Asynchronous Remote Work Is the Future Of Work
Strategies to help you thrive in this new environment
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Asynchronous remote work scares the hell out of some execs and those mid-level managers facing irrelevance.
But it doesn’t have to be scary for anyone. It has worked well for many years in the creative and knowledge industries. As people in other industries witness the benefits of asynchronous work, its usage will expand.
Some of you might be asking, what is asynchronous work? Asynchronous is a big word that means not occurring at the same time. In simple terms, think flexibility. For example, let’s say you are assigned a task and a due date. You check your calendar to see when the work fits into your schedule while also meeting any constraints put on you by your employer. Then, you align your resources, complete the task, and submit it.
Sounds pretty routine, right? But in this case, you do the work to meet the deadline without the constraint of “regular” working hours. No more sitting at your desk for 40 hours struggling to look busy after knocking out your week’s worth of tasking by Monday afternoon.
Not only does it not matter where you do the work, but it also doesn’t matter when you do the work. It’s like freelancing, but it’s not, and it’s where the relationship with your employer is headed.
I’d go even further: Asynchronous remote work is the future of work.
It’s a natural evolution but will take some getting used to. “Out of sight, out of mind” is the main risk that remote workers face. It’s an Old Skool mindset, but a real problem. To stand out in an asynchronous remote work environment, you need to make sure you meet expectations, pop up on The Man’s radar, make good decisions, and deliver a quality work product.
Regardless of your role in an organization, the following thoughts will position you to thrive in this new environment.
Manage expectations
Managing expectations spans the entire organization. Tell your people what you expect from them, and tell your leadership what you need from them.
