Max Firsau is co-founder and CEO of Accel Club. He is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in e-commerce.
getty
The work culture in your company is everything. With the increased use of mobile devices, employees are now more willing to work in places other than an office, often preferring the comfort of their own home. For people who like a quiet environment or work in their pajamas, this is great news, but how can this work for a startup that has not yet solidified a work culture?
There are people who like to go to the office because they prefer to keep their private and professional life separate, and take advantage of the water cooler chats where they can get to know their colleagues personally and create a bond. Remote working is trendy, but not for everyone or every organization.
In fact, I think some organizations, especially those just starting out, should consider whether remote working is right for them. Some of the benefits of remote working can be negated if implemented incorrectly.
With this in mind, how do you know if remote working is beneficial for your team?
Why is remote working not a good idea for every company?
A fledgling startup may be tempted to jump on the bandwagon of remote work right from the start. Yes, it is seemingly the new norm. However, without a strong foundation in the work culture, it’s difficult (but not impossible) to share your values ​​as a founder with your team and build a foundation that ensures everyone is aligned and adapted to working with each other.
In an environment where everyone is new and processes are created quickly, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of establishing working relationships. You can get to know your colleagues through video calls, but we are humans, and I think face-to-face interactions are indispensable in creating introductions and new connections. Often we don’t realize this, but conflicts and misalignments are often resolved outside of meetings through coffee and a quick catch-up. These moments are precious and difficult to replicate in an external environment. If you do want to work remotely, the following are factors to consider.
The staff must trust each other and have strong ties.
To be successful, remotely or not, team members must have the same goals, work as a team, have a common language and be able to solve problems as a group. Otherwise, they can work in silos and have little to no communication with each other, which can lead to missed expectations, confusion and missed deadlines.
Teams must be very flexible and efficient.
Teams working remotely need to be extremely flexible and efficient, with everyone on board fully aware of their role in the process. This is only possible if everyone knows what to do, how to do it and has the authority to get things done.
When teams sit in a silo and work in their own area, they may not feel invested in each other’s success. Remote teams should be multi-functional, with each member able to fulfill multiple roles as needed.
There must be an effective collaboration platform.
When you let teams work remotely, you need to make sure there’s an effective collaboration platform. Think of an online collaboration platform such as an online meeting room, chat applications or virtual whiteboards. Otherwise, you risk losing your productivity due to communication problems.
The work environment should promote productivity.
Working remotely is more effective in certain work environments. If the work requires a highly collaborative environment, your team would do better if they were together in the same location. If you have employees who work with highly confidential data, those individuals may not be able to work remotely. Working remotely requires an excellent internet connection, reliable computers and secure servers. Otherwise, your employees’ work may be interrupted or even compromised.
A remote work environment can help with diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
One of the benefits of a remote work environment is that it can help with diversity and inclusion in the workplace. If you have employees in different parts of the world, chances are there is a good mix of ethnicities and cultural backgrounds.
This can lead to more creativity and innovation as people from different cultures bring their perspectives to the table. Working remotely can also help with inclusion in the workplace. For example, people with disabilities who might not otherwise be able to work from an office can work remotely.
There is no absence of hierarchy when working remotely.
A misconception is that remote working means there is no hierarchy. But that is not true. The hierarchy just changes. There is no face-to-face communication, so the main way to communicate is often through written messages. If there is a problem, team members should be able to use written communication to bring it to their attention.
They can’t just go up to a co-worker and say, “Hey, can you look at this and see if it’s right?” This written communication can lead to hierarchical structures that are just as rigid as in the office. In fact, they can be stricter because it’s harder to soften the blow of criticism when it comes in written form.
It comes down to
Working remotely can be an effective way to increase productivity and create a more flexible and inclusive workplace. However, if you’re just starting out and haven’t established a cohesive work culture yet, your team won’t be able to reap the benefits of remote work. It can take years for a corporate culture to permeate every layer of the organization. Work culture is everything. It should not be compromised or neglected just to conform to a trend.
If you choose to work 100% remotely, it is important to ensure that all team members are autonomous and motivated, that they can communicate and collaborate effectively with each other and that they have the right equipment and working environment to do their job well. to do.
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