Issue #4: Lessons from a remote CEO
4 Lessons from Remote Work Entrepreneur Sharon Koifman
We're always looking to learn from the remote-work experts out there. Sharon Koifman, serial remote entrepreneur and current CEO of DistantJob, a remote recruitement agency, recently shared his wisdom on the Remote Work Life podcast.
Here are 4 takeaways on thriving in a remote environment:
#1 Introverts & Extroverts can both thrive in remote work - but don't expect it to happen on its own.
Remote work can be an incredible leveling field for an organization, and it creates an environment where introverts can thrive. You have fewer distractions on a day-to-day basis, and a shift towards asynchronous communication allows more team members to contribute without worrying about a couple loud voices in the room drowning everyone out. Really - this is good for everyone. But extroverts will miss the social aspects of the office more readily: chatting in the kitchen, grabbing coffee or lunch with co-workers, happy hours. The answer?
"Extroverts can live a perfectly happy life, if they remember they're extroverts!"
If you know social interaction is important to you, then make time for them! Take time each day to schedule lunch with a friend, or meetup for a walk, or plan an activity. The pandemic has conditioned people to think of working from home as meaning no social interaction at all, but as/when things have opened up, extroverts shouldn't forget to make that time to see friends, family and even co-workers if geography allows. As Sharon says "You shouldn't be lazy with your social experience" - it's important for mental health and productivity.
#2 Remote work increases productivity, but it can injure longevity.
Remote work brings its own challenges, including the fact that it's easy to over-work, and not properly separate work & life. Burnout is real! "There is still a mental health issue that has not been solved yet." says Sharon. It requires very proactive managers and co-workers to know your employees and look for sign of over-working and burn-out, or on the flip-side a disconnect from the organization. Otherwise you may have great output for a while, but people will eventually leave the organization. "Creating a [great] culture in a remote environment is more challenging" - but it is absolutely possible.
#3 Culture should be about creating connection, not looking cool. Sharon's definition of culture is connection. Too many companies focus on things that seem cool, but don't really help employees connect to each other or the organization.
For remote teams, Sharon finds that enabling 1-1 connections can often be more impactful than large group happy hours or events. Apps like Donut - a slack plugin that connects co-workers - can be a great way to facilitate this.
#4 As a manager, don't worry about small distractions among your employees. Some individuals benefit from stricter separation between 'work time' and 'personal time'. But if it helps someone to be able to run an errand during the day, or make lunch at noon - let them. According to Sharon, employees are already so much more productive (with fewer distractions) that sweating the small stuff isn't worth it. Focus on bigger picture ways to enable them to be productive and successful.
In the News
The Good
Last week we talked about the importance of companies taking their employees' mental health seriously. Now the New York Times reports on the many companies realizing the risk of burnout, and offering perks and additional time off to combat it: We'll give you a week off. Please don't quit.
We also reported that Costa Rica and other countries were introducing "Digital Nomad Visas" that allowed people to stay in the country for extended periods of time, while working remotely. You can now add Sri Lanka to that list! And now, more US States are making their own incentive programs, with West Virginia's program (which offers $12k, mortgage discounts and other benefits) receiving over 7500 applications so far.
The Ugly
The Guardian reports on the companies turning to the most draconian measures to make sure their employees are working while remote: Bosses turn to ‘tattleware’ to keep tabs on employees working from home.
Tips & Recommendations
Tip #1 - Trying to navigate a new world of hybrid work with your managers or employees? Check out NPR's 5 Tips To Successfully Make A Hybrid Setup Work For You And Your Boss
Tip #2 - Planning to work on the go? Up your productivity with
these 6 High Tech Tools for Digital Nomads
Tip #3 - Need to let off some steam about work? Re-watch some of the classics from this list of 10 must-watch Movies about work life
...and one more thing
To celebrate the Digital Nomad lifestyle, we feature a couple photos each week of someone enjoying their freedom and flexibility.
This week's photos come from Harrison, who hit the road with his girlfriend Emma earlier this year for what would become a 7-month adventure of working & living on the road. Below are shots from just a couple stunning locales they hit out west, including the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Montana. Look forward to a deeper dive with Harrison in a future issue on what it was like to pick up and travel the country!
