Women Working (Remotely)
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been addressing a survey by Deloitte Consulting that found one-half of all working women are considering leaving their jobs within the next two years. I explored the why (burnout), several factors that increase the likelihood of employees leaving (and how you can mitigate that impact), and what you and your company can do to keep your people—and keep them happy.
This week, I want to dive into one suggestion that keeps cropping up – and I hope you’ll agree that, as with the previous posts, this has little to do with women specifically and everything to do with creating a work environment that is good for your people.
The suggestion that continues to re-appear is remote work. We know (from The Great Resignation articles especially) employees are looking for more flexibility right now. That might mean working different hours than are typical, working shorter shifts (or shorter weeks), or working remotely (or in some kind of hybrid setting). Not only is this flexibility a selling point, it’s something that’s actually being demanded by workers. They’ve proven they can make it work (research shows remote workers are often more productive than those on-site, see my January 18th post), and they don’t want to go back to the old ways.
That being said, there is a caveat you need to know about: Remote workers, especially female employees, often feel excluded (whether they work remotely by their choice or not). This is a particular issue for women because they are more likely to request remote work or a hybrid setting (since they are often juggling more responsibilities than just their job).
While I encourage you, as the employer/manager, to allow your employees to work remotely whenever possible, there are steps you need to take to ensure this arrangement works for everyone. I shared a number of additional ideas in my January 18th post (linked below), but I want to highlight a few new ones here:
Be intentional. Remember that your team is made up of people on-site and off-site. Figure out ways to ensure everyone is connected and feels they belong to your organizational “family”. This may mean having regular one-on-one check-ins with everyone, whether in-person or virtual; scheduling social opportunities (be sure they are convenient and optional – unless they are mandatory for everyone), whether in-person or virtually; and/or creating some kind of buddy system where an on-site person and a remote worker are paired up in a formal way (to ensure the remote person feels – no, IS – truly connected and informed). What steps can you take to ensure your workers feel connected to your team and your organization, no matter where they work?
Regularly assess how tasks are assigned and how work is evaluated, with an eye on equity for remote workers (who are often overlooked). Are your metrics truly objective? How do you know? If you’re basing it on a gut feeling, that’s not objective! You need to have written guidelines and consistent ways of measuring whatever it is you’re measuring. Would others rate this work/that person the same way? How do you know? What steps can you take to improve equity for your remote workers?
Be sure to consider your remote workers for special assignments and for promotions. It’s easy to think of the people you always see, but what about those who are quietly excelling out of your view? Make it a point to think about their productivity and how you can do a better job of keeping them in the loop. You may need to go out of your way to contact and connect with your remote workers. Put it on your calendar! It’s worth it to help you keep your good people.
What other great ideas do you have (or have you implemented) for your remote workers?
Remember, “[of] the 5% of women who worked for companies where they felt supported, protected, and given opportunities to advance in their careers, none reported seeking a new job.” None! (Versus 50%…). How can you ensure your remote workers feel supported, protected, and given opportunities for career advancement?
What questions have come up for you around remote work?
Sources:
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/4/27/women-are-burned-out-and-want-to-quit-their-jobs-survey
https://www.roberthalf.com/blog/work-life-balance/rising-burnout