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6 Ways to Create an Effective Workplace Culture With a Dispersed Workforce

Your next hire could work remotely, in-person or on a hybrid schedule. Review your management style to build a collaborative culture regardless of employees’ locations.
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6 ways to create an effective workplace culture with a dispersed workforce

It has been just a short time since remote and hybrid work options emerged as an integral part of the insurance agency environment. Born from necessity in 2020—when the world got a collective memo on the need to create a remote workforce to keep the business operating—many organizations did an admirable job of pivoting quickly to a fully remote operation. It was a seismic change in the way work had been conducted. In doing so, they realized that the switch wasn't as difficult as they might have perceived and productivity did not take the massive hit that was expected. The change, it seems, worked in the interim.

However, fast forward to early 2023 when stores, gyms, museums and all manner of businesses opened back up for good. Many organizations noticed that overall productivity had declined. Moreover, there seemed to be a loss of culture and younger workers were missing out on mentoring opportunities.

As a result, large corporations are leading the demand for employees to return to the office.

In the insurance industry, the retraction is fully underway. At the height of the pandemic, 61% of insurance agencies had employees working remotely, according to data from the Big “I" 2024 Agency Universe Study. Today, that number has declined to 46%, with 54% stating that they do not have any remote workers.

The reasons employers give for the move include the need for in-person collaboration; the need to maintain corporate culture; the need for younger workers to develop a career path; an expectation that revenue will increase if staff are in-house; and the notion that requiring in-house work improves retention.

They're not entirely wrong. Not all employees thrive in a remote environment. Organizations still find themselves unprepared and sometimes unable to effectively manage remote employees. As a result, employees can feel adrift, unmotivated, unsupported and underutilized.

Still, there are plenty of reasons why agencies should be considering a hybrid mix of workers. For one, remote and hybrid work models attract talent. Zippia research shows that 44% of U.S. employees prefer a hybrid work model, and an Owl Labs study reveals that 59% of survey respondents are more likely to choose an employer who offers hybrid or remote work over an employer who doesn't.

Yet, it's tough to convince organizations that are struggling with managing a hybrid workforce to continue to offer hybrid work. Some may be locked into the same management style they've used for in-house staff, unaware that hybrid and remote workers need much more communication and a concerted effort on the part of the employer to build them into the team and the culture.

The New Workforce

Agencies need to compete on a broader scale because having the best people matters. To get the best people, it may mean having to learn how to manage a mix of in-house, hybrid and fully remote workers and how to bring teams together who might not be in the same workspace.

Your next hire could be a fully remote worker or a worker who may work remotely for part of the week. While they have the right skills for the role, it makes sense to review your management style against the need to build a collaborative culture with all employees regardless of location.

As veteran talent in the insurance industry continues to retire, implementing a hybrid work management process can help your organization compete for the best talent. To build that inclusive culture, start with where hybrid or remote solutions work for your agency.

Building in Success

Not every organization nor every employee needs or wants to work remotely. In fact, there is still a need for some employees to be in the office. Younger workers may require more mentoring and management support, while employees who struggle with remote work or who don't have ideal working conditions at home could benefit from a dedicated workplace.

When deciding who can work a hybrid schedule or fully remote, be sure to base that decision on factors such as years of experience, the position and duties, and the inability to find qualified talent within a reasonable driving distance. Also, consider the employee's needs before deciding if a hybrid work arrangement is right for them.

With careful planning, a hybrid work model can benefit your organization. But it can't be management as usual—that mix of in-house, remote and hybrid workers means agencies need to address the added layer of complexity those options bring to managing and communicating with the entire workforce. Managers need to understand all three scenarios as they develop new communication methods.

The key to a successful in-house, hybrid and remote workforce can be traced to these factors:

1) Communication

Communication is the lynchpin to the success of all your employees, no matter where they work. The more you communicate with your employees, the quicker you build a cohesive relationship and the better the outcome.

Employees working remotely need to hear from you as much as you need to hear from them. Train all your staff to use video calling—Microsoft Teams or Google Meet—even for those in cubicles on the other side of the office. Set up several avenues for your employees to reach you, such as video calls, instant messaging, email and phone.

Reach out to all employees regularly. Check in to see how they're doing. Ask what's new, if they have concerns, if they need support. Managers should be talking with employees frequently to make sure they are on target with goals or if they need help or additional resources. Remember, this is true for in-house employees as much as it is for those working remotely. Your entire team should feel connected to management and the organization's goals.

2) Mentoring and Training

Hiring a remote employee requires a remote onboarding process, which includes training on your systems and your processes, shadowing a staff member and mentoring. You already have the communication tools to create an effective training program. The minute you hire a new employee, they should receive support from your team. During training, review their progress with them and let them ask questions and bring up issues. Give them every resource available so that they can exceed expectations.

3) Measurables

You'll know how an employee measures up to expectations because you will put benchmarks in place. By creating checkpoints for progress, you'll be able to easily identify those employees who are falling behind. You'll learn that they might need more guidance, better explanations of the goals, more training or more help. Actively communicating with all your employees, remote or otherwise, helps you get your people on track.

Hold monthly one-on-one meetings with all your employees. That's the time for employees to voice any concerns and for you to help them address performance issues, project issues or other warning signs that something may not be going well personally or professionally. At these meetings, work with employees to set goals and benchmarks toward them.

4) Regular Feedback

When you build a culture of open-door communication and judgment-free feedback, your employees are empowered to speak up and help your company improve. Encourage them to speak up about any issue, work-related or personal. Personal issues often impact work results. Get your employees talking. Create that safe space where they can tell you what's going on. Then have the resources on hand to help them improve personally.

5) Accountability and Ownership

All employees should feel that management is part of their team, but also that they themselves have a voice in how work processes and projects can be handled. If the issue they want to address is work-related and they are able, assign them ownership of the issue. Give them the necessary resources and additional help, if needed.

Nothing raises morale better than making each employee feel like they are a valued participant. Giving them responsibility can help them feel connected to the organization's mission. That alone builds trust and makes an employee more proactive in the overall success of the organization.

6) Social Interaction

No matter where your employees are working, they need to feel part of the social fabric of your organization. That's made more difficult through remote work, but it's far from impossible. There are several ways for your organization to bring your people together. Even weekly meetings can allow time for employees to connect.

Hold virtual happy hours. Celebrate milestones. Mail employees party boxes and gifts to help make them feel connected to the celebrations. Call out accomplishments in meetings, in emails and on video calls. Host game nights and give prizes. Plan an annual in-person retreat so that employees can meet and deepen their connections.

The goal is to build a culture of appreciation and cohesiveness. Organizations can do that by building a culture that includes feeding relationships. Make sure to reward achievements and let every team member know how valuable their contributions are to the organization.

It takes a little more effort to build a management style that includes in-house, hybrid and remote work. However, the time is well spent. Not only will you see productivity increase, you'll notice a positive shift within your workplace culture. Employees will be more connected and more inclined to stay. In a tight job market, that matters.

It starts with looking at how you've approached in-house, hybrid and remote work management and where you can improve. By implementing a strong focus on communication and a more inclusive, collaborative approach to employee management, your organization can foster a more productive remote culture and happier, more dedicated employees.

Sharon Emek, Ph.D., CIC, is founder and CEO of WAHVE, a leading talent solution provider for the insurance industry. WAHVE's innovative Vintage Contract Staffing solution supplements insurance firms' staff with pre-retiree work-at-home vintage experts on long-term contracts. 


18168
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Recruiting, Hiring & Training
Digital Edition