As an organization that manages change for our clients, we regard change as a familiar friend. In March of 2020, we had to make some quick decisions and changes in order to help keep our team members safe whilst also providing them what they needed to be productive. We had a real-life opportunity to guide our team from uncertainty and indecision to precision and definition. Throughout the process, we learned how adaptable our team is, as well as recognizing why working remotely has been exceptionally successful for us.

As guides for change, netlogx helps organizations manage change successfully and shares best practices. Here are just a few benefits of providing a successful remote work environment and how you can make it work for you:

1. Environmental Benefits

Did you know that global carbon dioxide emissions fell by 6.4% in 2020? While the world was at home, emissions decreased and allowed our world to heal just a little bit more than normal. 

It’s no secret that global warming experts have cautioned and fiercely advocated for stronger environmental laws to help prevent future catastrophic events due to global warming. While there are some cons, remote work is more environmentally friendly because it reduces the need for travel, single-use plastic utensils, and more. We are actively encouraging virtual meetings instead of in-person meetings whenever possible. Every little bit helps, and the netlogx team is on board to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible. 

2. Cost Savings

One thing that many organizations learned during the pandemic is that they do not need as much office space as they thought. Many businesses paid rent for office space they were not fully using, and many have chosen to downsize or remove their physical offices altogether. Plus, employees were able to save on travel, work clothes, and food by not coming to the office! In fact, according to CNBC, “employers can save $11,000 per employee by enabling remote work, and employees can save between $2,500 and $4,000 a year.”   

netlogx decided immediately to have everyone work from home and downsized our office space during the pandemic. No one was required to travel to the corporate office, and our office space needed less maintenance because it was not occupied for the majority of the time. We saved money on rent and our team members were able to save money and time associated with coming to the office. In addition to saving time, there is the eradication of the stress of the morning/afternoon commutes, being stuck in traffic, and so on. It was and continues to be a win-win!

As a company, we plan to continue to work virtually and only host in-person meetings whenever necessary. Our corporate office allows those who want a break from home a safe space to work.

3. Improved Productivity

According to Business News Daily, “remote workers work 1.4 more days per month than in-office workers adding up to 3 more weeks per year.” Plus, according to Apollo Technical, “the average person spends 8.5 hours a week commuting to work, which adds up to 408 hours a year.” 

We know our team members are more productive by looking at the data from the last 18 months of working from home. They are more deliberately able to plan and focus on their work with reduced travel and no more delayed flights or traffic jams. They are also able to work during times that they are most productive. We want our team to be productive and successful, and remote work has changed the way we operate in the best way possible. Working remotely also further supports our team members’ work-life balance. I feel like we have been able to better connect with team members by routinely seeing their home environments, children, pensioner parents (in my case!), and pets during team video calls! Additionally, we have been able to offer new challenges and opportunities as team members can telecommute to where the work is.

4. Recruiting Possibilities

Whilst we have hired people who do not live in the same state as our headquarters in Indiana before, being fully remote has opened up a whole new recruiting pool. In the past, we mostly hired individuals in the states where we had secured clients or projects, seeking to allow work-life balance and reduce the road warrior commutes of old. Thanks to working virtually, our recruiting pool has widened immensely and we are now able to hire from anywhere in the US, provided they are the right candidate. We have seen how this has further enhanced our netlogx family with the fabulous new team members hired throughout the pandemic!

How We Managed Change During COVID-19

Managing change is what we do, and we practice what we preach. It is important for us to lead by example and we followed the same protocols and best practices internally as we did for our clients:

  • Identify wants and needs: We conducted a series of surveys to find out how our team members wanted to work and if they felt fully supported during the pandemic. The majority of our team members told us they wanted to work from home and they shared the tools they needed to be successful.
  • Create a plan: We created a change management plan, communicated the plan, and regularly kept our team members in the loop. 
  • Executed the plan: We swiftly put protocols in place and provided security protocols to ensure their home networks were safe.
  • Monitor the change: We regularly asked our team members for feedback and had an open-door policy to share concerns with leadership. 

In retrospect, as we always have done when working in the office, we did everything we could to make our team members comfortable while they were working at home with the goal to set them up for success. In fact, we gave away desks and other office furniture at no charge to our team. Something as minor as purchasing a fan if someone’s home office was too hot made the world of difference to team members. We have tried to accommodate whatever was needed to facilitate successful virtual working.

The Biggest Benefit: Enhancing Our Culture

At the end of the day, our decisions last year were taken utmost and foremost to protect our team members’ health.  We wanted to do everything to help prevent the spread of COVID while also giving team members the balance they want and need. Protecting the health of our team members, clients, colleagues, and the community at large remains our top priority.

Wellness, whether it be physical, emotional, or mental, is incredibly important to netlogx, and I am delighted to reflect on the variety of initiatives we implemented to provide additional support and help our team members be successful during this challenging time:

  • Provided virtual monthly team-building meetings on relevant wellbeing topics 
  • Hosted random appreciation lunches (virtually) to recognize our team for their hard work
  • Sent out regular communications, including wellness postcards to encourage participation in our wellness initiatives
  • Proactively encouraged team members to get their COVID-19 vaccines and we are securely tracking those vaccinated should clients require this information
  • Offered regular diverse training through our Learning Management System, as well as best practices to keep home offices secure from cyber attacks
  • Supported those team members who have worked on critical projects requiring an in-office presence 

…and so much more! 

We also want to take a moment to acknowledge those who have stepped up and worked outside the home, especially the essential workers—health care professionals, grocery store workers, mail and delivery workers, drivers, and many, many more. Thank you to all the carers around the world who have helped us get through this pandemic. We continue to applaud you!

Navigate Change Successfully

The changes we have made in the past year and a half have made all the difference, and it’s evident from the feedback we have received that our clients and team members are happier than ever. I am proud to work for netlogx and grateful for all the calculated risks the organization takes every day. It is truly a pioneering company and leads by example in every way possible. We encourage you to find ways to make remote work, and change management, work for your organization. 

Are you looking for help navigating change for your organization? Change is complex, and it can be challenging to navigate on your own. We can help. Request a free consultation with our team today.

Want to see how your organization measures up when it comes to change? Take our free change management assessment and get real-time feedback on how to improve. No email or contact information is required!