New to remote work? Here's how it's done.

The increase in workforce dispersion has changed the way organizations operate day-to-day: how they recruit talent, evolve company culture, and communicate within the company . Or at least it should.

Business leaders need to embrace the new reality of remote working: to be fully agile from top to bottom. But while navigating dispersed teams can be quite challenging, it's not unlikely, as many organizations are discovering. In 2022, leaders who want to do this successfully would do well to invest time in these three critical areas.

1. Grow your talent pool - from regional to national.

Previously, employees had to be located close to the office. Not anymore. And while job seekers are looking for holistic, goal-oriented work that offers them a chance to grow professionally, employers have a unique opportunity to experiment.

Decades-old barriers to employment are now gone, catching the attention of organizations of all sizes, including Fortune 100 companies like Google and Apple. As organizations choose to continue operating as a dispersed or hybrid workforce, leaders are realizing that changing the way they recruit – from local to national or international – can help them meet their own unique needs. in talent. In doing so, leaders are also leveling the proverbial rules of the game by broadening their field of recruitment. The term "diverse team" takes on new meaning, reflecting employees from different industries and geographies. And this redesigned talent pool improves organizations' ability to sustain retention.

2. Build a digital company culture.

"Digital literacy" is not a new concept; it stems from the idea of ​​digital business transformation. Across industries, organizations are moving beyond traditional structures and digitizing their business processes and customer relationships. But changing the corporate culture in this way does not happen overnight.

To create a strong digital culture, leaders must first be more mindful of the environment they want to create across the organization. This means being clear from the start on which outcomes or outcomes are most important to the business: streamlined remote work processes and improved collaboration with the latest digital tools, for example. Leaders - from the C-suite - should also manage the dispersed workforce more responsibly, mitigating the side effects of implementing new technologies and ways of working, such as employee burnout. employees. And that means encouraging communication from a diverse group of employees and developing strong process plans. Communicative and accessible leadership like this goes a long way when it comes to establishing a foundation on which a digital culture thrives.

3. Create trust and transparency within the workforce.

Trust within the workforce is fragile; it is gained over time but can be lost in an instant. The same goes for transparency. Nonetheless, trust and transparency are essential for a dispersed workforce, as they together promote openness, inclusion, and collegiality, wherever employees are.

Leaders who accept this premise come one step closer to success in managing a dispersed workforce. They are able to take immediate action on issues important to employees and help each person fully understand changes to systems and processes (as mentioned above). In other words, they are able to make employees feel more heard, informed and aligned. After all, the latter are also the drivers of business success. Those with knowledge and influence on the ground become the "voice" of the latest initiatives.

Ultimately, growing the talent pool, nurturing the digital company culture, and generating trust and transparency will make a dispersed workforce feel more supported by company management and connected to the overall mission of the organization.