Fading quickly into history are the days of working in an office environment with stale air, rigid dress codes, restrooms shared with coworkers, dreading Monday morning and a long commute. In the book, Deep Change, Quinn (1996)unveils an employee’s perspective of how some could view the toxic side of the workplace: “Here we house the legions of the walking dead. When people join the legions of the walking dead, they begin to live lives of quiet desperation. They tend to experience feelings of meaninglessness, hopelessness, and impotence in their work roles” (p. 20). Imagine a workforce that is thriving outside the office, connecting with others even across miles, and developing a new norm of the workplace.

We are free to work, which is what so many find satisfaction and personal triumph in, and view work as an unique opportunity to be productive in varying environments. It is possible to thrive at work while working remotely and connect with others. What can thriving in one’s work be like?

Thriving is about being energized, feeling valued, feeling what you do is valuable. For me thriving is a sense of connectedness. Feeling good about what you do. So thriving is being productive, still being able to learn new things. I think thriving is being open to challenges presented and to learn and grow, and having those opportunities to grow. I know thriving as I feel it. It is like going forward. It is not staying in place. It is not stagnant. You are moving forward; not necessarily in job titles or positions, but just being able to move forward thinking and in the activities that you are engaged in and in your mindset, all of those things. (Spreitzer, et al., 2005,  p. 538)

Thriving at work and connecting with others can be applied to the remote experience. Strengthening bonds all while working outside of the office environment – what an innovative and untapped perspective on the potential of remote work! The possibilities of remote are endless. Throwing off the confines of the office and going on an remote adventure can make one feel a sense of excitement to thrive in their role outside of the traditional office. As organizations and professionals continue to view remote work as a viable option, the credibility and opportunities for a remote workforce will increase.

Your employees have chosen to work at your organization for a variety of reasons, and over time, your team has developed a bond. By offering employees the opportunity to work remotely, you can strengthen that bond.  

Remote work delivers a bundle of perks to employees. Remote workers save money on gas, vehicle maintenance, fast food, and other expenses associated with working onsite. The biggest appeal of remote work may be its positive effect on quality of life. Remote work allows employees to reduce or eliminate the stress of commuting, which supports a better work/life balance. All of this contributes to higher job satisfaction and employee retention.  

Yes, remote work has the potential to strengthen the bond between your employees and your organization. You can fully realize that potential with professional development courses from WorkforceRemote.org.    

References

Spreitzer, G. Sutcliffe, J., et al. (2005). A socially embedded model of thriving at work. JSTOR.

Quinn, R. (1996). Deep change: Discovering the leader within. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.