In a world we anticipate, a world where work never really returns to the office, the most important factors for success will be ample trust, mutually agreed-upon norms, good communication and a strong and validating work culture.
Technical collaboration tools are important too, but not nearly as vital as a good foundation. It might seem daunting to build that foundation on the fly, as we are (sometimes literally) changing the way we work overnight. But a great deal of it is transferable. Every office, physical or otherwise, runs more smoothly when lines of communication are open, when guidelines and rules are clear. Now, we will need to be that much more explicit about articulating those norms.
We also have to normalize the choice we’re making. Organizationally, it’s difficult to let go of the illusion of control an office provides. It’s easy to feel that the work will get done only if we’re all together in one place. It’s not true. When we trust one another and rely on one another to get the work done—the work usually gets done.
This is a radical adjustment. It is alarming, it is happening fast, but it could also be the start of something revolutionary. We live in a tumultuous moment, but there is a world, perhaps 173 days in the future, where this won’t feel scary anymore. It will just feel . . . normal.