STEM / STEAM: Remote Working After COVID

COVID forced everyone to understand the value of telecommuting, videoconferencing, and remote work.

During that time……remote working / telecommuting / videoconferencing helped keep the world spinning for a few years while people worked at home.

Now that the pandemic is “over”….there should no longer be ANY hesitation about continuing to remote work!

After all……the benefits of remote work / telecommuting do not change when the world is healthy…..

Benefits for a Company

You can hire anyone, in any part of the country, or the world.
You can downsize office space, or eliminate it completely.
Happy, rested, employees.

Benefits for the Employee.

You can work anywhere in the country you choose to live.
You can work when your body is ready to work (unless you have meetings).
No commute…just cross the threshold to get to work.

Here are a couple of guidelines for Companies:

Telecommuting is normally 2 to 3 days a week, with the other 2 to 3 days a week in the office. Companies should at least do that, but, they need to remember that telecommuting IS remote work. Just not full-time.

Remember: The benefits of telecommuting / remote work are not just for the company….they are for both the employee AND company….and as such, the remote work “rules” should NOT be dictated by the company, but, arrived at by mutual agreement.

What are the remote work rules?

I wrote an article a few years back. And copied some “rules” of getting started in remote work / telecommuting below:

Give your employee a task with a deadline.
Let them work on it anyplace, anytime.
Remotely connect with them, everyday if you have to, via any of the millions of ways you can connect via video, voice, data.
When the deadline rolls around, ask this question: “Is the task complete?”
If the answer is “Yes”…you have successfully implemented a telecommuting program. On to the next task.
If the answer is “No”….then that employee failed (or you did) try the same with another employee (or fix YOUR problem).
Oh yeah…set up a really nice retirement package for the Old Fashioned Bosses (OFB) who insist that people are not working unless they are seen by the OFB, and make them take it. Get them out of the way…

It’s easy, simple, and cost free.

By the way…..companies like Google and others who are rolling back remote work actually have the ability (and money) to take remote work to the next level.

Too bad they are lacking the IMAGINATION to proceed.

Imagine developing a virtual watercooler where people can “meet” to exchange ideas.

Imagine the ability to “walk” down the hall, or across campus, virtually, to meet with a group member or attend a meeting / class.

Imagine being able to exchange documents over a “table” or “desk” as easy as it is to hand someone a piece of paper.

Imagine a full-time video link up for group members where they can ask questions, brainstorm, work on documents interactively…..all day long. When the day is done, the person turns off then crosses the threshold back to their family life in a fraction of a second.

Imagine work from geographically dispersed locations as easy as it is to work in person…without the 2 to 4 hour commute and all the environmental / personal / corporate impacts that brings with it.

Imagine……

Oh wait…..Google and others….are NOT imagining…..they are reverting back to the dark ages.

Too bad!

Conclusion

I suggest that, now that remote work has proven itself effective (and everyone has been forced to understand it, and use it) that companies may want to also have permanent remote workers / telecommuters.

If that is the case, work with the remote worker to decide on a day or two every week, or a week or two every year, to have these remote employees be in the office……assuming there is an office.

While they are remote…..use videoconferencing all day, or at least, everyday to stay in touch with everyone.

That’s it!

It’s super simple, super easy, and you already know (now) that remote work, telecommuting, and videoconferencing work!

Two guidelines for remote employees:

Stay away from the fridge! 😉

If you are distracted at home, an extrovert in need of constant human interaction, or a parent in need of adult conversation………and NEED to go to an office:

Find a local COWORKING (coworking.com) location and sign up!

This way, you can go to an office when you need to, chat with people, go to lunch, use the WiFi, printer, drink free coffee, eat snacks, etc, and still be really close to home!