3 ways leaders can shine in an asynchronous environment
The rhetoric around remote work has been ramping up; a Gallup survey has pointed to a record disconnect between remote workers and the mission and purpose of the organizations they work for. Meanwhile, return-to-office mandates recently reached a crescendo, with a slew of companies, including Zoom $ZM—which became synonymous with the remote work revolution—summoning workers back to HQ.
But the data is, in fact, in. Countless studies have proven the benefits that both employers and workers gain when working remotely. Our 2023 study across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America revealed that 69% of employers saw increased retention after adopting remote work, with 57% stating it’s easier to hire and retain talent. Moreover, only 17% of remote workers contemplated leaving their jobs, compared with 24% of office-based employees. Our data also discredits the recurring narrative that remote teams are less productive, with a remarkable 72% of employers with international remote teams reporting a boost in productivity.
What if the problem at these other companies is not remote work itself but an inability of managers to lead in the remote environment?
Remote work environments tend to shine a spotlight on management skills. In an office, it’s easy to rely on visual cues and passive communication, like being able to see your employee working hard, and impromptu communication methods, like grabbing someone in passing. These things don’t ever happen in the remote environment. Managers who have spent their careers in an office may have never needed to practice the type of leadership that’s necessary when working remotely. But what matters now is the ability to learn and adapt to how their teams want to work today.
Being a “good manager” and being a “good remote manager” are two very different things that require different sets of skills. While fundamental aspects of management are transferable into a remote-first environment, it’s critical for managers to learn how to be the best remote leaders they can be—along with embracing the specialized skills, strategies, and tactics this involves. It’s no longer possible to rely on proximity—remote working forces managers to be intentional about how they communicate, engage their teams, and document clearly.
Asynchronous work maximizes productivity by separating work from real-time (synchronous) communication. Synchronous work ties progress to communication, forcing teams to meet to share updates and pause progress on projects when someone is unavailable due to different work hours or time off.
Asynchronous work doesn’t require employees to be online at the same time. It relies instead on documentation and transparency and puts trust in employees and their ability to perform without being micromanaged. Good written communication and planning are key—and when implemented correctly, this style of work helps companies move forward with projects much more quickly and efficiently while also providing greater flexibility for their teams.
Remote managers should always default to public communication wherever possible. This might seem unnecessary or even uncomfortable, but it helps to ensure that all information is accessible to everyone. In the long run, this saves time when people can search for information they need instead of asking others and waiting for a reply.
Of course, there are some notable exceptions, such as when delivering thorny feedback or sharing personal news you’d rather the whole company wasn’t aware of. Praise should always be shared publicly—it’s a fantastic way to raise company morale and help team members feel recognized and valued.
Meetings are the most expensive tool your company has, so use them properly. In the remote workplace, meetings should be a last resort, not the first option. As Shopify $SHOP’s much-celebrated meeting ban has shown, the majority of people consider meetings to be both costly and ineffective, yet they keep scheduling them.
Most meetings can be replaced by proper documentation, well-written emails, or messages. Meetings with multiple participants should be scheduled carefully and sparingly, defaulting to asynchronous work wherever possible. One-on-one meetings between managers and their direct reports should be used for connection and coaching, not checking in on the progress of work. The point of these calls is to connect with the person, ensure they feel supported, and have everything they need to do their work well—granular discussions around the progress of work projects can always be done async.
Adopting a remote work approach allows businesses to tap into a global talent pool, fostering team diversity and enabling round-the-clock operations. But without a marked change in mindset across senior leadership and management, organizations will continue to flounder in their remote work efforts and put the blame on the model itself. This would come at a great loss to the strides made for workers and employers over the past three years.
Great managers really are everything when it comes to successful remote organizations—they are not just supervisors but the glue that creates and nurtures strong team connections, engaging and motivating individuals across organizations to work towards a collective shared vision. Good management has always been important, but in the remote work era, they are absolutely essential.
Job van der Voort is the CEO and co-founder at Remote.
Join 500,000+ readers who start their day with Quartz.
By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
