The Complete Guide to Smart Working

As remote work becomes a central opportunity in today's workforce, GitLab, a fully remote platform, offers key questions to consider when transitioning to smart working. If you’re thinking about making the shift in your organization, here are some of the most important questions to ask.

1. Do senior leaders work remotely?👨💼

If senior leaders are required to work remotely for a significant period (over a month, in most cases), communication gaps, tool inefficiencies, and process holes will become apparent. This is the perfect time to start addressing them!

2. Are team members allowed to set their own working hours?

The best remote teams can coordinate work effectively without rigid hours, allowing more flexibility which enhances productivity and well-being.

3. Is most communication asynchronous?

Asynchronous communication is essential in a remote environment for several reasons:

– It's faster than meetings.
– It leaves a written record.
– It encourages using a centralized platform, which improves collaboration and transparency.

4. Are the company's values clearly stated?

Many companies have values but don't explicitly communicate them. Remote work forces companies to put these values in writing, ensuring they are clearly understood and lived by all employees.

5. Does every department work on the same tools?

Using the same tools across departments promotes transparency and reduces compartmentalization.

Remote work makes this practice essential.

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We’ve skipped some questions that might be less relevant in a general context. For a complete overview, visit GitLab’s website.

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9. Does each team member have the right tools for remote work?

To work efficiently in remote or hybrid settings, every team member should have the necessary tools (laptop, headphones, microphone) to participate in meetings without issues, even if they’re not physically in the office.

10. Are in-person meetings organized?

While a business can be run 100% remotely, occasional in-person meetings are important to maintain the human side of work and team bonding.

11. Does the company truly hire and promote based on values and results?

In traditional offices, there’s often a “Proximity Bias” — favoring those who are physically near us.

Remote work minimizes this bias, helping ensure promotions and hiring are based on merit and results, not proximity.

And What About Wibo?

At Wibo, we aren’t fully remote, but every team member is free to work remotely whenever they want, offering the right balance between flexibility and in-person collaboration.

Want to Learn More About Wibo? Curious about what we do and how we can help your company grow? Visit our website to find out more!

Bye 👋