The benefits of remote work are apparent. From a more engaged workforce to reduced overhead costs, working from home has a lot to offer employees and employers alike. With the benefits in mind, it’s easy to see why remote work is becoming increasingly popular.
According to a report by Global Workplace Analytics, the number of people working from home at least part-time has grown by 115% since 2005. The number of remote workers is projected to grow by the year.
For businesses that are getting started, remote work transforms and flourishes the more you do. In other words, it undergoes different stages, and knowing which stage your business is at can be helpful. In this article, we will look at the many stages that most businesses go through when transitioning to working remotely.
When it comes to remote work, few companies do it better than Automattic, the company behind WordPress, which powers 43 percent of all websites on the internet. The content management system (CMS) provider is behind one-third of the internet.
A step at a time and project-by-project, Automattic is indeed making the ‘web a better place,’ to quote its slogan. The company has found success through remote work. In one of the interviews, Lori McLeese, global head of HR at Automattic said, “Automattic started from the onset as a distributed company.”
The 5 Levels of Remote Work According to Matt Mullenweg of Automattic
Having practiced remote work for years, even before its Covid-19 boon, the company knows the nuts and bolts of the model. As its founder opines, “130 of Automattic’s 150 employees work outside of our San Francisco headquarters. Why are so many companies stuck in this factory model of working?”— Matt Mullenweg, WordPress
Stages of Remote Work
Matt Mullenweg, the founder of Automattic, acknowledges these five levels of complexity when it comes to remote teams:
1. Level Zero: No Remote Policies
Level zero of remote work is the Wild West of telecommuting, where there are no rules or regulations in place for telecommuting. This level is more or less a traditional work structure, which has been the most prevalent work arrangement and dominant model for most businesses. At this stage, companies have no remote work policies in place.
Businesses at this level have just been introduced to the concept of working from home and have no idea what worked and what didn’t. They have no remote work policy in place. As a result, employees are expected to be in the office during traditional working hours and work is done primarily in person.
If recent statistics is anything to go by, 44% of businesses that are practicing remote work are in this stage.
2. Level One: Remote Unfriendly
Change is inevitable, but it can be difficult. When a business is introduced to the concept of remote work, the process of transitioning from a traditional work structure can be daunting. The business may decide to test the waters and try to implement some policies and processes for working from home as they figure out how to make remote work part of the company culture.
However, these remote work policies may be restrictive and unwelcoming. They may perceive that by making working from home difficult, their employees will be forced to come into the office.
At this level, the company is not hostile to telecommuting, but it’s not very friendly either. Management may be unwilling to let employees work from home and may even see it as a threat to their authority. There may also be a lack of communication or cooperation between management and employees when it comes to working remotely.
Employees may work from home on an ad hoc basis, but there is no official policy in place. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as management’s unwillingness to let employees work from home or a lack of understanding about the benefits of remote work.
3. Level Two: Recreating The Office Online
Remote work is the future of work, and when businesses recognize this, they become open to the idea of recreating the office online. At this level, the company starts to embrace remote work, but with some restrictions. Management may allow employees to work from home, but they still need to be physically present in the office.
This can be due to a number of reasons, such as a lack of trust in employees or the belief that remote work is only suitable for certain types of jobs. Employees are expected to be online during core hours, participate in video meetings, and use collaboration tools to stay connected with their team.
4. Level Three: Adapting to Telecommuting
When executed effectively, remote work has the potential for success. As the organization realizes the benefits of a more flexible work environment and employees become more comfortable working outside of the office, companies begin to fully embrace telecommuting.
As per key statistics, 40% of employees state that the most significant advantage of remote work is flexibility. Organizations that allow remote work policies have reduced employee turnover by 25% compared to those that do not. 76% of employees are more likely to stick to their employer given some form of flexibility in work hours.
They start adapting their policies accordingly. Management may begin to allow employees to work from home on a more permanent basis. They are still expected to participate in video meetings and use collaboration tools, but may have more flexibility with their hours.
5. Level Four: Asynchronous Over Real-Time
Traditional work structures place a major emphasis on the number of hours put in by their employees. However, in remote work, there comes a stage where the company’s focus is on results, not hours – this is the asynchronous level.
Employees are given even more flexibility with their hours and may be able to work entirely asynchronous hours. This means that they can work whenever they want, as long as the work gets done.
At this level, the company has fully embraced remote work and employees are able to work from anywhere in the world. Management has realized that employees are just as productive, if not more productive when working from home.
And in order to facilitate this, the company has moved away from traditional office hours and is now using asynchronous communication tools such as email, chat, and video conferencing.
6. Level Five: Nirvana
Imagine a scenario where the company culture and work-life balance are perfect. Employees are given complete freedom and flexibility with their hours and work from wherever they want.
They are also trusted to get their work done without constant supervision. This is the ultimate goal for most companies moving to a remote work model, and it becomes a reality at the nirvana level.
In this final stage, businesses have fully embraced remote work and they have created a workplace that is conducive to telecommuting. This means that employees are able to work from home whenever they want, they can communicate with their co-workers through any medium they choose, and they are still able to be productive and efficient.
How Can Companies Navigate The Stages Of Remote Work?
1. Commit To The Transition
The transition to remote working necessitates decisiveness and clarity at the highest levels of an organization. Overthinking the short-term costs and trade-offs in today’s complicated and fast-changing workforce will have an ultimate cost.
A company’s remote-work policy should start with a thoughtful analysis of the business and its specific needs. What type of work can be done remotely? What are the compliance risks? How will managers keep track of employee progress and performance? Do we need to reevaluate our job descriptions and performance metrics?
Once the decision to go remote has been made, it should be backed by complete commitment. Invest in the long run with top-of-the-line technology that is dependable, expandable, and adaptable. But first and foremost, lay the groundwork.
2. Go All-digital
It takes more than just using remote work software and digital tools to work in the digital world. It’s about considering new behaviors and ensuring that everyone can use any tech tools without difficulty. To support your digital transformation, it is imperative for an organization to develop a digital culture and mindset—and that starts with leadership.
Leaders must model the way by using technology to work smarter and more efficiently. They should also provide employees with the opportunity to learn new skills and use new tools. The goal is to enable everyone in the organization to be more connected, engaged, and productive.
Remote work will not be successful if companies only focus on technology and tools. The key is to change the way employees work—and that starts with leadership.
3. Establish A Culture Of Inclusion
For a significant change, your company’s shift to remote work must be surrounded by enabling company culture. The trust and support that employees have for each other are essentially what holds a scattered virtual workplace together.
According to a Gartner survey, maintaining corporate culture is the most pressing concern for 30% of business leaders when it comes to managing a remote hybrid workforce. 13% of respondents expressed concern about achieving parity between the in-office and remote experience, and another 13% expressed concern about being able to maintain a consistent employee experience.
4. Keep Your Employees Engaged
The most significant changes are likely to happen at the individual level. Individuals at all organizational levels must commit to minimizing the isolation of remote work. As per statistics provided, employees who work from home are 16 percent less likely to agree that management includes them in the goal-setting process.
Recognizing that one of the most difficult challenges for remote employees is communication, it’s no wonder that most of them feel they are not involved in setting goals, which ultimately makes them feel not engaged.
Encourage employees to set up regular check-ins with their managers and team leads. These can be done through video conferencing, phone calls, or even instant messaging. The key is to make sure that everyone feels like they are part of the process and that their opinions and ideas are valued.
Gallup research indicates that engaged employees perform significantly better. They can portray 21% higher profitability, 41% less absenteeism, and 40% fewer quality defects.
Understand Where Your Business Stand
Although remote work has many benefits, it is not without its challenges. Before transitioning, organizations should consider the potential remote work challenges and take steps to mitigate them.
By understanding the different stages of remote work, organizations can better manage the transition and ensure that their employees are able to successfully work from home. You should also implement remote work best practices to further streamline the transition. This, in turn, will lead to a more engaged and productive workforce. With the right mindset, remote work can be a success for any organization.
