No trust — no remote work

Peter du ToitI'm the founder of FutureWork IQ where I spend my time assisting businesses to design digital workplaces or “offices in the cloud.” These environments enable companies to allow flexible and remote working for their teams. I also teach the digital literacy, fluency, communication and collaboration skills needed to work in these modern technology-rich workplaces.

For a company to allow it’s employees to work from anywhere, requires by its very nature, that management trusts everyone will get their work done without in-person supervision.

Does your workplace have a trust culture?

Trust is of course a two-way street, so while its essential to have trusting managers, it’s just as important to have trustworthy employees. A good place to start when considering the topic of trust is with some honest self reflection asking “How trustworthy am I?”

Here is a quick checklist. How would you rate yourself on these?

I always tell the truth
I am on time
I keep my promises
I don’t shirk my responsibilities
I am transparent
I admit when I don’t know something
I admit when I am wrong
I take responsibility for failures
I trust others

Trust is earned. By building a reputation based on the above, it is much easier for an individual to be entrusted with anywhere work.