Why have numerous companies chosen to facilitate remote work?
Beyond the boost in productivity, introducing the ability to work remotely grants employees greater autonomy over their timetables, enabling adaptable work hours and enhancing work-life balance.
For countless companies, their existing work scheduling systems weren’t originally tailored for such adaptability. Consequently, they must now revise their current policies to match this new reality of working. So, where should you start when preparing to balance work schedule policies with the remote work environment?
Listed below are 11 effective strategies that your business can use to implement a flexible work schedule without negatively affecting the company’s productivity…
- Lead By Example – Flexible work schedules succeed when the company has a results-driven culture, clear success metrics, and leaders who set an example by integrating performance with flexibility.
- Get Senior Leader Buy-In – Foster a culture of trust with your employees – Success hinges on senior leaders embracing the idea that it enhances productivity for the company. Emphasize client excellence, clarify role success, and digitize key meetings.
- Train Your Managers – Train managers to empower employees in a flexible work framework with consistency and clear expectations.
- Instill A Sense Of Purpose – Focus less on where and when employees work, and more on how they create value. Aligning people with priorities and fostering a supportive environment will naturally optimize productivity.
- Maintain The Same Professional Standards – Be flexible with meeting schedules, but maintain professional standards, like regular attendance for key meetings.
- Let Employees Construct Their Own Schedule – Allowing employees to collaborate when designing their flexible schedules fosters trust. Periodically assessing and making necessary adjustments ensures success and ongoing effectiveness.
- Use Cross- Communication Tools – Embrace various communication tools for accountability. Leveraging technology to support remote work builds trust and morale.
- Continue To Track Hours – Although tracking hours remains relevant for assessing productivity, you should prioritize performance and results over the current ‘paid by presence’ culture.
- Make Sure You Have The Right Structures – Start with employee focus groups, set clear guidelines for remote work, and measure success with regular surveys.
- Consider A Culture Of Informed Trust – Consider ‘informed trust’ over ‘blind trust.’ Recognize that not everyone fits a flexible schedule, with some needing structure and others potentially abusing it.
- Clarify What Productivity Looks Like – Define productivity, set metrics, and invest in teaching teams efficient work management with collaboration tools.
