Born amid the pandemic, OLLMOO had little choice but to begin operating as a fully remote company. Two years on, the remote model has become OLLMOO’s chosen path, not just a circumstantial solution.
Since a gradual return to normalcy, vocal critics of remote work have emerged. David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, sees remote work as an “an aberration” to be corrected as quickly as possible. Elon Musk has told his employees to get off “their moral high horse work-from-home bulls***”, banning remote work from newly acquired X (formerly Twitter). Among others, the main concerns are lack of productivity and inability to build company culture.
I argue that a fully remote company should not be dismissed as cultureless or inefficient – much of OLLMOO’s growth and success can indeed be attributed to this structure. While remote work brings its own set of challenges, today's leaders must learn to pivot and leverage the opportunities it presents. Remote work isn't just a fleeting trend; it's the future, and it's time for leadership to adapt and thrive within it.
The most significant advantage of remote hiring is the ability to access a talent pool of great people who are otherwise unable to move. Whether they have a kid in school, health constraints, or just prefer working from the comfort of their home over a daily commute, remote hiring opens the doors to a far larger talent pool.
Additionally, as a social impact recruitment company advocating for global diversity, being fully remote has also allowed OLLMOO to practice what we preach from the onset – attracting some of the best global talent without relocation or visa hurdles. The team has grown to become truly global; located in or coming from different corners of the world – Egypt, England, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, South Africa, the United States and Zimbabwe.
Embracing remote hiring has not only broadened our horizons, but has also enriched what we can provide to our global community.
Our team’s diversity is crucial as it ensures that everything we do, from our job placements & mentorship services to our external communications, is informed by the team’s global perspective, enabling us to connect with our community members on a deeper level.
Beyond the well-documented advantages of diversity on productivity, which is another conversation, how does having a fully remote team impact productivity? So far, the literature is at odds. Some papers report declines in productivity of 8-19 percent, while others find increases of 13 percent or even as much as 24 percent.
I contend that remote working, if done right, can increase both happiness and productivity.
Flexible hours, lack of commute, no (or maybe fewer) pointless meetings often result in happier working conditions. A 2022 Forbes study revealed that the option to work remotely improved employee happiness by 20%. Predictably, another study found that people who work remotely at least once a month are 24% more likely to feel content and productive in their roles.
The productivity of remote workers has a lot to do with the approach companies take, says Standford economist and remote work expert Nick Bloom. While hybrid working models have become standard, Bloom finds that the overall productivity impact of fully remote teams to be slightly negative. Unlike hybrid teams, fully remote teams face greater challenges in fostering creativity, mentorship, and company culture. However, Bloom suggests that with effective management, these challenges can be overcome.
Conceding to the critics, building company culture is undoubtedly more challenging without a physical workspace – there is no virtual equivalent to team lunches (or awkward water cooler conversations).
To make up for this, it’s all about communication.
Successful fully remote teams must become adept at forging connections through screens. This, thankfully, is a lot easier due to the ease of video calls and clever use of GIFs. Ten-minute coffee chats and weekly social gatherings for the entire team, where work-related talk is prohibited, can go a long way.
Leadership’s role in communication is critical – ensuring that all team members are engaged and up to date on everything that is happening across departments. Regular updates via weekly emails, personal check-ins with team members who may feel more ‘isolated’, and infusing team chats with a social dimension are essential practices.
Another common lament, particularly among those in the 20-29 age bracket, is that remote working is not conducive to mentorship. Here, much of what is said above is applicable to adapting to this. When leaders cannot provide mentorship directly, they should promote a culture of active mentorship among senior team members.
It’s one thing for me to extol the virtues of remote working at OLLMOO; it’s quite another to hear it straight from the team. While writing this, I asked my team if they could share their favourite and least favourite aspect of our fully remote environment. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive towards remote work. The privilege of working in sweatpants took the cake as biggest plus, closely followed by the flexibility to choose one’s location and improved work-life. Others highlighted that our remote-first policy gave them the opportunity to work with a global and diverse team, and another mentioned the joy of preparing “really fancy snacks” at home.
The least favourite aspect – across the board – was the missed opportunity for in-person interaction. The lack of face-to-face collaboration, especially during demanding work days, team lunches, office parties celebrating achievements together, and the simple act of dropping by someone’s desk to say hi were all sorely missed.
Despite the longing for more in-person contact, the benefits of remote working for the growth of OLLMOO and advancing our mission are substantial. Plus, the drawbacks mentioned evidence a strong and supportive company culture already in place.
Throughout this piece, I have made the case that a fully remote company is not just viable but can thrive with the right approach. Our remote-first policy has allowed us to build an incredibly diverse team, and our concerted efforts to weave social interactions into our everyday work schedule has built a cohesive company culture.
Another driving force in our culture-building is our shared commitment to OLLMOO’s mission: each team member is passionately working to create more opportunities for women to progress and succeed as leaders.
In sum, remote working is here to stay.
Leaders such as Mr. Solomon or Mr. Musk may have to rethink their approach or risk losing out to some incredible talent along the way.
