In this two-part blog series, we take a look at how Kiwi businesses can navigate the evolving world of remote working to benefit both the employer and the employee, with the help of psychologist and Chief Executive of Winsborough, Gus McIntosh, “flex specialist”, HR veteran, and author, Gillian Brookes, AUT Professor of Management, Dr Helena Cooper Thomas, and Senior Lecturer at Otago University Business School, Dr Paula O’Kane.
Part one focused on a collaborative approach to remote working. In part two below, we explore the nitty gritty details that businesses need to get right, such as mentoring junior team members, effective communication, managing performance, encouraging socialisation, and more.
Supporting junior team members working remotely
A big concern among businesses is that junior staff looking for support and mentoring from senior leaders will have fewer opportunities to connect with them if everyone is working remotely on a regular basis.
This is a really common problem, says flexible working consultant and author, Gillian Brookes. Some research done on this in May 2023 found that more people mentor others when they’re in the office, compared to when they’re working from home. "So there need to be collective decisions about how and when we make space for mentoring," says the author of "Flexperts - getting the best from flex in a world that’s ever changing."
Small organisations should be offering buddying and mentoring to new employees who will be working remotely some of the time, suggests Otago University Business School Senior Lecturer, Dr Paula O’Kane. They should buddy up with someone who knows the company well, and business leaders should monitor that they’re well-matched, she says.
Understanding the nuances of managing a remote team
As a small business owner, you have to be very deliberate about coaching and mentoring a virtual team, says Gus McIntosh, psychologist and Chief Executive of Winsborough, a company that specialises in developing, supporting, and enhancing leaders and leadership teams.
It’s something that happens naturally when you’re around a group of people in the office; you might take people under your wing, but none of that happens in a virtual working environment. When communicating with your team working remotely, choose the medium with care, he advises.
In a corporate team it’s a good idea to talk about how you’ll communicate, so there’s less room for miscommunication or missed opportunities.
"For instance, if it’s really urgent, you could say, "We’ll text each other". If it’s not quite so urgent, and there’s a little more to discuss and you need input, then a phone call might work better. Or, a more introverted person might prefer text. Have these conversations at the outset of the remote working arrangement", suggests Gus.
It may be that the team only meets up quarterly face to face. Then when the group is meeting in this way, be deliberate about how you’ll connect with the team, he advises.
To work really well, the meeting should have a pretty minimal agenda around it. If you put too much of a message around it, you’ll nullify the reason people are getting together. Make sure there’s lots of empty space on those days, says Gus. "Simple and informal is the way to go."
Communicate if you need more face time
If you want to bring people into the office more, explain why. It may be that you feel having staff remote working is harming your business. If you genuinely want to bring people back into the office more, then be really transparent about it, advises the Winsborough Chief Executive.
"Where I see it going wrong is when a business forces people back into the office and doesn’t explain why. If you’re able to articulate both what’s good for the business and for the team, then it should work."
"Explain that what we need in our business is creativity and that you get creativity from belonging and from personal interaction. Work also provides social interaction for many," he says.
If teams are working on projects which involve a lot of creativity, it’s good to have people in the office or in one physical place so they can spark off each other and bounce off ideas - you’ll get more collaboration from a business perspective.
This doesn’t have to mean staff are expected in the office every day. People are more likely to "spark off each other" if they’re in a work arrangement they like, notes Gus.
Tread carefully if poor performance is used as an excuse to bring people back into the office. If there’s a performance issue, jumping into making them come into the office isn’t necessarily a good idea, warns HR veteran Gillian Brookes.
"It’s a blunt instrument - it could feel like punishment and not support, especially if the office is virtually empty some of the time."
There’s research to show that people perform better if they can work flexibly, so cutting that off might do more harm than good, she says. Having a conversation about their performance and what support they need is the best place to begin.
Gillian believes that offices need to change in the way they’re laid out now that people are working in a hybrid way.
"Many people don't have access to the ideal working from home conditions and our offices need to evolve to provide it to those who wouldn't otherwise access it. There should be two zones; the first zone should be a quiet space that mimics the ideal working from home setup, and the other zone should create a space to collaborate, problem solve, and connect with colleagues."
At the moment, most offices try to combine both of these zones in one space and it’s not working for many people, she says. "It’s too noisy and cluttered for them to feel like they’re getting what they need from an office environment."
Supporting remote workers in their locations
If you’re worried your remote workers are suffering from a lack of human connection, offer them some support, e.g. organising for them to go into a shared office space in the town they’re in.
Or, encourage them to join their local professional organisation (e.g. an accountant could join the local accountancy association) where they can cultivate that "community of practice" and rub shoulders with others in their profession, suggests Senior Lecturer Dr Paula O’Kane.
Think about what well-being responsibility you have as an employer with people working remotely, adds AUT Professor of Management, Dr Helena Cooper Thomas. "For most people, they’re working not just for economic outcome but for meaning, so keep monitoring staff members on this."
Remember for many of your employees, remote working is a good thing for them, it’s improving their lives.
"If you’re giving people more balance in their lives to manage other priorities (elderly parents, hobbies, family, side investments) they’re more likely to show up and feel committed to the organisation," says Gus.
It’s about bestowing benevolence or kindness on your team, he explains. "This is the notion of how much you give a toss about other people. A business owner forcing people to come back into the office is not showing benevolence and care in what people need."
It's also understanding what you need to provide, an environment where staff members can operate to the best of their ability," he says.
The key is to be flexible on remote working and explore all types of options. This might not be possible for all businesses, but people might want to try compressed hours, part-time flexi-hours, or even a four day week, suggests Gillian.
"When you get it right you’ll have higher productivity, wellbeing, and staff retention, as well as a reduction in your climate impact, so there’s a lot to be gained from it!"
