Rethinking the Modern Workplace Dynamic

The Virtual Workplace Model Is Still Ready for Takeoff

Around the Millennium, forward-thinking strategists envisioned a new work paradigm and promised we’d all soon “work smarter, not harder,” and “work from anywhere, anytime.”  

These words have remained adages and little more.

In today’s digital economy, work-life balance that includes the ideal of an 8-hour work day is more fantasy than reality. The “virtual workplace” model, where employees conduct their work remotely from home and elsewhere instead of a main office, is still just a pipe dream for the vast majority of companies, even early-stage startups. So, what happened?

The Virtual Promise Remains Unfulfilled

Now that business is truly global and anyplace /anywhere /anytime with cloud-based software applications and mobile devices, it’s actually harder to unplug and take a real vacation. But if you can track down your employees in the Bahamas, why can’t they work there year-round?

Seriously, it shouldn’t be a rhetorical question. And studies show that people need even more breaks from the constant flow of emails and instantaneous distractions of texts and social media notifications that come with today’s hyper-connected means of doing business. What’s more, this problem keeps accelerating as new digital tools and cloud applications continue to proliferate with the intention of making us even more productive.

Work-life balance hasn’t changed a bit. People still work 10- and 11-hour days, and still spend precious time idling in traffic as they commute to and from the office every day. Shouldn’t we re-evaluate what systems and processes we now have in place, and then see how we can adjust them to create virtual teams and give employees the work-life balance that’s more important today than ever before?

Leaders Must Set Examples

Despite this widespread lack of adoption, there are plenty of examples of successful companies that have gone entirely virtual—from law practices to financial services organizations, from public relations agencies to software firms. It may not make sense for large corporations or businesses in certain industries to go the route, but at least some teams might do so. Most companies already have remote sales teams that must regularly engage and coordinate with headquarter offices. Why not extend that privilege to other departments?

HireLabs is 100-percent remote; our recruiting team is spread across the country. And we work with clients that are also geographically dispersed. We’ve succeeded at it by creating a culture of ownership and communication. This allows our employees to reclaim time that they’d otherwise spend commuting to an office.

We don’t waste money on overhead for offices that aren’t necessary. Our days are structured in whatever ways are most efficient to accomplish our work and achieve our goals—personally and professionally. Being effective is what this work dynamic is all about. And when it comes to attracting new members to our team, we are an employer of choice because we offer the best of what work has to offer.

Let Us Help

Contact us here to learn more about how our virtual team works, especially if it’s a workplace model you’re considering for your teams. And let’s talk recruiting too! We have a vast recruiting network nationwide and experience hiring talent both near and far.