10 Jul Working from home vs the office – many IT companies were a step ahead

Over the decades, IT developers have been referred to as the geeks who are hidden away in the basement or worked remotely and often from home.  This work arrangement was accepted with ease, as anyone dealing with IT developers know that the work-load and deadlines called for as little interruption as possible. So, this was the norm, before it became the norm for the rest of us who clocked in at the office pre-Covid.

It was also the norm back then to work across different time-zones as some of these IT developers became more and more specialized and sought-after, but still wanted to have the freedom of choosing where to live. Today, many IT developers enjoy the privacy of their own homes and their family whist being contracted by a client from another city, province or continent.  Once again, this has become the norm in many other professions as well.

With IT developers being a step ahead of the trend of working remotely, there is most certainly some best practice tips that can be shared from this crowd.

While some of us initially were disheartened by the imminent physical disconnect caused by working remotely, IT professionals had figured out how to successfully work apart from each other as a team.

Best Practice Management Tips

Some of the fundamental best practice tips shared by IT companies that oversee IT developers who work remotely includes:

1. Work with people you can trust. This basic principle has proven over and over that a person who does not complete their responsibilities, won’t be swayed by an office to do it. IT developers have confirmed that they get more done at home where they can focus without interruptions, than at a busy office space.
2. Bring motivation and connection on a daily basis through short video calls.This makes people feel part of a team and a bigger purpose or goal. We were not created to function on islands. A friendly face and team spirit are enough to not feel left out.
3. Use good old timesheets. Many IT developers work on an hourly rate.This makes accountability easy and avoids people having to constantly work overtime without compensation. This makes taking leave or planning for leave much easier as well.
4. Structure work into smaller deliverables. This makes it less overwhelming, more focused and easier to plan around leave or personal matters.

Working remotely has most certainly put more emphasis on finding the right people to work with, rather than just finding people with the right skill-set.  The combination of individuals with the right attitude, sense of responsibility and trust-worthy attributes, is a complete win for all parties and the future of work as we know it.

/Ends