What actions can we take in these unstable times to minimize the effects of external factors like volatility and uncertainty in the work environment?
Today’s labor market grows more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, embodied by the acronym VUCA — relying on the ability of companies to adapt.
At Gonni, for years now, we have been adopting strategies to achieve a friendlier context where these characteristics are not felt — always keeping in mind our team’s dynamics and remote work style. We acknowledge that change is part of any context, expansion, and evolution, which is why we place responsibility, dedication, and internal organization as our strongest allies.
There are four main topics we always have on mind:
01. Clear Vision
Forming a clear future vision with career paths and both individual and group goals for our team members helps to reduce volatility and impart tranquility. We define these career paths before hiring new talent, so that we can share them with each team member, and customize them if necessary.
For our overall vision, we focus on improving not only our client’s user experience with apps and sites made with high-quality design, but also the work experience of our team members with an organized and harmonious work environment. This is the first thing that comes across when meeting with either party.
02. Well-timed info
Confidence, information, and knowledge must be transmitted to reduce uncertainty. This is why we continue to create spaces for this to occur — with topics ranging from the theoretical and professional to the recreational. In regard to professional development, we have a weekly design and development workshop, where we examine the latest topics in the industry, both individually and as a group, to acquire new knowledge. Sharing notes, links, news, and presentations is welcome during these workshops, and flows naturally — helping us stay up-to-date and on the same page.
03. Stay in touch
Since working remotely can end up being more individual, points of contact within a team and interpersonal relationships can fall to the wayside in the day-to-day. At Gonni we try to avoid this isolation by using tools, platforms, and activities that make interactions ever more fluid and dynamic. Though all of our team members are given the opportunity to lead projects, they are always worked on as a team with constant communication.
A key part of our process to achieving an organized work environment is defining a list of steps and tasks to complete before starting a project, and referencing it throughout the project.
We review due dates in our weekly meetings, and at the end of each project, we discuss pros, cons, future improvements, solutions to each stage, and other feedback. This way we encourage listening to different opinions and points of view that we can keep in mind for future projects or situations.
Taking the time to listen to and understand others can open new doors.
04. Fail Faster
At Gonni we believe that failing faster is a great ally when eliminating ambiguity — more so when deadlines are planned to accommodate for it. We also give all of those that work with us the space and trust to experiment. One recent change that we have made is further incentivising each team member to manage their deadlines and tasks independently, innovate, and try new ideas.
At the end of the day, the global reality that we are living in with Covid-19 brings out these unstable characteristics in the work environment. At Gonni, we take the time to ensure that this volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity is not felt by our team internally.
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