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The pandemic has acted as a catalyst, compelling us to revisit our professional lives with renewed perspectives. It’s no surprise that countless organizations are reimagining their modus operandi.
It’s about more than just offering flexible work hours or the convenience of remote work. It’s about cultivating a culture that endows every individual with a profound sense of purpose and accountability and a clear understanding of how their contributions can impact the organization’s triumph. It’s building a culture where flexibility merges with accountability.
Flexibility is a key factor that companies strive to achieve, yet many attempt to accomplish this by enforcing firm norms over their employees, thinking that it will instill a sense of responsibility. But let’s be honest; this could be more effective.
Building policies is like having a police force in your team, processes restrict innovation, and procedures leave little room for creativity, ultimately suffocating employee autonomy and leading to reduced productivity.
At HealthWorksAI, we prefer to focus on building practices instead, where freedom and accountability go hand in hand, paving the way for a flourishing work culture.
Practices over Policies
Policies, processes, and procedures are the three Ps that have become so ubiquitous in corporate jargon that they’re cliches.
While they’re undoubtedly crucial for ensuring consistency and compliance, they can also be rigid, impersonal, and stifling.
At HealthWorksAI, we’ve found that practices are a better way to create a thriving workplace culture.
Practices are the customs, traditions, and habits passed down from one person to another, shaping how people behave and interact with each other.
When practices align with the company’s values and beliefs, they become a part of the culture. People feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves when they follow practices, creating a sense of belonging and purpose.
In schools or institutions, for example, students don’t remember the rules and policies as much as they remember the fun practices like the assembly ceremonies or annual days.
Over time, the best practices shine out, reflecting the organization’s ethos and values.
As the saying goes, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” This means that even the best-laid plans and strategies may fail if not aligned with the company’s culture. Culture is created by the people, and it evolves brick by brick.
Remote Working with HealthWorksAI
In the days before Covid descended upon us, our team at HealthWorksAI, too, worked from an office in Bangalore. But then came the pandemic, and the ensuing lockdown made it clear that we needed to adapt quickly if we were going to thrive.
So, we boldly decided to pivot our operations and become a fully remote company, ensuring that our team members could prioritize their families without sacrificing their work.
And although it was not easy, we rose to the challenge and now we are stronger and more flexible than ever.
How we work is evolving, and HealthWorksAI is at the forefront of this change. We believe the job is not connected to the location but to the tasks.
Our remote working culture has allowed us to attract, engage and retain top talent from around the world, and it is one of the key factors that sets us apart from our competitors.
Here’s what the remote culture of HealthworkAI has in store:
Flexibility
One of the most significant advantages of remote work is its flexibility. Our team members have the freedom to work from anywhere in the world.
All they need is an internet connection and the ability to deliver quality work. Additionally, our team members can structure their workday in a way that suits their personal needs and work habits, which boosts their productivity and job satisfaction.
There is no particular start or end time, which gives our genies an upper hand on working at the best time suited for them.
Having said that, we like to ensure that a particular collaboration happens inside and between teams.
Work-Life Balance
Another advantage of remote working is that it allows for a better work-life balance. Our team members can save time and money by avoiding long commutes, and they can spend more time with their families or pursue their hobbies and interests.
This reduces stress and improves overall well-being. At HealthWorksAI, we prioritize the well-being of our employees and strive to create a work environment that promotes work-life balance.
An open leave policy that was influenced by Netflix is something we imbibe in our culture too. Our employees can take leaves whenever they like as long as they are aligned with their work and teams.
Moreover, 10 democratized holidays are drafted at the beginning of the year with a voting system to determine the festival holidays and national holidays given.
Collaborative Environment
Despite being a remote company, HealthWorksAI fosters a collaborative work environment. We provide our team with the tools to collaborate effectively, including communication software, task management tools, and regular check-ins.
The weekly calls with teams ensure that the team members are always on the same page. Activities like employee of the week help to appreciate their efforts which motivates them always to do better.
Employee Appreciation
At HealthWorksAI, we believe that our team members are more than just employees. They are valued members of our community and we go above and beyond to show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication.
We send gifts to our team members on different occasions like joining, promotions, weddings, and other life-changing events.
This practice shows that we care about them on a personal level and fosters a sense of family within the organization.
As a remote company, it can be easy for team members to feel disconnected from their colleagues and the company as a whole.
However, by showing our team members that we care about them, we help to bridge this gap and create a stronger sense of community. This, in turn, leads to a more positive work environment.
Career Advancement
At Healthworks.ai, we have embraced the powerful MAP framework – Mastery, Autonomy, and Purpose – to shape our career advancement opportunities and foster a culture of growth and fulfillment.
Mastery takes center stage as we recognize the inherent human desire for continuous learning and improvement. Our unique self-nomination process empowers our team members to showcase their strengths and aspirations, enabling them to chart their path toward mastery.
We provide avenues for skill enhancement and growth, cultivating an environment where individuals can flourish and reach their full potential.
Autonomy, a cornerstone of intrinsic motivation, thrives within our career advancement initiatives. We offer our team members the freedom and flexibility to express their career aspirations and contribute to their own progression.
This autonomy fuels their motivation, fostering a sense of ownership and driving them to excel in their roles.
Purpose, a driving force behind meaningful work, resonates deeply within our culture at HealthworksAI. We create a sense of shared meaning and significance by aligning individual goals with our overarching purpose.
This shared sense of purpose propels our team members to perform at their best and sets the stage for progression and growth.
Building upon the MAP framework, we have introduced a comprehensive rating system to recognize exceptional performance. Through collaborative goal-setting between managers and employees, we ensure a shared vision and alignment of objectives.
Each employee sets a minimum of three goals and a maximum of five, with a weighted emphasis on the significance of each goal. This system allows us to honor remarkable achievements and exceptional contributions.
As part of our commitment to fostering a culture of excellence, we have implemented a performance-based bonus rating system that celebrates diverse forms of excellence—a rating of 3/5 merits a well-deserved 100% bonus, recognizing significant accomplishments.
Going beyond conventional approaches, we amplify our appreciation for exceptional dedication and impact with an impressive 200% bonus for a perfect 5/5 rating. This approach underscores our dedication to rewarding talent and promoting a culture of high performance.
Striking the perfect balance
At HealthWorksAI, they have discovered the delicate dance between accountability and flexibility, where they not only coexist but thrive together harmoniously. Flexibility without accountability can lead to chaos and lackluster performance.
Conversely, excessive accountability without room for flexibility can stifle creativity and innovation. It is in finding the right balance that they have unlocked the true potential of their team. They believe that a remarkable transformation occurs when employees are free to work in a way that suits them best while holding them responsible for their actions and outcomes.
The power of choice and autonomy fuels their motivation, and the sense of ownership drives them to deliver their best work. It’s like a symphony where each individual plays their own instrument, guided by a shared score and held accountable for the harmonious result.
HealthWorksAI has cultivated a culture that embraces both accountability and flexibility, allowing t their team to soar to new heights and achieve extraordinary outcomes.
