Should your Workplace Adopt a Work from Anywhere Policy?

Remote work is here to stay. Even as offices continue to open, hybrid and work-from-home practices exist to give employees the flexibility they need to navigate a new normal.

Work from Anywhere (WFA) takes this even further by letting employees work from wherever they choose - in the office, at home, while traveling - the possibilities are endless. Employers can also take advantage of WFA to gather the best talent from anywhere in the world. Dell Technologies and Spotify are just two of countless companies that have adopted WFA policies. Crescendo does this too (see our open roles here)!

Considering WFA for your workplace? Here’s what you need to know before you make a decision.

The Benefits

Flexibility and accommodation

In a post-pandemic world, flexibility is going to be a big priority. Just in July and August 2021, a survey by FlexJobs reported that 59% of respondents wanted a fully remote job post-pandemic, while 39% wanted a hybrid arrangement. With The Great Resignation especially, people are re-evaluating their jobs, needs, and plans for the future.

The flexibility of WFA gives employees the ability to accommodate their diverse needs. Caregiving responsibilities, travel, chronic pain and other medical needs, mental health, disabilities, and productivity preferences are just a few examples. In many of these cases, the office doesn’t provide the accommodations needed to be able to balance work and life healthily - and if there’s anything we’ve learned from the last two years, it’s that this is a necessity.

Giving employees autonomy

The foundation of WFA is trust and accountability. Employees are expected to meet productivity goals from the location of their choice, and sometimes, during the hours of their choice. It’s a pretty stark difference from the average 9 to 5 at an office.

Having this freedom gives employees the chance to innovate, make decisions about how to tackle work, and manage their own time. This accountability is important to employees and lets them know that they are valued and trusted.

Hire the best talent from anywhere in the world

WFA opens your candidate pool up to literally, the entire world. These days, you might be seeing it as a highlighted benefit in a lot of job postings. In combination with the growing need for flexible work, it’s the perfect way to get access to the best applicants. Plus, it diversifies your problem-solving and innovation.

The Drawbacks

Scheduling - time zones, working hours

WFA can sometimes require some creative scheduling. Between multiple time zones, unique working hours and travel, it can be hard to find mutual time for team meetings or all-hands.

This is where relying on remote communication is essential. Something else to keep in mind is how relevant a meeting may be to each attendee. Would their time be better spent elsewhere? Here are some ways to keep meetings productive and efficient for all.  

Setting communication expectations

If you’re going to implement WFA, you’ll need to put in a bit more work to keep communication consistent. Flexible work thrives on clear communication between employees and supervisors. This means communicating time zones, working hours, travel, time off, and more. Be clear about the expectations for these because this will be critical to the success of your WFA policy.

It could be trickier to create a sense of belonging

Belonging allows employees to show up to work with their full identity and potential. It contributes to ideas shared, innovative solutions and psychological safety in the workplace. If teammates work in different time zones and don’t interact often, they might not be able to connect with each other.

Luckily, virtual team events - like team lunches that accommodate for different time zones, can help teammates bond. Having global teams also means that employees can learn from each other’s diverse experiences.  

Here’s how Crescendo does WFA:

At Crescendo, our Flexible Work Policy involves communicating and planning ahead of time. Permanent and full-time employees can work from wherever they want with guidelines for scheduling and productivity. For instance, employees must have a stable internet connection, a safe working environment, and must be able to meet security and privacy measures. If their role involves interacting with clients, they need to be able to arrange their schedules to meet on client time as they would from their home location. If this isn’t the case, they may work asynchronously provided that they discuss with their manager first. Working from different time zones, relocation and time off must also be communicated.

With WFA, we maintain a safe and inclusive work environment through accommodation policies, open communication, flexibility and the freedom to work from wherever you want.

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Now you have a bit more information on the pros and cons of working from anywhere. Here’s one important thing to remember - it's all about setting expectations. As long as there are clear rules and expectations in place, WFA can work well for you.