Issue #8: The remote shift
Is your company thinking of going remote long-term? They're obviously not alone, as more companies big & small shift to permanent remote & hybrid work models. The question is: how do you do it right?
We've collected 3 articles with practical and actionable advice for any organization looking to make a shift towards remote, and want to ensure their organization - and employees - are the better for it:
#1 HR Morning: 8 keys to a better remote work plan
#2 Forbes: Create A Long-Term Remote Work Strategy With These 5 Powerful Tips
#3 Fast Company: Ready your organization for a hybrid work model
In the News
The big news this week in the 'return to work' tug-of-war is that PwC - one of the 'Big 4' consulting firms - announced that all 40,000 of their U.S. client services employees can work remotely indefinitely. It's a big move at a firm (and in an industry) that has historically prioritized face-time in the office and with clients. But as Yolanda Seals-Coffield, deputy people leader for PwC, said about shift: “We have learned a ton through the pandemic, and working virtually, as we think about the evolution of flexibility, is a natural next step.” Employees will still be expected to come to the office occasionally for important team or client meetings, but that requirement is capped at 3x a month. Here's Forbes on how this could reverberate in the industry.
But while PwC (and most other major corporations) are sticking with location-based pay, there's some counter-evidence that a strong labor market and a pandemic culture-shift are overriding those goals. As The Protocol reports: Today, startups and public companies alike are losing candidates in secondary or tertiary markets who are getting competitive offers "that are blowing historic offers out of the water," observed Katie Hughes, a partner at General Catalyst. Check out the full article here: 'The candidate is king': How tech workers can leave Silicon Valley, but keep the pay.
Tips & Recommendations
With remote work, and the myriad of tools available to communicate & collaborate asynchronously, it's worth rethinking how you optimally work, and push to build your schedule around your ideal life. Ask questions like: When are you most productive? What activities do you want or need to make time for during 'normal business hours'?
Need some inspiration? Check out this great blog post about how 7 engineers each used the flexibility they had to craft routines that worked for them: Async, remote, and flexible: How 7 engineers rethought their work calendars
...and one more thing
To celebrate the Digital Nomad lifestyle, we feature a few photos each week of someone enjoying their freedom and flexibility. Email us your photos to be featured!
This month, I'm sharing some photos of my own journey as my wife & I make our way across the country in our converted van. Below: photos from Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
