With many workplaces forced to work from home (WFH) due to Covid-19, the jury’s out whether it will be here to stay. Should staff continue to work remotely as the pandemic resides? Or should we revert to the office in fear of losing productivity?
Ultimately, every business should strive to achieve maximum productivity in the long run, i.e., producing the best results possible with the resources at hand. And this may look different from business to business or industry to industry.
The positives
There are obvious benefits to WFH.
Less travel time or needless distractions in the office means more hours can be spent working, producing results that contribute to organizational objectives. Or, that time could be spent improving the quality of a person’s life, e.g., spending more time with kids, exercising, socializing before work. This could increase their level of satisfaction and improve work quality as a result. And for the organisation, savings can be made as costly resources such as large office buildings may no longer be required.
The negatives
Of course, the above presumes that the person’s productivity level remains unchanged (or increases) to gain.
However, their output may decrease with minimal supervision. People could even succumb to the modern-day temptations of home life, e.g., indulging in Netflix or socializing with personal friends during work hours. Even without these transgressions, a lack of social interaction with their work colleagues can erode workplace culture. The benefits of collaboration and tacit learning amongst peers while working side-by-side may also be lost during WFH.
It’s early days
So far, there have been many good news stories of the productivity gains made from companies that have adopted WHF. But as the pandemic resides with the vaccine’s introduction, will such improvements continue?
When Covid-19 struck, the economic outlook became uncertain, and many people feared for their jobs. This may have motivated people to remain productive while working remotely as their livelihoods depended on it. As the economy recovers and business confidence rises, will people continue to stay motivated and produce at similar levels? Or will complacency set in.
Strong get stronger while the weak become weaker
Sure, some roles suit WFH more than others (think admin or individual task-based work, e.g., accounts clerk vs. on-site physical work required in teams, e.g., site foreman). But it is the quality of an organisation’s leadership and management that determines WFH success more than anything else.
With strong leadership and management systems in place, people are clear on their deliverables and timeframes and the values and behaviours expected, and transparency is omnipresent. Organisations like these thrive in a WFH environment, while those who are weak will only become worse.
What to do
To take full advantage of WFH in your business, try implementing these three tips:
- Set clear expectations.
Ensure that every person in the organisation is clear on the results they need to produce (deliverables and KPIs) and the timeframes they must work within. Leaders should continually communicate the values and behaviours required and act decisively when they’re not exhibited. WHF or not, good managers always inspect what they expect.
- Incorporate face-to-face time strategically.
A workplace is a community of people. And people build meaningful relationships when they spend time with others in-person, more so than online. Organise face-to-face days in the office or social events to maintain social cohesion before your culture evaporates. If work requires intense creative collaboration amongst people, favour face-to-face time for these tasks and reserve WFH time for admin heavy, independent work.
- Systems and processes.
A workplace with transparent and efficient systems and work processes will get the most out of WFH as less confusion or friction will result. If everyone knows their role and how they fit into the workflow – documented for everyone to see – productivity will soar.
What NOT to do
- Don’t be cynical.
If productivity slows, don’t automatically assume the cause is WFH. That’s lazy management. Maybe WFH will help you discover who’s incompetent or those whose values aren’t aligned with the business? Fix the root cause issue (typically the person or the system), and don’t make WFH the scapegoat for poor management.
- Lead by example.
Maintain your integrity and treat WFH with respect – it’s a privilege. Consistently produce results and achieve productivity gains that others can see. If your management is resistant to WFH, this is the best way to convince them otherwise. And if you manage people, don’t risk getting caught ‘taking the piss’ out of WFH – if you don’t respect it, why should they? Walk your talk.
- Don’t implement blanket WFH without solid leadership and management systems.
Simply adopting WFH without setting clear expectations and having the systems and processes to ensure that productivity is being maintained can be foolish. Despite saving costs in the short term, without management vigilance, productivity can drop through the floor, and you can suffer huge costs in the medium to long-term. So, don’t be short-sighted and act without having these management fundamentals in place.
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WFH is a fantastic opportunity to increase productivity and capture the tremendous benefits of technology. But it can be a double-edged sword. Know when it should be adopted and when not.
Most of all, make sure you lead and manage your team well throughout, as this will be the decisive factor.
