From my perspective, if you’re spending your time problem solving, learning how to problem solve or re-energizing to problem solve, you’re working. Working is, therefore, adding value towards a relevant goal.

Working in groups

Working in groups (collectively) it’s an evolutionary and social outcome: we tend to work in groups to solve the same problems using less energy or to solve bigger problems than we would do alone. These groups can be more or less organized, still when you form a group the reason why is to solve a problem, to create something, to deliver something. The organization is secondary to this. We organize towards a goal, we do not have the goal of being more organized.

The truth about Remote Work

Even though most organizations focus on the Remote part, it is the Work part that remains at the core of the lion’s share of problems. A decentralized organization or a decentralization process tends to increase the transparency of work.  This means that decentralizing a company via remote work will accelerate the visibility of the inefficiencies but also of the dead part of the organizational body. These parts are the one that only exist for organizational purposes. Remote work helps you to understand where to cut when you have to. 

Adequate behaviours in Remote Work

When decentralizing a company the focus should not be organizational or technological but instead behavioural. What are the adequate behaviours when problem solving, learning how to problem solve or re-energizing to problem solve – so, when working? Zoom fatigue cannot be fully explained by the technology impact. The odds are that we’re seeing a misaligned team (with corporate goals, within the team, inter-teams) or lack of preparation to do professional work. Our brains have limited power so we have a limit of (quality) decisions we can make per day or to problem-solve intensely. That’s why organizations must understand and nudge the behaviours that support the work – also when remote.

Conclusion

In a musician partiture a pause is also music. Are you clarifying the adequate behaviours to re-energize to problem solve again? 

When applying remote look first for your HR department and pressure them to do state-of-the-art work. The Technology people can help but, in today’s world, technology is a way to win in the market not to become more or better organized.