Office or Remote?
Photo credit: Bianca Tuckwell
When the Covid pandemic hit a few years ago, most businesses scrambled to decide the best working arrangements for their employees. Some organisations, like Shopify, had no trouble adapting to the new paradigm as they had already embraced a “remote-first” approach. Yes, they had beautiful offices worldwide, but they had also mastered the art of remote work, giving their teams the freedom to work where they preferred.
Interestingly, during the initial months of the pandemic, employee engagement increased across many organisations. In my opinion, this was because businesses had no choice but to trust their employees. People had to stay home, and organisations simply had to trust them to get the work done. However, engagement dropped again a few months later. Why? In my view, it was because businesses started introducing “policies” and “guidelines” to “control the output” of their employees, chipping away at that trust.
Today, the debate about working arrangements is still alive and well. Organisations continue to grapple with finding the right approach. Some have mandated a return to the office, others have gone fully remote, and many are experimenting with hybrid models.
So, what’s the right approach? Well, it depends. Here are some ideas to help you find the best solution for your business or team:
Let the work decide
Start by letting the work decide—not the Executive or People and Culture team, but the nature of the work itself. Some roles are clear-cut: frontline staff like nurses or manufacturing workers often need to be on-site, while roles like customer support for clients in another country are naturally remote.
The question is trickier for typical “office” knowledge workers. In these cases, let the work guide you. For example, at Neu21, we adapt based on client needs: sometimes they want us to facilitate in person, and other times remotely. For internal work, we let the teams decide.
2. Let the teams decide
If the work can be done either remotely or in person, empower the team—not just the leader—to decide. Teams might feel it’s beneficial to come together face-to-face at certain points, like at the start of a project or when solving a particularly complex challenge. Or they might prefer a hybrid approach, balancing personal circumstances with team needs.
The key is flexibility: don’t impose rigid schedules or set days. Leaders should act as coaches or facilitators, helping teams arrive at the best solution. If it doesn’t work, adjust. Ways of working should evolve, not be set in stone.
3. Take trust out of the equation
If you’re asking people to come to the office because you don’t trust them to work remotely, you’ve hired the wrong people. Nothing erodes employee engagement and satisfaction faster than a lack of trust.
Treat your team as adults, and they’ll go above and beyond for you as a leader. Focus on outcomes, not outputs. Celebrate what your team achieves, rather than counting how many days they’re in the office or hours they work.
4. Build deliberate ways of working
Once you’ve let the work and teams decide, and shown your trust, establish deliberate ways of working to support them.
First, ensure you have the right technology to enable seamless remote work, along with access to physical spaces—whether permanent or temporary—for when in-person collaboration is needed.
Second, introduce clear rhythms, cadences, and visual management techniques. These will help everyone feel aligned, in control, and connected to the work and each other.
What do you think? Are you letting the work and your teams decide? Are you demonstrating trust? Do you have the right ways of working in place?
