No excuses: why every knowledge worker can work remote
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No excuses: why every knowledge worker can work remote
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How to redesign processes for effective remote working
Key actions to take
"What we should be doing is investing in tools that bring out the best in people, even if they're not physically in the same room." - Shelby Wolpa
The future of work is not about replicating office-based practices in a digital space, but about reimagining work processes to leverage the unique benefits of a remote workforce. Using findings from the Out of Office Report, we'll explore how best to do this so your business can get the most out of the remote work experience.
The shift to working from home, whether hybrid or fully, introduces a range of operational, logistical, and strategic challenges. But during the pandemic, organisations were preoccupied with survival rather than strategy when first adapting to remote work.
"During the pandemic, organisations used technology to try and maintain the status quo," says Adam Wignall, General Manager of Kolekti. "They invested in tools to solve their key challenges, but they didn't change how work was done. For remote to work, organisations have to realise that they need to build the processes and systems first."
While these temporary measures helped maintain connectivity during the crisis, they may not sustain long-term productivity or employee performance. Redesigning work to fit how we work now has become a critical priority, and it's not as simple as plugging in a few tools.
The shift to working from home, whether hybrid or fully, introduces a range of operational, logistical, and strategic challenges. But during the pandemic, organisations were preoccupied with survival rather than strategy when first adapting to remote work.
"During the pandemic, organisations used technology to try and maintain the status quo," says Adam Wignall, General Manager of Kolekti. "They invested in tools to solve their key challenges, but they didn't change how work was done. For remote to work, organisations have to realise that they need to build the processes and systems first."
While these temporary measures helped maintain connectivity during the crisis, they may not sustain long-term productivity or employee performance. Redesigning work to fit how we work now has become a critical priority, and it's not as simple as plugging in a few tools.
How to redesign work and processes that enhance the remote work experience
For remote work to be sustainable, organisations must focus on creating an environment that enables teams and individuals to thrive, rather than simply replicating traditional working patterns. It's a process issue first and a tech issue second.
"Companies too often default to synchronous work with an overreliance on video calls and text platforms, which can drain energy and hamper creativity," says Shelby Wolpa, Founder at Shelby Wolpa Consulting. "Companies need to take time to redesign their operating norms to be asynchronous by default.
"We don't want to just copy-paste the way we were working in an office into everyone's homes," Wolpa continues. "What we should be doing is investing in tools that bring out the best in people, even if they're not physically in the same room. It's about fostering collaboration, encouraging creativity, and understanding that work isn't just about hours but about how work gets done. It's time to shift our focus from reactive to strategic, from the 9-5 to actual outcomes."
Getting this right requires organisations to evaluate their current work design and how it contributes to employee job satisfaction and performance. 2020 research¹ has found that autonomy, relationships, meaningful work, and a feedback culture² are key components of successful remote work design. 2023 research found that flexibility with policies is critical from an operational perspective in remote workforces.³
As such, organisations must proactively seek employee feedback about their key challenges and integrate these insights into their workplace processes. Only after this crucial step can they begin to enhance their remote work experience with the right tech.
"Companies too often default to synchronous work with an overreliance on video calls and text platforms, which can drain energy and hamper creativity," says Shelby Wolpa, Founder at Shelby Wolpa Consulting. "Companies need to take time to redesign their operating norms to be asynchronous by default.
"We don't want to just copy-paste the way we were working in an office into everyone's homes," Wolpa continues. "What we should be doing is investing in tools that bring out the best in people, even if they're not physically in the same room. It's about fostering collaboration, encouraging creativity, and understanding that work isn't just about hours but about how work gets done. It's time to shift our focus from reactive to strategic, from the 9-5 to actual outcomes."
Getting this right requires organisations to evaluate their current work design and how it contributes to employee job satisfaction and performance. 2020 research¹ has found that autonomy, relationships, meaningful work, and a feedback culture² are key components of successful remote work design. 2023 research found that flexibility with policies is critical from an operational perspective in remote workforces.³
As such, organisations must proactively seek employee feedback about their key challenges and integrate these insights into their workplace processes. Only after this crucial step can they begin to enhance their remote work experience with the right tech.
Key actions
Evaluate how you operate remotely:
Evaluate your ways of working and remote operating norms, Wolpa suggests. Identify any blockers or room for improvement. Consider questions like:
- What does the current workday look like for employees? How much of it is dependent on synchronous working?
- How is your current setup impacting employee engagement, performance, and attrition?
- What are the primary ways employees interact and collaborate?
- What are your employees' key challenges and pain points?
- How are key processes such as projects, feedback, and employee performance managed?
Embed experimentation at a team level:
A 2022 small-scale study of remote developer teams found that when teams were able to experiment with tooling and approaches to different types of tasks, they were able to work more effectively.⁴ Encourage teams to experiment with small-scale pilot projects and gather data to design the right setup for their specific needs.
Invest in tooling that supports remote processes:
Once your processes are nailed down, you can invest in the right tooling that addresses key pain points. For example, if your product team is struggling with meeting fatigue, implement tools to help them share feedback and manage projects remotely. "The tools you choose to use should support your foundational needs for culture, norms, communication, goal-setting, and expectations," Wolpa explains.
By focusing on these key areas, organisations can create a remote work environment that not only maintains productivity but also enhances employee satisfaction and performance.
By focusing on these key areas, organisations can create a remote work environment that not only maintains productivity but also enhances employee satisfaction and performance.
¹ Bin Wang and others, 'Achieving effective remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic: A work design perspective', Applied Psychology, October 2020.
² Yanyan Liu and others, 'The relationship between feedback quality, perceived organizational support, and sense of belongingness among conscientious teleworkers', Frontiers in Psychology, April 2022.
³ Darja Smite and others, 'Work-from-home is here to stay: Call for flexibility in post-pandemic work policies', Journal of Systems and Software, January 2023.
⁴ Tor Sporsem and Nils Brede Moe, 'Coordination strategies when working from anywhere: A case study of two agile teams', Agile Processes in Engineering and Extreme Programming, June 2022.
² Yanyan Liu and others, 'The relationship between feedback quality, perceived organizational support, and sense of belongingness among conscientious teleworkers', Frontiers in Psychology, April 2022.
³ Darja Smite and others, 'Work-from-home is here to stay: Call for flexibility in post-pandemic work policies', Journal of Systems and Software, January 2023.
⁴ Tor Sporsem and Nils Brede Moe, 'Coordination strategies when working from anywhere: A case study of two agile teams', Agile Processes in Engineering and Extreme Programming, June 2022.
Out of Office Report
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Matilda has a BA Hons degree in Creative Writing and Film and Screen Studies and is using her love of storytelling to create informative content that helps workers get the most out of their digital tools.
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