How Does Remote Working Change The Way You Innovate?
Since the COVID-19 pandemic the way people work has changed. Home working has become the new norm and has affected the way business leaders manage their teams and how they innovate. However, there can be many advantages to remote working when it comes to your innovation using technology and collaboration practices. Many businesses have struggled because they have attempted to transfer the processes and methods they used when working in office, rather than adapting to the new environment.
Business Are No Longer Bound By Location
With remote working businesses can hire people anywhere. This means that your team can be more diverse and take advantage of creative and innovative ideas from everyone. We at hgkc believe that innovation is for everyone, and it is the role of a business leader to encourage their teams to think innovatively.
There is a great opportunity for many companies to start hiring from all over the country, even overseas, allowing them to focus on the skills, knowledge and diversity of talent in a wider pool rather a geographical region. This can help businesses to become more inclusive and diverse, and to create the foundations of a strong and innovative workforce.
Increase In Flexible Working
Remote working has increased flexibility for your team. For many firms allowing people to work their hours when it suits them and giving your staff this freedom helps them to think differently about work. Your people have an opportunity to be inspired by something different from remote working compared to the static office 9-5. There is a real challenge for teams to build creative practice, moments of sharing ideas and developing innovative capabilities in remote working. Introducing flexible working with some time built in for teamwork and collaboration yields great results.
Including flexible working allows your employees to focus on their mental health and wellbeing – allowing them to take the time they need for themselves which will help to foster an environment that boosts creativity, productivity and innovative thinking.
Give Your Team A Choice
Many businesses have found a way to work effectively from home, however, there are those that do prefer to be in an office space and are motivated more when they feel they are in the ‘workplace’. There are many employees who have never met their employer or their colleagues and many who would prefer to be working alongside their team members. There are concerns about the career prospects of those working more remotely as they may suffer from the lack of visibility at work. Introducing a hybrid style of working that suits all your team’s needs, giving your people a choice of whether they would prefer to work from home or in the office will help encourage them to do what is best for the business and enable them to be at their most productive.
Many businesses have also introduced a split working week, for example 2-3 days working from home and the other days in the office. This allows for some in person working where your team can bounce ideas off each other and creativity can still blossom in the workplace instead of over a video call.
Remote working has changed the way many companies address innovation in today’s world. It is the role of leaders to maintain employee focus and encourage innovative behaviours from your team.
For advice on how to encourage innovative thinking read our blog or for more information on innovation in the workplace take a look at our Innovation page.
