee. You won’t get it correct every time, but thankfully, you will keep learning. Being remote has changed the commitment to employees and how we perceive them for the better.

Now at home, in their “natural habitat,” employees innovate, grow, fail, learn and succeed. And as a company, we all do it together. Working remotely has allowed employees to blend their health and work lifestyles more seamlessly. A work-life balance comes naturally that employers have strived to provide for their staff in the past. Without a commute, they can carve time out of the day to exercise, meditate, continue education, see families more often and experience a day in which work is only a part of how they live their lives.

Recruiting in a remote-first world

More and more people are seeking to work in remote-first cultures. Companies are responding by recruiting in different states, and some are even thinking of hiring globally in 2022. This means there needs to be a change in recruiting strategy. First, there should be a commitment to creating a diverse workforce. Some may counter that their pipelines are limited or simply not strong enough. However, there are many pipelines of talent in existence. By hiring remote workers and speaking to candidates throughout the country, companies can learn a great deal to enable the hiring of diverse candidates and create opportunities. From this, your candidate pool and culture will benefit and grow, making the company more competitive and contributing to the bottom line.

Keeping company culture alive

One question that many HR professionals have been asked to address when considering transitioning to a remote-work model is “how do you keep your culture alive?” Of course, we all want a culture to be organic, and it is undoubtedly easier to do it in person. Or is it?

This may just be an old way of thinking. Remote-first companies have found communications, maintaining a friendly and collaborative culture, and the ease with which employees connect on a personal level has not diminished. However, it’s not all easy. Companies have to make plans and be proactive at maintaining and growing the cultures they desire. It takes a little more effort for new hires to connect to their employees.

You’ll want to foster a friendly and compassionate nature, and it can be challenging if new hires cannot connect with other employees. We can no longer find ourselves randomly sharing our favorite weekend activity in the office kitchen. Instead, you can create spaces online through Slack and other programs for staff to share their personalities, communities and passions. Take lessons from the remote-only companies that came before. Remember to remain flexible and open to new ideas, and above all, listen to what our employees need.

Although many companies have been remote since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2021, they may find they still have a way to go in terms of making it a smooth transition. The key is constantly updating remote work policies, such as creating home office reimbursements. In addition, discuss ways to elevate your culture and connect with employees. The main thing is to be excited about the new remote culture and embrace change and growth. The opportunities it affords can enable expansion for the workforce and the company. Whether you choose remote-first, a hybrid model or returning to the office, hopefully, you’ve learned to find joy in the lessons learned resulting from this challenging time.

Jewel von Kempf is head of people at Coinme.