To say that the new era of technology is just around the corner is just an illusion, if we think about the fact that the third industrial revolution - also called technological science - has embraced us strongly for a long time now.

At work, sometimes it takes much more than courage and bravery to get on an unknown train, of which we know nothing more than its route: Avenida Futuro. For this reason, and especially those passengers of Baby Boomer origin - those born between 1946 and 1964 -, they are the ones who may run certain risks of adapting to a paradigm of which they are not yet imbued. However, many of them had the particularity of succumbing to the great tech dynamism to become the pioneers of new ways of thinking. The tendency to lead teams and be committed to the context that surrounds them is part of their DNA.

We mention the baby boomers for the simple reason that the large corporations of the moment have these people in their management positions. Likewise, these same enthusiasts are currently the leaders of small and medium-sized startups that seek to make a place for themselves in the midst of an innovative ecosystem that promises a lot.

Speaking of dynamism and new technologies within companies, remote work emerged as a strong trend for young and not so young people who are working for the first time or who are looking for a professional promotion. A wide range of possibilities opens up before us if we talk about remote work management.

Welcome Baby Boomers to the hybrid universe!

Implementing remote work

One of the first issues to take into account when implementing a modality of this type is the organizational structure of the company and the definition of its general and specific objectives.

If we talk about an organization that has vertical structures, it is very likely that it works with precise lines of control over operations and its departments. Among the possible deficiencies we can highlight a greater slowness to react effectively to demands. In addition, here collaboration between work teams is less organic and employee motivation tends to be moderate to low.

On the other hand, horizontal class organization charts are ideal for hybrid work since there is less hierarchization, promoting a closer relationship with collaborators. They operate in more flexible and collaborative environments that enable them to actively participate in decision-making. Here the reaction to change is much faster and more effective.

This classification is what will lead us to establish the series of organizational goals that we intend to achieve. From the first moment it is necessary to consider which roles are adaptable to the home office and which are not, and then clearly diagram in a Google Docs, which tasks will be able to be developed remotely so that they cooperate with the general and specific fulfillment of the objectives.

Once this is defined, it also becomes essential to create a work routine that stipulates issues inherent to the remote, such as, for example, the establishment of adapted brand manuals, the determination of the flexible working time slot - at what time of day and how many hours -, the distribution of tasks, the computer tools that are going to be used on a daily basis, the mandatory or non-obligatory provision of attendance at training courses during the working day, among others.

It is important to know that many enjoy working from their home offices, or from their favorite bar. While others find it pleasant to work in coworking spaces, these being centers of productivity, community and technology that have excellent network connectivity and also provide the ease of networking.

Communication and its resources

A second essential pillar in good teleworking practices has to do with communication. Yes, a term so great and elemental that one could even say that without it everything else runs the risk of failing or short-circuiting.

Having different people working spatially separated can constitute a colossal challenge if we do not make correct and extensive use of communication within the organization. The transmission of clear, concise and relevant information about news and challenges to be met constitutes the ABC of excellent management of groups of people.

To achieve the “face to face” effect typical of in-person presence, the closest tool to this is videoconferencing, through which it is possible to carry out effective coordination of remote teams without having to control minute by minute what each person is doing. Applications such as Google Meet, Zoom, Discord or even the video calls offered by WhatsApp are the ideal complement to keep collaborators connected, informed and motivated in an audiovisual way. On the other hand, if what you are looking for is to have collaborative work platforms, we can mention Microsoft Teams, Slack, Flock, Fleep and Glip.

Having a database that contains the birthdays of collaborators, anniversaries, holidays and other special dates are also great details that make for a good communication strategy via email, achieving closeness and personalization. Making polite jokes during virtual meetings, asking people how they are and sending messages with the occasional emoji are a plus that increases group morale in a positive way.

The importance of soft skills

Hand in hand with communication comes the third most important part when managing home office work is the enhancement of soft skills such as adaptability, flexibility, leadership, self-management, creativity, emotional intelligence and camaraderie.

Although it is intended that each and every member of the team has them developed, it is the leader of the work team who must be conceived as the example to follow for the rest, spreading these values in each of the group and personal meetings that occur. Within a remote work environment, where distance and a feeling of isolation often reign, the role of the leader as a helpful person who listens attentively and resolves day-to-day situations from a human and not merely technical perspective, behaves as an added value for organizations that seek to change their paradigm.