Remote working is here to stay
Remote working continues to be a hot topic as organisations look to move beyond the pandemic and establish their working practices for the future. But top talent has got used to working from home and the benefits it offers. This means organisations must be very considered in their approach to remote working and despite a desire to bring staff back to the office, think about the bigger picture when it comes to opening themselves up to the best in the business while ensuring current employees are happy and don’t consider looking elsewhere.
To learn more about just how important remote working is for both businesses and candidates, we spoke to Antonela Maglica from Van Kaizen.
Do the majority of employees now expect to be able to work from home at least some of the time? Is remote working here to stay?
Yes. During the pandemic, many employees got used to the flexibility and convenience that remote working offers and want to continue to benefit from that. It seems that remote working is here to stay and will be central to talent acquisition and retention for many years to come. Remote working does bring plenty of upsides for organisations to take advantage of, including gaining access to a much larger pool of talent and being able to offer employees a better work/life balance. That’s why businesses must consider the expectations of their employees when it comes to remote working and reflect this in their talent acquisition and retention strategies. That said, remote working might not be suitable for every role so finding a balance between remote and office-based working while still meeting employee expectations is vital.
Why do some organisations not like their employees working remotely? Is this the driving force behind some companies calling them back into the office?
There can be a few reasons for this. Some companies have concerns over productivity, effective communication and team unity. Others are worried about security and safeguarding sensitive data, which is much more challenging when staff work from home. It can also be hard to instil a strong company culture when a large number of employees work remotely. It’s often a combination of these factors that causes organisations to call employees back to the office.
What challenges is this presenting for organisations? How can they strike the right balance between remote and office working?
Remote working rewrites the rulebook when it comes to conventional approaches to management and communication and can lead to instances of micromanagement due to the lack of physical employee oversight. To crack the code for remote working, businesses need to carefully evaluate factors such as job roles, team dynamics and the preferences of specific teams and individual employees. They then need to determine how to use technology to open up communication channels and implement performance metrics to effectively track productivity and engagement. In IT recruitment, which is my area of expertise, it is increasingly important for organisations to identify
candidates who possess strong remote working skills and who can demonstrate adaptability amid what is an ever-evolving working landscape.
Some roles are better suited to remote working than others. Can companies realistically allow some teams to work from home and others not? Is this seen as unfair?
Certain job roles are better suited to remote working than others. Software development and IT support are good examples of roles that lend themselves to home working given the inherent characteristics of the tasks they require talent to undertake. But other roles are less suited and that’s why companies must establish transparent and balanced policies to govern remote working arrangements. By maintaining transparency and fostering open communication, a business can ensure their remote working policies are understood and perceived as being just and free from any form of discrimination among all employees. Of course, the company can offer different perks and incentives to employees based on whether they work from home or not.
What impact does remote working have on whether employees stay at or indeed join a company? Is it a major factor in the talent you place?
The opportunity to work remotely carries significant weight when it comes to talent acquisition. This is because it opens up new opportunities by transcending geographic boundaries and expanding the potential talent pool for organisations. Companies that provide remote working opportunities often have the edge in attracting candidates who value flexibility and a healthier work/life balance. When it comes to retaining employees, the option to work remotely is a major driver of people sticking around. For IT recruiters, it’s important to consider a candidate’s preference regarding remote working when matching them with suitable job opportunities – understanding these preferences is often a key factor in successful talent placement.
Does remote working actually open up opportunities when it comes to securing talent? How can organizations maximize this?
Absolutely. As touched on already, embracing remote working can enable an organisation to tap into a vast, global talent pool that is not limited by location. This allows them to engage exceptionally skilled candidates and the best of the best from across the world. To harness the full potential on the table, organisations need to establish a solid remote working infrastructure, have well-crafted and implemented policies and develop and deploy seamless and effective virtual onboarding procedures. IT recruiters like Van Kaizen also have an important role to play by spotting top talent, regardless of location, and aligning them with organisations that have embraced remote working.
Any final thoughts you’d like to share?
For any organisation looking to attract and retain talent, it’s important to maintain an ongoing assessment of their remote working infrastructure and policies to ensure they remain flexible and responsive to the changing needs of employees and the wider job market. They must also recognise that remote working is not a universal remedy and that the key to success lies in tailoring policies to fit specific circumstances and requirements. Fostering trust and open communication between remote and in-office employees is also a must and ultimately is the only way to facilitate seamless collaboration across the entire organisation. As IT recruiters, we can provide valuable insights into the readiness and preferences of talent when it comes to remote working and this insight empowers organisations to make informed decisions about talent and how each individual aligns with its objectives.
