How to prepare your IT org now
What can you, and your organization, do to prepare for a new world of more remote work?
First off, make two lists: what makes you the individual truly unique, and what makes your company truly unique. More employers will be competing for more people, especially after the economy hopefully rebounds a bit, so standing out is more critical than ever, as both a candidate and a hiring manager. Get some help with these lists: Ask co-workers about what makes you different, and outside parties (clients, partner organizations, etc) about what makes your organization different. You’ll be surprised at the common themes that emerge in the answers – and ready to tell a more compelling story.
Second, set some “Big Hairy Audacious Goals,” for your organization or yourself. The dramatic shifts fueled by remote work create a rare opportunity to make step change progress, be it in your group’s diversity or your own career progression. Not sure where to start? Begin by capturing, with your team, all of the positive changes that have happened during the COVID-19 period. Are there things you should extend or do more of? Things you stopped doing that should not be allowed to re-emerge? It’s a great moment to think big.
And finally, reflect on what remote work really means – to you and your organization. What excitement is it creating? What anxiety? The blessing and the curse of remote work is that it’s not one-size-fits all … and the changes everyone experiences will vary as a result. Think through the positives, the negatives, and the unintended consequences (again, positive and negative). Listen to your team and your broader circle of stakeholders – not once but continuously. And be willing to make tweaks in real time too, as people’s experiences and needs change.
The remote work journey will have its stops and starts, but on the whole there is cause for optimism that more remote work may truly change the workforce for the better.
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