How would you rate your Virtual Intelligence leading your team?
Virtual Intelligence Within A Remote Workforce showed us that despite the challenges of leading a remote workforce, there are many advantages to work remotely. Therefore, we need to change our fixed mindset, recognize these advantages and not be naïve as to how they can help our team become more productive, efficient, and happier.
Although some are “zoomed out”, only 7% of remote workers desire going back to the office full-time. There are far more advantages to leading a team with a hybrid model.
The challenges of on-boarding, staying connected, and having access to everyone on the team are far outweighed by the advantages to your remote workforce.
1. The first advantage to working remotely is the ability to have flexibility in where you live.
If organizations continue to allow the option of working remotely, employees can choose to move where there is a lower cost of living, better weather, or perhaps more family members close to them. This can equate to a happier, healthier employee and possibly reduce your costs. Some companies are offering their employees the option of moving elsewhere and adjusting their pay lower to correlate with the cost of living. Whether Adaptability® is a top strength or not, you can see how all of your team can enjoy flexibility.
2. The second advantage to offering virtual work is increased productivity.
Those with the Achiever® strength will appreciate this! Think about it–working remotely means they can work in more relaxed clothing to represent who they are. They aren’t fighting traffic, filling up the gas tank, juggling dropping off the kids earlier at the babysitter, etc. Buying back time and creating your ideal work week means you have a happier, more engaged employee who can increase productivity. Research shows most people work more hours when working from home than they do at the office.
Several of my clients have increased their productivity, creating new innovative products, and multiplying results with record revenues even during the pandemic. If your strength is a Maximizer®, you’ll find yourself cheering over this as your team maximizes their productivity beyond what you could believe possible.
3. Finally, working remotely buys back time for better well-being.
Employees can take breaks to eat lunch with their spouse, pick up the kids, or go to the gym. And, let’s not forget they are not fighting traffic for several hours per day which keeps their stress levels and blood pressure lower. My wife has leveraged her Discipline® strength to lose 49 pounds to be the most physically fit she has ever been with an added bonus to me–working out with her daily has empowered me to lose 15 pounds and go down to my college waist size of 32.
While these are not an exhaustive list of advantages to a remote or partially-remote workforce, these top three reasons are motivating enough that companies are taking note. More and more corporations are allowing their employees to choose a flexible work schedule with a limited amount of time in the office or going totally remote.
As a leader of a remote or hybrid workforce, changing the way you lead, connect, and engage (what I call Virtual Intelligence) can exponentially increase the advantages of working remotely.
What advantages do you see by working remotely? What are some of your success stories? Please comment below.
Would you like to lead your team with greater Virtual Intelligence according to their strengths? Click here to find out more.
Many workers have ADD. Not ADHD, just ADD. Being productive for 60 minutes and having the flexibility to shift gears for 10 to 15 minutes and then get back to work……. invaluable. Tie some flies, do some push-ups, get dinner started, etc. Good post.
Yes good distinction Coach Bake. This is an example of how to be more productive. Thanks for sharing my friend.