People Partnerships

I’m biased, I love a remote work environment (if the nature of your business allows for it); however, there are some important factors and intentional actions that are needed if you have or are looking to build a remote team.

First, let’s review the options, as well as the pros and cons of each.

On-Site

This is your “traditional”, everyone on location environment. Obviously, this is necessary for service-based or operations business. This can still be geographically diverse if the company has multiple locations.

Pros

• In-person connections and non-verbal communication.
• Observational and real-time training; as well as learning through osmosis.
• Ad-hoc connections, questions, feedback, training.
• Usually easier to leave work at work.

Cons

• Talent pool is limited by location.
• The company needs to pay for office space.
• Longer “work” day when commute is factored in.
• Negative behaviours and company culture can be more impactful.
• Heightened office politics.

Remote

No set office location. Employees work from their home or some other approved location.

Pros

• Wide talent pool and can lead to a more diverse team.
• Allows those with different types of accommodation needs to gain meaningful employment.
• Employees benefit from flexibility to manage their work and life commitments.
• Requires intentional communications.
• Creates a detachment from possible negative interactions.

Cons

• New or junior employees don’t get to learn through observation.
• Requires intentional communications (yes, it’s both a pro and a con).
• Less social interaction and relationship building – this can lead to misunderstandings in communications.

There are also organizations that may use “Remote Primary” where they have an office or office hubs in various locations, but there is no specific requirement for employees to attend those spaces.

Caution: this can lead to proximity bias where those who do choose to use the office space can be seen more favourably than those who either choose not to or can’t due to location, or a variety of other reasons.

Hybrid

There is an office location and employees are expected to be on-site for a certain number of days; while they’re permitted to work remotely

Pros

• Same as on-site.
• Can minimize some of the cons of on-site.

Cons

• Same as on-site.
• Can lead to proximity bias if there are employees who work the minimum in-office days.
• Requires intentional communications.
• Not everyone may be on-site on the same day, leading to virtual meetings anyway.
• May require employees to context switch more and be less productive between on-site and remote days.
• Some companies are hybrid working four days per week in office, some are hybrid working 1 day per week in office – you need to be clear on what the expectation is and why it is that.

Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of hybrid as it can end up with all the cons of both on-site and remote. Further, if there’s a mix of on-site and remote employees within a hybrid environment, there can be a clear divide between the experiences these employees have.

The general “rule” is that if you apply the same considerations for remote to hybrid, you can minimize these cons.

If you do choose to build a remote team, there are a few key considerations to focus on.

• Communication – both from leadership and between colleagues
  • Clear and timely communication is key in a remote environment.
  • Have clear channels for what is communicated where, how, when, and by whom.
  • Ensure leaders are well trained in these ways and enable adherence for themselves and their teams.
  • Have clear agendas for meetings and audit both the attendee list and agenda regularly.
  • Virtual small, medium, and large team gatherings to communicate from leadership – ensure these are recorded and email summaries are sent in a timely fashion.
  • Have a cameras-on culture, and ensure invites are clear if a meeting is cameras on/off.
  • Use virtual documents and creative tools so people can work across timezones.
• Training
  • Have a dedicated trainer for new hires.
  • As a leader, provide space for new hires to ask follow-up questions (either in a meeting or privately) to gain context – offer context without someone asking.
  • Have more frequent check-ins with newer or more junior employees.
• Social experience and “getting to know” each other
  • Some remote organizations will have off-site gatherings to allow for social, in-person connections to form.
  • Have a social channel for voluntary within a jurisdiction.
  • Budget for teams to have smaller virtual gatherings – things like a cocktail or mocktail making class where the ingredients are delivered and they gather virtually to make the drink and chat.

The way we work has changed and while some companies had previously decided to be remote, most companies are now trying to either remain remote or balance across on-site, hybrid, and remote.

Whatever you choose, ensure that you are intentional with what it means and why it’s the environment you’re choosing.

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Until then, gain access to the Hiring Playbook here.