Since the start of the pandemic in March of 2020, employers all over the world have been working tirelessly to find the right environment for their employees. There are new stories every day about companies forcing their employees to come back to the office, companies selling their office spaces to be fully remote, and everything in between. Where we work is important and as everyone finds their sweet spot, there are a lot of factors to consider.
We sat down with some of our friends in the industry who’ve taken on remote and hybrid working models within their companies to discuss what makes them successful as well as what remains a challenge.
You can view the recording of our conversation with Will Post (VP Revenue Strategy & Operations at Vidmob), AJ Schwarzkopf (VP Talent Acquisition VP at Lower), and Kim Sullivan (VP of People & Culture at Fund That Flip, now Upright) below.
Flexibility and balance
Larger talent pool for quality hiring
Work isn’t driving how we live our lives
We have had to become better managers of our team members
Forced transparency
1:1’s with team members differ in vulnerability and openness based on location
Finding the right workflow in your home environment
Building a safe space for psychological safety
Building trust within your team
Some people thrive in ambiguity, and some people really need structure and clear rules that require open communication. Leaders need to be available and approachable.
Parents have been allowed to swap the commute or walk to get coffee for some more time with their children or get things done around the house
Increasing access to opportunity
New working relationships with people I haven’t met in person
Focus on the individual, instead of defaulting to what works best for me
Creating a safe space, allow people to talk, and learn from others but then put policies behind it to truly create a place of inclusivity
Actively train on our tools on a regular basis
Calendar etiquette - giving people time to take breaks
Utilizing collaboration tools
Creating healthy boundaries for chat
Set overlap days for those roles who do need to come into the office
Establishing asynchronous working hours
Creating approval deadlines
Bonus: Give yourself grace, give your employees grace
If your culture was based on how the building was decorated or the snacks in the breakroom, then it wasn’t a strong culture
Company purpose is really important
Give people the ability to give constant feedback
Selecting the right people who meet the core values and engaging and continuously iterating on how you keep them engaged
The number one piece of advice from our panelists: tell people what you need. If there are areas of concern or ambiguity, don't be afraid to be vocal. Leaders need you to be self-aware and understand what will set you up for success and communicate it.