3 simple habits to implement today, from the most successful remote and hybrid SMBs

Despite some companies pushing for a return to office, over a third (35%) of workers who can work remotely now do so full-time, and 41% are working a hybrid schedule, according to the Pew Research Center. 

But creating a successful remote or hybrid culture involves a tricky balance of ensuring productivity and offering flexibility. Those who have embraced the benefits of remote and hybrid work and found practical solutions for the negatives have seen more success and a more engaged, satisfied workforce.

A recent survey from Gusto analyzed nearly 1,000 small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to identify the most successful remote and hybrid SMBs – and what makes them stand out. Here’s what they found.

What makes a remote and hybrid SMB successful

Gusto’s survey found two clear elements of success amid remote and hybrid SMBs: flexibility and autonomy. 

Remote companies offering a lot of flexibility for working hours are 20% more likely to say remote work has boosted their performance – compared to companies with no flexibility. 

SMBs that prioritized flexibility found that it led to:

• Improved talent attraction
• Increased company performance, and
• Reduced employee burnout.

Flexibility can empower employees – especially when working remotely – to prioritize their well-being and prevent burnout, ultimately improving engagement and productivity. 

But creating a culture of flexibility isn’t the only thing that can help companies thrive in a remote or hybrid environment. The survey also found that three key daily habits helped the most successful remote and hybrid SMBs stand out above the rest.

1. Set clear goals

In remote or hybrid workforces, ensuring that everyone is on the same page can be one of the biggest hurdles. Keeping your team cohesive can be especially challenging when employees are located in another country, which accounts for nearly 20% of remote companies, according to the survey.

Outlining clear team goals can help ensure your team is productive and reduce the risk that employees miscommunicate or have unclear expectations, which can lead to a more positive work culture. 

In fact, the survey found that – across both remote and hybrid SMBs – having clear goals was one of the biggest differentiators between companies that believe remote work has been a positive development for the company and those that do not. 

Tips to implement it: It’s important to stay proactive about goals and update them regularly. As team dynamics and needs change, goals may become outdated or unattainable. It’s a good idea to seek out employee feedback to ensure goals align with your team’s current work.

2. Hold regular check-ins

In a remote or hybrid world, regular check-ins between managers and employees can be crucial to ensure employees stay on track and get the support they need for their work. 

Having regular check-ins is the most common practice managers use to trust employees are getting their work done, with three-quarters of remote and hybrid SMBs reporting they use regular check-ins to maintain productivity.

And regular communication makes a real difference – companies where managers had multiple check-ins a week were 20% more likely to retain more workers.

Tips to implement it: Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing – and it’s important to help managers find the right balance between micromanaging and supporting. Employers who asked for updates more than once a day saw a higher risk of burnout and attrition, according to the survey.

3. Document processes and policies

With workers working at different times and locations, teams can be prone to miscommunication or confusion, which can lead to more stress and frustration. That’s why the most successful remote and hybrid SMBs rely on documentation and written knowledge to help workers power through their work without any roadblocks. 

“Documentation is crucial for remote and hybrid teams because they do not have the convenience of being in-office to be able to quickly share information with one another,” says Michael Ly, founder of Reconciled. “Documentation provides the ability for remote and hybrid teams to scale quickly and saves on back and forth communication that often occurs via email or other asynchronous forms of communication.” 

Those benefits can have a real impact, as the survey found companies with highly effective documentation were more likely to report that their company has been able to maximize the positives and minimize the negatives of remote work. 

Tips to implement it: What you document can be a huge factor of success. In fact, the survey found that successful remote and hybrid SMBs focused on information that workers needed to do their work and achieve their goals, and less successful companies focused on documenting behaviors and expectations on how people should behave.