Editorial
While remote work has long been popular with employees, it's accompanied by the suspicion that it's harmful to career prospects as we're "out of sight, out of mind." I touched on the topic in a recent article after research from the University of Warsaw confirmed those suspicions were right.
Much of the apparent stigma is rooted in biases, such as the belief that remote workers work less, are less committed to their team and/or organization, or that they're less collaborative. It doesn't seem to matter that none of these things are true, as these pervasive biases have lingered on, even as the evidence about the positive aspects of remote work have stacked up since the COVID pandemic made remote working mainstream.
Normalized Remote Work Is an Equalizing Force
However, a recent study from the University of Michigan suggests we may need to rethink our views on the discrimination faced by remote workers.
Suffice it to say, such a shift doesn't happen by magic. It requires a shift, both in attitude and practices, to ensure that remote workers are treated as the equals of their in-office peers and not second-class citizens.
The researchers observed distributed teams in a range of organizations, as well as interviewed managers and employees. They found that when remote working is the norm, old power dynamics tend to vanish.
Questioning Work Location Norms
The researchers remind us that the rise in remote working during the pandemic worked to normalize what was previously a largely minority activity. The relative scarcity of remote workers before 2020 made it easier for stereotypes to form about their engagement and productivity. It also meant that processes were largely forged with on-premises workers in mind.
The result was that remote workers were often out of the loop in terms of information, and managers promoted and rewarded employees as much based on visibility as ability. When the majority of colleagues were in the office, it also meant that remote workers inevitably missed out on the kind of informal interactions that are so valuable (but might occur less frequently than we think).
All of these factors reinforced a kind of hierarchy in the workplace, with those in the workplace deemed more valuable and worthy than those remote. Those on-site also tended to wield more influence and power.
The Great Workforce Leveler
COVID changed all of that, as offices shut and everything went remote. I've previously examined how leaders try to display status in a virtual environment (tldr: it's down to how much airtime you're afforded), and the crux of the matter is that it's pretty hard. You don't get visual displays of status. You don't really get preferential access to people when everyone is working remotely.
This change occurred despite organizations using tools that had existed for a decade or more. The researchers found that a number of organizational changes stood out that underpinned a flatter, more meritocratic approach to working life:
- Work became codified — Remote working sparked a change away from presenteeism as a measure of productivity and towards a more clearly defined way of understanding what people do at work, and how they do it.
- Socializing was a virtual affair — With everyone remote, teams had to find new ways of getting to know one another. There are different ways we can get to know virtual colleagues, and it's increasingly evident that with a will, there is most definitely a way to ensure that remote teams remain connected.
- Communication became asynchronous - With a range of communication methods available, it became less important to get immediate answers to questions. Instead, conversations became more flexible, whether through chat, voice calls or video. This new flexibility helped remote teams operate on the same footing as on-premises teams.
Changing the Game
These changes helped break down the primacy of in-person working life, with all of the inherent biases associated with that way of working, and promised to replace it with something far more inclusive.
The research highlights just how much of a game-changer this was for many remote workers, who went from feeling left out and devalued to being an equal and valued member of the team.
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The psychological shift was just as important as the logistical one. Employees reported feeling more respected, which in turn strengthened collaboration and relationships. In other words, remote work was not only a structural leveler, but an emotional one too.
A Fragile Progress
The progress is by no means guaranteed to be linear, however. While hybrid working arrangements are now commonplace, a risk remains that organizations will use this to slip back into old patterns that favor those in the office versus those who are not. If office attendance regains its privileged status, remote workers may once more find themselves pushed to the margins.
The study provides a timely reminder that the remote work debate isn't simply about where people do their work, but also involves the way companies design the tools, cultures and systems that govern how work is done.
Editor's Note: Catch up on other dynamics the remote work debate stirred up:
- CEOs Blame Work From Home for Company Failings. Here's Why They're Wrong — Remote work has become a scapegoat for all sorts of company shortcomings. Here's what those claims leave out.
- Back to the Office, Sometimes: The State of Hybrid Work Today — Who decides how often you’re in the office? A look at the latest stats and stories in the never-ending 'where do we work' saga.
- Return-to-Office Mandates: Layoffs in Sheep's Clothing — Companies demand employees come into the office for many legitimate reasons. But in some cases, it appears to be a tactic to force employees out.
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