Over the last year, the return to office (RTO) v. remote work or work from home (WFH) debate has escalated significantly, pushing many organizations into hybrid structure compromises. This rather reluctant growth of WFH opportunities has given rise to a distributed workforce whose growth hinges on the evolving role of technology in facilitating and optimizing a digital workspace.
With the traditional nine-to-five office grind on the outs, the ever-prominent concern remains keeping teams united amidst a constant flux of trial-and-error hybrid models. In other words, the technological challenge standing between the success of hybrid teams is one of synchronization.
Given that on-site/off-site schedules are subject to much experimentation per employee request and leadership demands, integrative technologies are needed more urgently than ever. Today, we’ll delve into just four of the ways in which the WFH employee experience can seamlessly adjust so that no worker is overlooked in this ongoing work culture transformation.
Remote Onboarding
The first step in navigating the WFH transition is revamping the remote onboarding process. Without a well-structured onboarding experience for remote hires, the disconnect within and between teams will only continue to grow. Thus, with no foundation, the future of distributed teams falls flat before it has the chance to take off.
To lay this crucial groundwork from day one, a comprehensive remote hire strategy should incorporate interactive digital handbooks, standardized training materials, and video conferencing tools. These enhancements not only streamline costs, but expedite the acclimatization process.
Specifically, the personalized nature of interactive digital resources significantly shorten the learning curve for new hires and help alleviate overwhelm during training. Moreover, a digitally-mapped onboarding process is easily trackable, enabling HR teams to gauge engagement levels, identify areas for improvement, and ensure that no employee is left behind in the transition to a distributed work environment. All of which sets the foundation for long-term productivity and success.
Amplifying Recognition
At the end of the day it is the collaboration and passion of people that carry a company and make or break a team. Therefore, setting the stage for virtual recognition beyond in a distributed workforce is indispensable to shaping a resilient work culture.
But what does this look like in a digital environment? For starters, it involves merging together the social and the professional to spark connections and celebrations among employees.
This translates into the facilitation of interest groups, peer-to-peer shoutouts, badges, and other avenues for building micro-communities, as parallels popular social media platforms. Not only does this widely amplify employee recognition but it helps scale company culture away from office headquarters.
In all, fostering such a culture of recognition begins with the onboarding experience but is only sustained by an interface that, by design, drives engagement across departments. By intertwining recognition with daily work processes, remote organizations can create an environment where acknowledgment becomes an integral part of the workflow, rather than a sporadic event.
Establishing a Single Source of Truth (SSOT)
Today’s distributed teams span across multiple regions and time zones, necessitating a centralized form of management and communication. Such is where a Single Source of Truth (SSOT) comes into play.
SSOT is not just a concept, but a vital practice in solidifying an organization’s information architecture. Cloud-based document management systems, including real-time editing, version control, and centralized data repositories eliminate confusion stemming from outdated information. By embracing technology-driven SSOT solutions, organizations cultivate a shared understanding and enhance decision-making.
That said, the benefits of SSOT extend beyond just streamlined information sharing. It also plays a pivotal role in anchoring the employee experience in the company’s core values, branding, and aesthetics. Namely, SSOT acts as a canvas for infusing the company’s identity into every interaction. From the platform’s visual design and layout to the content and resources it houses, SSOT serves as a deeper reflection of the organization’s ethos, which is vital for imbuing a sense of belonging among remote employees.
Interoperability and Integration
While a testament to modern flexibility, the distributed workforce requires a complex landscape of diverse tools and platforms, resulting in the potential for interoperability challenges. Adding new integrations to meet the evolving needs of a remote team is important but can quickly make a maze of the workflow. Therefore, technological solutions that prioritize integration with interoperability are optimal for seamless growth and maintaining a SSOT. This is especially true of HR tools in an increasingly hyperconnected digital landscape.
A well-integrated HR ecosystem ensures that distributed team members can effortlessly access vital information, submit requests, and receive timely support. This not only expedites processes but nurtures a shared understanding of HR policies and practices across the organization. All of which circles back to power of SSOT as regards cohesive data governance and internal communications.
The last three years have produced a profound transformation in the way we work. No longer bound by an office, the distributed work revolution showcases an inspiring level of accessibility and versatility in remote career opportunities. It also prompts deeper reflection about what we want the employee experience to be in the first place. Such is the impetus behind Cleary’s own mission. By giving digital innovation a human touch, we can enhance the employee experience and unite a decentralized workforce for maximized potential and productivity.
By Thomas Kunjappu, Founder _ CEO at Cleary
