Any notion that companies can weather the storm and hope for a return to an industry devoid of remote work should be dismissed, with forecasters already backing the predictions held by many that the influence Covid-19 has had on how we work will not be disappearing along with the virus. Instead it’s time to adapt to the new normal, and with that comes the recognition of how vital soft skills will be for future success.
At the heart of remote work is self-disciple, a skill which can be even more difficult to tackle when in an informal environment, separated from colleagues.
The challenge of avoiding distractions and staying firmly on task is balanced by a high degree of freedom in how employees complete their goals. Some workers have the potential to flourish when given total control over their own schedule, following an individualistic plan which works perfectly for them. Performance leadership coach Ashira Prossack has suggested some more practical solutions for those less self-motivated, such as noise-cancelling headphones or apps which boost productivity and track time.
Maintaining self-disciple overlaps with another soft skill favorable for remote workers: adaptability.
Certain methods of working may simply not be transferrable to the home, but viable substitutes and different ways of achieving the same goals must be found. Remote working is likely to continue to evolve, and we can expect brand new hurdles to materialise within this developing system, IT complications already being one frustratingly frequent example. Keeping support available to help resolve unexpected issues is a top down step which should be taken, but workers with a talent for innovative problem solving may be able to overcome challenges independently.
In addressing the soft skill of communication, (now more important than ever) Darren Murph of all-remote company GitLab stresses how different a dialogue can feel for those working from home. He suggests that leadership may need to involve a more “empathetic touch” and that some consideration be taken as to how team members would prefer to receive information. Clear and concise messaging also lays groundwork for any remote employee joining mid-project and attempting to catch up.