“What’s your remote work policy?”
Candidates are asking this question in the interview process more now than ever before. With restrictions relaxing across the US as more people are getting vaccinated, many companies are evaluating their policies and deciding the best way forward. They want to retain their talent and hire the best, while ensuring the culture of the organization remains intact and the company continues to do well.
Yesterday I shared a post on Linkedin with an article from Bloomberg that quotes JP Morgan’s CEO Jamie Dimon. He, like many other leaders, believes that remote work is detrimental to company culture, hinders collaboration, and is not suitable “for those who want to hustle.” Putting the dictionary definition of “hustle” aside, what I think Dimon is saying is that remote work environments don’t work for people who want to work hard, improve themselves, and grow their career. And I think he’s significantly underestimating people’s willingness and ability to thrive in different circumstances – not to mention a company’s potential to support different work styles and truly get the most out of its employees. Someone who is driven to succeed will be successful, and companies have the ability to support them on that path through learning resources, flexibility, and skilled leadership support.
As you work on your remote or return policy, it’s important to evaluate the varying needs and capabilities of your workforce. Flexibility, resilience, and adaptability are crucial skills to build in your employees as this transition takes place – keeping in mind that every employee is navigating their own emotions and personal response to the situation. I recommend conducting surveys to get a pulse on everyone’s stance and leveraging that data to influence your plan. This is the perfect opportunity to leverage Servant Leadership behaviors and encourage employees to influence your strategy. Let them be the experts in their needs and abilities, and don’t underestimate them like Jamie Dimon does.
I’m not denying this is a complex topic. My point is that there’s no “one size fits all” strategy. The best we can do is understand what works best for our employees, what drives the behaviors we need to generate meaningful results, and what tools we need to support them. Importantly, we need to remain flexible and pragmatic so we can iterate on these strategies as we go to ensure we’re setting everyone up for success.GoCoach has always been a 100% remote company.
