of the steps businesses can take to ensure the infrastructure and operations of their hybrid work model will be successful :
• Colocation . Coworking . Concierge . Arranging some or all of your meeting space with an operationally strong coworking company can mitigate the risk of excess or insufficient workspace . Monthly team meetings , offsites and time in the office for solo work do not require the overhead of a full-time office .
• Using apps to stay connected . Countless free and subscriptionbased solutions for video conference , chat , virtual whiteboards , collaboration and integrated productivity management software for teams abound . Team alignment can be started by documenting DOs and DONTs and continuously updating to reflect new learnings ( you ’ ll want to keep that document in your knowledge base where all can comment ).
• Custom Automations . Not having to operate in one location together can shine new light on ways to work differently . For example , identifying a workflow that perhaps has too many steps , involves too many team members , drives errors or is not delivering on your customer experience promise could be an ideal scenario ripe for custom automation .
• A Knowledge Base . Team members need to securely access company applications from wherever they log in . A company ’ s central tools and repository where all internal information is organized helps teams work efficiently . This way companies better understand the tools and documentation needs for their people .
• Client Experience . With all the gained efficiencies and productivity , are we also thinking about the client experience ? If your clients and customers are contacting you primarily via phone calls , are your phone technology , systems and workflows optimized to allow for hybrid work ? Because keeping business cohesion and the client experience is paramount .
Hybrid by the Numbers
• 75 % of hybrid or remote knowledge workers say their expectations for flexible work have increased , according to tech research and consulting company Gartner .
• 37 % of all jobs in the United States can be done remotely . These jobs typically pay more than jobs that cannot be performed remotely and account for 46 % of U . S . wages .
• Many workers have shifted back to the office , while others remain remote . A report by Quantum Workplace stated that as of June 2021 , 30 % of employees considered themselves hybrid employees and 35 % reported working remotely .
• 83 % of employers now say that the shift to remote or hybrid work has been successful for their company , according to a survey conducted by PwC
A Remote-First Culture Many companies big and small are choosing a remote-first culture by default and opting to build that into the fundamental operating structure of their company . That ’ s not to say that remotefirst means “ remote-only .” Remote-first means companies assume employees are working outside of company office space the vast majority of the time and only visiting the office for in-person team building or other activities requiring face-to-face interaction .
A survey conducted by the IBM Institute for Business Value found that of the more than 14,000 workers surveyed , one in four employees said they were planning to change companies in 2021 . The need for a more flexible work schedule was the top reason , followed by increased benefits and support for their well-being .
Some of the benefits of remote-first culture :
• Cost savings by reducing the need for a “ traditional office ”. Businesses can save a great deal by no longer needing an office in the traditional sense .
• Improved satisfaction . Eliminating the commute and the associated transportation costs is an excellent example of ‘ why remote-first ,’ and employees report a greater degree of job satisfaction and work-life balance by working remotely .
• A wider range of talent . By not requiring employees to live in a specific city or region , recruiters and hiring managers have access to a much larger talent pool .
Remote-First or Hybrid Work ?
Remote-first and hybrid work aren ’ t ideal for every company and job . You can ’ t build a building or deliver packages from a computer ( yet ). Still , for many companies , it ’ s a great solution for remaining competitive to top talent in their industry , along with protecting employee health and improving job satisfaction , productivity and the overall company bottom line .
Custom Automations : The new SENDnSIGN App was created during the pandemic for clients of Office Divvy that operate in the “ Home Services ” field , who send and request signed estimates from their customers . A complete dashboard , project workflow lifecycle , all customer estimates in one place and actionable , no-fuss signing for customers was developed to resolve pain points in the workflow and elevate the customer experience .
Credits : Big thanks to Thomas Hilton and Drea Evans for collaborating with me in this article -- yes , done so from two different locations .
Ky Ekinci is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Office Divvy . He is an entrepreneur , a trusted advisor , a world traveler , a Coworking advocate , and an appreciator of fine cigars .
JANUARY 2022 | 23 |