Covid-19 has caused major change and disruption across industries over the past two years. A number of organisations have allowed their people to work from home. When employees learn, from direct experience, that remote working fits their lifestyle, they will try to hold on to it as long as possible.
A survey by Stanford University of 17,000 US employees in January this year found that about 50% of respondents who have worked from home were hoping to continue with hybrid working once the pandemic is under control.
The direct benefits of working from home are obvious: saving time and expense from commuting, balancing work and personal life, more opportunity for healthier activities such as exercise and spiritual practice, learning for skill improvement, and time management discipline to name a few.
Remote working also helps resolve issues of proximity between physical office and employee, enabling cross-country working and beyond, across time zones. Research released in March by Ivanti, an American IT security management company, showed that 71% of employees would choose to be able to work from anywhere over being promoted.
The organisation also receives direct benefits such as saving on space rental and utility costs. Many executives also enjoy online meetings since they typically start and end on time, which helps enhance organisational effectiveness.
A steady diet of remote meetings is not to everyone's taste, however. Participants are encouraged to turn their cameras on but not everyone does. Fewer face-to-face meetings leave some employees feeling abandoned and lonely.
After a protracted period of working remotely, some people experience mental health problems, or start having irregular mealtimes, doing less exercise or eating between meals, leading to deteriorating physical health. According to McKinsey's American Opportunity Survey released in April, 23% of respondents say mental-health issues affected their ability to perform effectively.
Trust between boss and employee can also be in doubt amid feelings of reduced inclusivity. According to a Google Workspace survey last October, more than 70% of respondents indicated that the culture of trust between managers and employees needed improvement. Management needs to be aware that remote employees may become less loyal to the firm, which may affect organisational culture in the long term.
INTERACTION CRITICAL
Beyond remote work, some organisations are going a step further by adopting a "work from anywhere" policy. This means employees do not need to come to the physical office unless their jobs require them to do so, based on an agreement between them and their direct supervisor.
ZyGen, a Bangkok-based IT consultancy, is among the local organisations that have adopted a work-from-anywhere policy. But managing director Cholapatr Bhuripanyo is aware that the organisation needs to strike a good balance.
"Although a computer program can help us to support a work-anywhere approach, I have a strong belief that human interaction is highly critical," he said.
"Our online platform provides tools for everyone to interact, via their own avatar, with others on a regular basis just like they actually do on-site. This creates and enhances a friendly and cooperative atmosphere among our team members.
"During the last 10 months, the number of interactive games [part of our employee relations activities] that I have had the opportunity to join was more than in the previous five years. Since our people actively participate in interactive games, I can say that it reflects their mindset as team members as well."
But working remotely can also lead to a disconnected workplace. Some people miss the simple act of walking around the office and daily small talk with colleagues. Some remote workers feel "alone in the room" when they switch off their computer after an online meeting. Others who still have to show up at offices, only to find them almost empty, can also feel lonely.
Mr Cholapatr tells a story of his office maid, whose regular duties included making and serving coffee, cleaning, dishwashing and so on. With far fewer people in the office, demand for her services was reduced. However, he saw that her work had value in other ways.
"I told her that there was good news and bad news. The bad news is that fewer people will come to the office. Hence, your services will not be required as before. The good news is that we need you to support us in a different role," he said.
These days, she still "walks around" the office -- but with her avatar -- chatting with employees, interacting with them, and occasionally providing feedback to management on the general feelings of the team -- whether they're relaxed, cheerful or stressed.
There is no one ideal solution for every workplace. Remote working is here to stay, but different executives have different views about how this should play out in practice.
Carlos Tavares, the CEO of the automaker Stellantis, intends to allow hybrid work in the long term. On the other hand, Tesla CEO Elon Musk insists white-collar staff must go back to the physical office.
Ultimately, your organisation will have to decide which approach is best suited to its needs, whether it be work from anywhere or the right hybrid combination of on-site and remote working.
Directors and senior executives who can answer these questions faster than others will have a better opportunity to last longer in the game.
Sorayuth Vathanavisuth, PhD, is Principal and Executive Coach at the Center for Southeast Asia Leadership. His areas of interest are executive coaching, leadership development, succession planning and talent management. He can be reached at sorayuth@sealeadership.com
