#6: The Evolution of Remote Work and Its Leadership 📈

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💡 “Distributed work” tip of the week

Expert of the week: Darren Murph (ex-Head of Remote at Gitlab & Andela, Future of Work Architect)

The Evolution of Remote Work and Its Leadership

1. 🚀 Remote Leadership's Importance:

   • Progressive companies are expected to appoint a 'Head of Remote'.

   • This role is crucial for potential employees evaluating a company's remote work values.
     

2. 🤝 True Remote Support: Supporting remote work is different from just allowing it. Genuine support allows flexibility in personal and professional life, as Murph experienced during his adoption process.
   

3. 🌐 Future of Remote Work: The 'Head of Remote' role will oversee all workplace experiences and ensure a unified company culture, evolving into a visionary for the future.
   

4. 🔄 Remote as an Ongoing Process: Transitioning isn't a one-time event. Dedicated leadership is essential to maintain a cohesive remote work culture.
   

5. 🤷 Diverse Challenges of Remote Work: Existing executives may not cover the vast evolving challenges. This encompasses issues like diversity, benefits, and more.
   

6. 📈 Changing Views on Remote Work: Pre-pandemic views saw remote work as a career hindrance, leading to a lack of seasoned remote leaders. The ideal leader will combine experience, vision, and influence.
   

7. 🏢 Scaling and Placement of Remote Leadership: The role can fit various departments and will be more complex in larger companies, especially in hybrid settings.

In essence, as the landscape of traditional work changes, visionary and experienced leadership will be pivotal for an efficient remote work transition.

How good is your company’s distributed work leadership? And how could you improve it?

📰 Article of the week

What Hybrid and Remote Employees Really Want 🏆

New research shows that it's no longer just about where we work but also when and how we work that matters.

“What Hybrid and Remote Employees Really Want”, a study conducted by FlexOS, sheds light on the preferences and challenges faced by hybrid and remote employees. Key findings:

• 50% of all employees practicing remote or hybrid remote work believe that more flexible time to work can improve their remote or hybrid policy, and 18% even want fully asynchronous work. One in three employees fancies a 4-day workweek.
  

• 30% of hybrid employees want more in-office days. But just as many people want more work-from-home days, highlighting that the office days remain a contention.
  

• Employees rate their managers a meager 7 out of 10 on their success in effectively managing their hybrid or remote teams. Employees also rate their manager poorly on hybrid and remote work best practices.
  

• 33% of employees want their companies to provide better remote technology and infrastructure support and offer a budget to set up ergonomic home workspaces.
  

• 43% of employees would consider quitting if requested to be in-office full-time. 23% wouldn't be happy but still return to the office. Only 34% of respondents would happily return to the office.

This research shows that while many have adjusted to working from home, managers and companies still need to catch up. Many best practices are far from commonplace, and a more concerted effort to level up leadership is necessary.

Download the full report here

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Have a great week,

Iwo & the Remote-First Institute team 💙

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