Remote-work policies depend on how companies make decisions

For small-business owners planning for future disruptions, the lesson from four global research companies is that the decision process can matter as much as the remote-work policy itself. All four sent most employees home in March 2020, but their paths afterward varied widely. New arrangements took between three and 15 months to settle, with some companies revising workplace rules several times.

The companies differed mainly in their workplace cultures. Two relied on formal authority, established procedures and firm rules. They reached workable arrangements faster, and employees generally knew what was expected. But managers had more difficulty when workers felt their concerns had been overlooked. The other two used more participatory approaches. One brought employees from across the organization into workshops about remote work. Those companies moved more slowly, yet faced less resistance once policies were in place.

By early 2023, employees broadly accepted policies at two companies. Workers generally accepted the approach at another, while employees at the fourth resisted and looked for ways around the rules. The findings suggest that culture influences which choices seem workable during a crisis. Since culture changes gradually, employers that want more adaptable work arrangements need to build that flexibility before disruption arrives.