Multi-location work requires cooperation between management and employees

A well-managed and healthy work community can benefit from multi-location work in many ways,” says Juha Eskelinen, Researcher.
Multi-location work means that the employee can choose their place of work and time within the limits set by the organisation.
In order for a multi-location work environment to work, the management and employees must understand its significance and ways of working in similar ways. Clear rules are needed: when to work together at the office and when to work remotely.
The rules should be discussed openly between employees and management so that they can be aligned with the company’s objectives.
In a well-being work community, multi-location work can bring a lot of benefits.
A top-down decision can cause motivational problems. Instead, companies should identify situations where a sense of community and being together are necessary, and situations where independent remote work is more effective.
The most fruitful practices are often agreed upon by the teams. When the planning is based on the tasks known to the teams, they can be adapted to the multi-location work model and the goals of the organisation.
In a well-being work community, multi-location work can bring a lot of benefits. Instead, a poor work culture and poor management can undermine the benefits of multi-location work.
It is particularly important for supervisors to ensure that employees enjoy being part of the work community, regardless of where they work.
If there is a culture of control in the work community, multi-location work can cause confusion: employees do not know what is expected of them, and managers do not know how to lead.
Multi-location work can also reveal existing problems, such as lack of motivation or quiet quitting. Therefore, wellbeing at work must be good and operating methods clear before the company switches to the multi-location work model.
Employees’ self-direction and responsibility for their own work are emphasised in multi-location work, but management is also highly important in remote work. It is particularly important for supervisors to ensure that employees enjoy being part of the work community, regardless of where they work.
It is advisable to design the office premises according to the requirements of the work.
Successful multi-location work requires comprehensive development of the work environment. In addition to clarifying attitudes and policies, this includes updating technological systems and information security to support remote work.
In the multi-location model, offices must be equipped with modern IT solutions, such as video conferencing facilities.
It is advisable to design the office premises according to the requirements of the work. If the space is too large and deserted, it will affect the atmosphere, so companies should aim for compact, attractive and lively premises.”
Anna palautetta jutusta