Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I led my organization to transition my entire team to remote work. I was responsible for managing a telecom company's inbound, outbound, and chat sales channels then. The transition went smoothly, and my team delivered outstanding performance.  

To maintain their engagement, we implemented innovative programs such as virtual family days, virtual fur baby days, decorate your workspace contests and other enjoyable activities. Everything was going well.  

After several months, the need arose to hire new employees. We decided to experiment with hiring individuals from anywhere in the US and allowing them to work remotely. However, we abandoned this plan six months later due to the high employee attrition rate. We had meaningful and open conversations with each hired person during this trial period to understand the reasons behind this. From this experiment, we learned two important lessons:  

Attachment with the Brand 

The importance of community, relationships, bonds, and a sense of belonging before transitioning to remote work, our experienced team members already had strong connections with their colleagues and leaders. They had developed a deep loyalty to the brand they represented.  

However, the new team members experienced a different sense of connection. While they had positive things to say about their teams, they lacked emotional attachment to the brand.  

Differences in Training Methods  

We provided the same remote training to our trial group and experienced team members. However, once the virtual training was completed, our veteran employees had the support of their peers on the sales floor. They learned through asking questions and observing others, gradually building their confidence.  

On the other hand, our trial team felt that the training was inadequate and didn't adequately prepare them for their roles. To address these challenges, we devised a hybrid structure.  

Hybrid Model 

New hires initially started on-site until they felt confident transitioning to remote work. Then, everyone transitioned to a schedule of three weeks working from home and one week working on-site. This hybrid approach allowed employees to establish relationships and learn from one another. 

The hybrid model has proven successful as we concurrently work on developing an alternative playbook for remote work.  

We now recognize that fully remote work requires a different approach and the use of appropriate technology to foster a sense of community and create an effective training environment.