The way we work is forever changed and companies that are embracing this reality are set to attract and retain more talent. With work teams more dispersed than ever, including ours at TechComms, there’s never been a more important time to rethink how we communicate, interact with one another, collaborate and stay productive.
With this in mind, we’re watching closely how AR is changing video conferencing for the better. We’re excited to see how this will play out in our work days and can’t wait for a more human, authentic, and realistic video experience. While we wait for more technology to help create closer interaction for remote/hybrid work situations, other countries are campaigning to entice digital nomads (remote workers) to their locations.
The Guardian recently reported that Spain is the latest country (joining 15 others) to offer digital nomad visas to “Britons and other non-EU citizens [giving them] the chance to work in the sun and enjoy a lower cost of living with tax breaks.” Each country offering these visas to remote workers has its own set of terms/conditions. Read more about it here.
It’s not surprising to see that tech workers are one of the biggest groups embracing flexibility and the benefits it brings to work-life balance and overall well-being. The challenge has been two-fold: How to create a collective and cohesive community amongst a distributed team along with the impact it can have on company culture as it can sometimes dilute the feeling/vibe that can be achieved more readily in-person.
So, how can you protect your culture while still enabling your team to work from anywhere? Here’s what we’ve learned:
Appreciate teammates, show gratitude. One of the biggest complaints coming from the workforce is that they don’t feel valued and appreciated enough. This is coupled with a general sense of not receiving recognition or accolades for their achievements. We know how important a thank you can be and it’s a topic we’ve blogged about: The power of a thank you. It’s a simple way to show you care. Thank a colleague whenever you can and mean it.
Be patient with technology. It’s not perfect and it’s not a replacement for in-person. To be honest, it was never intended to be, it’s now just evolving out of necessity to meet this paradigm shift in how we work. Be willing to experiment with different solutions to find the right ones for your team. And, don’t get so caught up in having Slack, Zoom, and countless other collaboration apps that it starts to pull away from being productive.
Bring everyone together when it’s possible. Could be weekly, monthly, once a quarter or semi-annually. Do whatever is right for you. Gather your team to collaborate and share your vision, strategy and company goals. Make it fun (think games, friendly competitions) and provide plenty of free time to encourage conversation and networking to happen organically.
This is truly an exciting time in the world of work. We’re pioneering a new way forward. It’s exciting to be able to work from anywhere and connect with colleagues all across the globe. Thanks to new digital technologies, we can bring more diversity, creative thinking and most importantly, joy and flexibility to our workdays. We’d love to help you grow in new ways, please contact TechComms, a b2b tech marketing and communications agency on + 44 (0) 203 322 8928.
