by Halai Shukran

In 2022, as the world was trying to determine what normalcy looked like two years after the beginning of the pandemic, companies were trying to figure out what their new normal would be after the corporate world all went remote and now things were “opening back up” again. Did that mean that companies would go back to 100% in-person work? Would a hybrid model work? Do they just stay remote and build off practices that were established during COVID? Regardless of what stance was taken, statistics show that 48% of employees are looking to stay in remote positions or seek that in their next job. That is definitely something to pay attention to as an employer.

In the last three years, Pluribus Digital has formalized remote-first company practices and expanded recruitment to attract talent from across the nation. This means that more of our workforce that has been onboarded since the start of the pandemic are outside of the DC Metropolitan area. And you know what? This has boded well for the organization. Naturally, the company decided to continue the remote-first culture and establish that as the new normal for us.

How did we come to this conclusion?

• We don’t measure productivity via “butts in seats” and a “time-watching” culture. Our performance procedures are rooted in achieving goals and tracking accountability.
• People have adapted their work schedules to fit their lives, finding ways to ensure responsibilities at work and home are both met. Some folks start a bit later to ensure they can take their kids to school, while others may start earlier to have more time outside while it is still daylight. This is reliant on a culture of trust and autonomy. The focus is less on work-life balance, more about work-life integration. This has been the key factor in driving our principle of “nurturing a calm culture.”

There have been many learning opportunities in transitioning to a fully remote-first workplace. The following are some things that we have done well and areas where we can still improve.

What have we done well?

• Maintaining a pulse point on employee engagement and ensuring we are consistently finding channels for upward feedback to help evolve our practices and provide ongoing support to the team.
• Finding ways to ensure employees can be productive while remote. Pluribus launched a home office reimbursement policy where employees are provided with a $200 reimbursement annually to ensure their equipment/home office needs are met.
• Offering a hybrid mix of in-person and virtual events. Some people still crave in-person interaction, but not all Pluribus staff live near other employees. Creativity, deep thinking and teambuilding are beneficial outcomes of in-person collaboration, but there is more than one way of achieving those things.
• Investing in leadership and formalizing management roles so that teams and people are supported effectively in their day-to-day, as well as focusing on career development paths and encouraging growth by using the career model that the company launched in 2022.

What are we still learning and where can we improve?

• How can we support leaders and ensure they can focus on delivery and results? We are working on continuing to refine our performance management procedures and setting clear expectations of leadership so that all areas of company growth are successful: account management, contract delivery, employee growth and development.
• Finding the right balance of complete autonomy in setting schedules while still setting expectations of when to be online and available. We are establishing core collaboration hours as a company and ensuring those norms are set at the contract/program level as well.
• Establishing the right communication strategy. When you cannot interact with people in-person, communication becomes key to creating an inclusive environment, ensuring all voices are heard and employees have all the information they need. Pluribus is scaling our communications to offer the right mix of touchpoints (1:1s, company meetings, company emails and newsletters, etc.). This also includes ensuring the right mediums are used in these comms (email, Slack, employee portal, etc.).
• Offering a holistic wellness program to support all aspects of employee health (financial, physical, emotional, social, occupational, etc.). We are transitioning from a series of one-time initiatives into a consistent wellness program. Burnout statistics in the last few years further showcase why this needs to be prioritized moving forward.

Pluribus is focused on doing remote-first right — it’s an ongoing evolution that has to keep employees’ needs and company growth at its center. As a talent leader, it has made my job much more important, keeping me hyper-focused on keeping our people engaged, satisfied, and committed to the company.