This post was documented on the 15th March – 1 Month Ago!!!! Now this may become a lifestyle so a great read – Recycled!!!

Remote Working

Whether you’ve been working remotely for a decade (like me!) or are just getting started on your remote working journey, there are ways of making sure it’s a delight instead of a total drag. 

For the many that are forced to embrace our way of working now -there may be fear, anxiety and a lot of uncertainty. But to be honest its the best way to work i feel and for years i have belonged to remote organisations and have been attending church remotely, conferences remotely and have absolutely loved being connected even though i was not physically in that room. So embrace this season to become more tech savvy.

In a recent survey, 77% of respondents reported greater productivity when working remotely compared to working in an office setting. In a different survey, 82% of respondents reported feeling happier when working remotely. 

However, remote work is not all sunshine and yoga pants. 

Some challenges of remote work include feelings of loneliness, isolation, and disconnection. However if you get the right mix – you can become most productive as a remote worker. I truly believe that putting good learnings into place will help those working remotely for the first time—or for the fortieth time—be their best remote working selves.

What Is Remote Work?

I’m going to define remote work as “working from home, collaborative spaces (or wherever you choose) as a discipline.”

This means you’re treating remote work with an appropriate amount of respect and thoughtfulness at both an individual and at a team level. 

You’re constantly trying to better yourself as a remote worker, and build a balanced remote culture within your team. The next most important thing is for your team to develop a shared context. A shared context means everyone is playing by the same rules, understands the team’s rituals and practices, and feels that they are operating in an equitable environment.

A normal programme at the Leadership Academy SA.  Some people are in offices, some people are working remotely. Can you tell?

Most people who work on Leadership Academy SA activities  do so remotely. We decided to go down that road early on when we were a startup because remote work enabled us to meet anytime and anywhere, we get to hire the best people regardless of location, develop a results-oriented culture, and scale our processes digitally.

So how did we do it?

Let’s first explore what it really means to be a “remote worker” because that’s the first step to success. 

Working From Home Does Not Equal Remote Work

In a lot of companies, “working from home” is synonymous with well, not really working.

One of the biggest misconceptions about remote work is that we’re all just sitting around in our yoga pants, binging Netflix, and doing our laundry. I think this comes from a mentality that, if you can’t see someone, how do you truly “know they are working?”

That’s got to be the first cultural myth to dispel in any organization that is really, sincerely willing to give remote work a fair chance. When remote work is your day-to-day reality, and not a wink wink nudge nudge exception, it becomes imperative to figure out the best ways to work.

People have different times where their energy peaks and you will see their are extremely productive – for some its 11pm at night and for others its 4am- remote workers get to schedule their time around this productivity. the worst thing is to be stuck on a commute during your most productive thinking time. So here are some insights on how to develop a remote working plan.

LASA’s Rules For Remote Work

We’ve developed a list of rules and practices that help maintain a shared context and help our team work together no matter where they are located.

1. Assume Remote

If even one person on your team is not in an office, assume remote. This means that you should take meetings from your desk and make sure to share all context of said meeting in a recording of some sort – either written – but i actually just share the link of the actual recording as soon as possible.

2. Have A Dedicated Office Space With A Door That Closes

When you’re working remotely full time, it’s important to designate and optimize a workspace that is not your kitchen counter or living room couch. I have dedicated Home office. Which is private and very beautiful, it’s my haven for productivity.

The door that closes is about making sure you’re creating the mental space to focus. This means having dedicated childcare when you’re working, just as you would if you were working in a traditional office environment.

3. Have The Tools To Do Your Job. 

Every team needs to use a defined digital toolset and every individual needs to have a strong internet connection. For example, we use Zoom for video meetings, Watsapp for chat,  Google Docs for sharing docs. Your toolset may be different, but defining it as a team is important for developing that shared context.

4. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate 

Follow the Rule of Seven, which states that people need to hear a message seven times before they’ll internalize it. If you feel like you’re over-communicating information, you’re probably communicating just the right amount.

5. Schedule Face Time

Make sure your team has the opportunity to meet and bond in person. Having regular off-sites is key to fostering human relationships that make working remotely function better and more smoothly.

Working remotely only works in organisations where Leadership Abilities are high – like ours. The reality is we are an organisation built on trust, purpose and autonomy. These are things we have cultivated for year. I guess it true that leaders keep climbing the tallest tree and keep a good vision of changing terrains. If you haven’t been fortunate for gearing your team to work remotely, maybe now would be a good time.

Reach out to us to assist helping you develop a plan to keep your greatest asset healthy in this very tumultuous time

with Love

Ella