From Remote Work to Asynchronous Work: Upcoming Challenges
In a previous article, we discussed how GBH transitioned to remote work starting with the pandemic and how we’ve successfully and efficiently maintained this mode.
In this article, we will focus on the new challenges associated with remote and asynchronous work.
We understand people’s expectations have changed, and remote work is highly valued, especially by younger generations. Being a tech company, we know that many of our tasks and objectives can be achieved remotely, so we implemented a “Remote First” policy. This means we prioritize remote work over other modes if the nature of the position allows it.
It’s exciting for us as a company to consider how this policy can reach new profiles who find it more difficult to integrate into physical workspaces.
Yes, our shift to remote work began circumstantially, but having seen the positive results it brought to our company and collaborators, it has become a flagship, and we will continue to push for it.
We embrace the opportunity to continue working with highly talented people from Santo Domingo, Santiago, or anywhere else in the world. Despite many companies promoting a return to the office, maintaining this dynamic work mode, which has proven to be so proactive, collaborative, and innovative, is a fundamental part of our culture, and we will continue to bet on it.
New Expectations
However, we know some aspects can still be fine-tuned, and although we are constantly seeking new ways to permeate our “coolture” equally for everyone, there are some challenges to overcome.
For example, a current limitation is the time zone barrier. Some people in different time zones might find joining work calls or participating in team
meetings challenging. Although we’ve managed to maintain a smooth workflow adequate despite these challenges, they still can cause inconveniences that might even reduce the motivation or productivity of some individuals.
That’s why achieving asynchronous work is an interesting bet for us. This would allow people to meet their work objectives, deliver stipulated tasks, and maintain smooth communication without necessarily adhering to a specific local time zone schedule or even having to join meetings at odd hours.
We understand asynchronous work as interactions that happen over a deferred period. This means that people working in this mode don’t have to interact in real-time with their peers or supervisors but move through task delivery or goal achievement within a previously established time frame.
Asynchronous work brings many benefits to collaborators, such as:
- Better time management.
- Ability to focus on specific tasks.
- Working at times of peak energy.
- Gaining more autonomy in their position and work.
- And, of course, working from anywhere worldwide without interrupting their sleep and rest times.
Additionally, communication remains adequate and smooth with tools already established in virtually any organization, such as email, internal messaging platforms, shared documents that are worked on simultaneously online, and even the internal talent management portal.
However, this work model also implies numerous challenges that must be addressed when considering implementing this option.
Challenges of Asynchronous Work
First, implementing asynchronous work requires a deep analysis of each position’s times and movements, how they interact with each other, their needs in terms of information flow and communication, the commitments generated with clients regarding response times, and our expectations as a team. It is a challenge to overcome.
Additionally, another aspect we focus on at GBH is how to maintain connection, motivation, and engagement with our organizational culture with this work mode. When there isn’t more constant communication, it’s easy for people to start feeling isolated or not part of the team.
Our big question is: How do we maintain a dynamic and participatory culture when we have people collaborating at different times?
The challenge, of course, is to extrapolate that sense of belonging and emotional connection we have today to those in other cities or countries. So far, we’ve managed it compensatively, but perhaps not with the same impact as it is experienced locally. And that’s where our focus is.
For asynchronous work to be successful, it must integrate key factors such as productivity, efficiency, and flexibility. This means that expected deliverables, estimated times, fulfillment commitments, and other metrics are established beforehand. These help not only monitor performance but also help Managers and leaders have greater clarity of expectations.
Knowing that our teams prioritize a leadership style based on trust, communication, and openness, this mode doesn’t assume an inconvenience but needs clarity in expectations and pre-scheduled periodic communication.
Today, most of our collaborators work remotely or hybrid, and we have begun implementing asynchronous work with some people who require additional flexibility due to their personal needs or geographic location.
The next step is measuring communication flows and information exchanges to identify moments when more significant interaction is needed. This way, we can schedule strategic sessions, calls requiring immediate response, or specific updates when all collaborators can converge.
Identifying these aspects helps keep communication on the expected course and meet timely objectives.
This does not mean that everyone can and should work in this mode but that those who require it, whether due to specific situations, professional expectations, personal preferences, or various locations, can join the team and contribute the same way as the other collaborators.
If your organization wants to invest in remote or asynchronous work, we invite you to learn more about GBH’s Coolture on our blog and social media.