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How To Make Sure You're Using Asynchronous And Remote Work Effectively

Mona Andrews, Esq, founder and CEO of Stay in the Game, a company changing the lives of women by offering flexible, remote work.

We’ve learned much about the ways we work over the past two years, but one lesson, in particular, stands out: The 9-to-5 schedule is now officially a relic of bygone days. Some companies, however, still aren’t adjusting to the new reality. If they don’t lose the blind spot and get on board soon, it could impact business growth and continuity.

The bottom line? Work has changed—and so has hiring. Employees’ expectations now include asynchronous or remote work opportunities. But many companies still don’t quite know how to make the most of this arrangement.

Asynchronous And Remote Work Solve Today’s Workplace Challenges

Two years in to the lifestyle changes brought by the pandemic, the benefits of asynchronous and remote work are clear. In adopting these strategies, you improve productivity, broaden the talent pool, reduce costs associated with a traditional office environment and improve work-life balance for your employees. There are no empty commuting hours, and workers can stay productive even while juggling kids and other home responsibilities. Plus, when employees work asynchronously, you’re not clustering all the work into a single timeframe, which means better coverage, fewer bottlenecks and smoother sailing for everybody.

Beyond those benefits, switching to asynchronous and remote work can solve issues that employees experience alongside their work lives. For example, in 2020, more than 5 million American women lost their jobs; globally, the number ballooned to more than 64 million. Many were forced to choose between their jobs and their families. Health issues were another concern that affected all employees. Covid exposure risk was a constant worry for those with chronic conditions or people caring for older family members.

4 Ways To Approach An Asynchronous And Remote Workforce

Normalizing remote work and asynchronous schedules sends a welcoming signal to professionals who are still able to work but need different hours. Once initiated, there are several considerations you must make to really reap the benefits of this nontraditional workforce.

1. Be aware of your proximity biases.

In remote, asynchronous and hybrid work environments, it’s easy to overlook employees who aren’t in the office. It’s critical to rectify your proximity biases to ensure equity so all employees have the same advancement opportunities regardless of where they do the work. Examples of proximity bias include assigning higher-value tasks or offering development opportunities to in-office employee, and not encouraging remote workers to contribute in meetings.

Leadership has a responsibility not to impose their preferences on others. Even if you prefer to be in the office a couple of days a week, you shouldn’t favor employees who do the same. Many remote workers have proved they can do as much as—or even more than—they did while working in the office, and they don’t want to go back. It’s up to management to maintain a fair and equitable culture.

2. Use actionable strategies to correct proximity bias.

Once you’ve noticed the primary areas where your biases are coming out, you can take steps to overcome them. Here are a few tactics to try.

• Increase your awareness: Awareness is the first step toward addressing proximity bias in teams that are largely remote or when certain employees are receiving more one-on-one face time with leadership. Once these areas are identified, you can begin to correct the course. Sharing information on the topic, both as distributed materials and in meetings, is an excellent place to start. Creating a level playing field may take some effort but knowing how to identify the risk is a step toward remediation.

• Keep conversations going: One-on-one interactions are another essential intervention. You may not be able to meet your remote workers in person, so communicating with them regularly—either in small-group or individual video chats or phone calls—keeps everyone connected, aligned and informed. Additionally, it’s just as important for remote and asynchronous team members to connect with each other as it is for them to connect with team leaders.

• Focus on outcomes, not the physical environment: It’s human nature to think more about a person you see every day than ones you don’t. However, all employees have objectives and KPIs they need to reach, so moving those metrics to the forefront is key. When you do this, it will be easier to see which employees are thriving and who might need help.

3. Take advantage of technology.

Companies today have a massive advantage in the range of available technology to facilitate remote and asynchronous work. We have the ability to facilitate any imaginable work scenari, so people don’t miss a beat no matter where they sit and when they work.

Customer relationship management (CRM) software and platforms make it easy to align workers to shared goals and track progress with high accuracy and efficiency. Choosing the best solution for your needs might be the hardest part. The tech landscape is vast, but depending on your industry niche, there are likely some solutions that meet your requirements more closely.

4. Trust your employees.

In switching to remote and asynchronous work, it’s good to remember that the effort shouldn’t be made with too much emphasis on accommodation. Ultimately, it’s about showing you trust your employees to do what they do.

To best accomplish this—while ensuring productivity—communicate clear expectations about goals and outcomes. Moreover, a consistent management approach ensures no workers feel marginalized or left behind, so avoid micromanaging your remote or asynchronous workers. While applying these strategies may require a shift in your usual style, doing so strengthens your culture from within and promotes engagement throughout the organization.

Navigating the workforce shift brought on by the pandemic will create lasting business growth and promote longevity. When remote and asynchronous work is done mindfully, companies will get precisely what they pay for: happy employees who are engaged, productive and results-driven. That’s the bottom-line value you can grow on.


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