Remote work myths busted: separating fact from fiction

Enthusiasm is the number one determining factor in whether an employee will thrive in the work from home environment.

Working from home full-time is a very different proposition to hybrid or optional work from home agreements, and working out who will suit that proposition is a big challenge.

There's no sitting on the fence. My experience is anyone who "hopes" they will adapt to a fully remote workplace never does, and those who are eager for the opportunity generally thrive.

You might like the idea of working from home, but the reality can be very different. Hiring must be for the "reality".

While some businesses may be considering a full-time work-from-home model to cut overheads as commercial property rents rise throughout Australia, they need to ensure their recruitment processes put remote work at the forefront to hire the right staff to be successful.

I first started employing subcontractors for my PR and communications firm back in 2010, but soon moved to employing full-time workers and learned some valuable hiring lessons along the way:

Five qualities to look for in a remote worker:

When hiring, it is important from the outset to make it clear the role is WFH and autonomous.

An ability to be autonomously proactive is probably the second-most important factor. I wouldn't be a micromanager in any environment, but it's almost impossible to micromanage in a remote environment. You need to have complete confidence in your team - something almost any business strives for.

Somewhat surprisingly, PwC's 2024 Trust Survey found the degree to which executives trust employees was consistent regardless of whether workers were in-person or remote.

For companies with hybrid work arrangements, more than two-thirds (68 per cent) of business executives said they trusted remote and in-person employees equally, while only 20 per cent said they trusted in-person employees more.

Compare this to the 60 per cent of employees who think leaders trust workers equally regardless of work location and the 31 per cent who think leaders trust in-person employees more.

The report also found companies that offer remote work but track how often employees are in the office or monitor employee online activity such as time logged in can erode employee trust; 35 per cent of employees at companies with remote work policies say they would trust companies less if they were to track their online activity.

I don't believe in monitoring employees' digital activity. I think implementing measures likes that would jeopardise the trust my workers have in me. As long as we get results, how my staff manage their time is up to them.

And results speak in the longevity in my team of seven full-time staff - most members have been with the business for more than four years, with an average staff retention of five years. I also allow geographical flexibility with staff working around the country.

We prioritise the capability of candidates over their location - if they're the right fit for the team and the environment, the logistics can always be worked out.

The kind of staff that fit into this environment value flexibility, work-life balance and autonomy. By giving them those benefits, we can ensure we're attracting and retaining happy, effective team members.