Can technology make telework the new normal?

Many companies are now implementing or considering "telework" initiatives. As someone who has long yearned for a work style free from office constraints, traveling the world while working freely—even telling others, "My dream is to become a traveler!"—I personally see great potential in this new business style.

This time, I'll share insights on telework based on the example of GNUS Inc ., a new company within the Dentsu Group in Japan where I work.

GNUS Inc.'s Work Style: Remote-First from the Start

GNUS Inc. is an "Innovation Consulting & Software Development" company established in August 2019. Its defining feature is forming teams with freelance engineers, designers, and product managers to develop digital products using agile (rapid) methodologies. The company focuses on enhancing CX (Customer Experience) and EX (Employee Experience), driving DX (Digital Transformation), and translating these efforts into business value.

We hold meetings several times a week with freelancers for each project. However, team members are geographically dispersed, with many participating from regional areas or overseas. Consequently, remote collaboration is fundamental. We have established systems enabling efficient and organic communication even in this environment. Therefore, even during the current period of enforced telework, projects progress without compromising quality or speed, entirely without office attendance.

The tools you use make a difference. The quality of emergent creativity through text-based communication

One of GNUS Inc.'s core tasks is "planning and proposal creation." The central infrastructure for this is Slack, a business-oriented chat tool. Unlike email communication, it eliminates the need to structure messages formally, making it easier for discussions to evolve into creative exchanges.

When someone posts an idea and others build upon it, spontaneous brainstorming sessions—previously confined to casual chats—become possible. Even for comments not warranting a full reply, users can react using over 5,000 fun, custom-designed emojis, fostering an environment where sharing thoughts comes naturally.

Furthermore, channels are created for each topic, allowing conversations with different tones and manners to run parallel for each agenda item. Alongside project-specific channels, there are 40 to 50 channels simultaneously active for various subjects like business development, information sharing, finance, legal affairs, attendance management, and social gatherings. In this way, Slack has become the hub for all corporate activities at GNUS Inc.

For specific operational tasks, we automatically integrate Slack with specialized online tools that offer tailored functionality, clear interfaces, and excellent usability. One such tool is GDP (GNUS Delivery Platform), our proprietary system that customizes the Salesforce customer management platform to fit GNUS Inc.'s business model.

It not only consolidates and manages projects by proposal phase but also displays a match score when staffing freelancers, considering the project scope and required skills. It also incorporates functions like managing contracts with each individual freelancer assigned to a project.

For brainstorming, we utilize the online tool Trello. Trello's key feature is its ability to share ideas as if sticking sticky notes on a board. Ideas that might get overlooked in online meetings due to difficulty finding the right moment to speak are captured and made visible to everyone in real-time. This creates equal opportunities for all brainstorming participants to bring their ideas into the discussion. It ensures equality of ideas, preventing situations where "the loudest voice dominates everything."

Nonverbal communication is especially crucial in remote settings

Mastering tools like these makes it possible to hold workshops in a remote environment. You can conduct individual or group work on a given topic and share spontaneously created materials or notes.

Having all participants' faces visible simultaneously is a crucial element for smooth, information-rich communication. Zoom, in particular, offers the advantage of high visibility of participants' faces. While some express reluctance to turn on their cameras during online meetings, seeing each other's faces is important for building trust and is essential when conducting business remotely. For those concerned about makeup, tools that can apply makeup digitally to faces are a unique benefit of online meetings.

Even after telework became encouraged, I still hear people say they must go into the office because paper approval forms or seals are required. However, these tasks can also be resolved by establishing internal policies and using tools that enable online management of invoicing, contracts, and expense reimbursements.

For example, at GNUS Inc., we use DocuSign, an electronic signature system, for contract-related processing. Since signatures can be applied online, there's no need to wait for a supervisor's availability to get a stamp, nor to redo binding if tape shifts during assembly. All documents are managed online, ensuring they retain full legal validity as contracts.

More important than digital tools: internal culture

While we utilize various other convenient tools, what I believe is more important than digital tools for enabling telework is a deeply ingrained "culture" within the company.

• Clearly define each member's role, evaluate employees based on output, and trust each other fully.
• Encourage everyone to fairly demonstrate their abilities in a flat, non-hierarchical relationship without exerting pressure through rank.
• Each individual takes responsibility for their own contributions to the team's results and proactively works toward them.

And so on.

Intrinsic motivation is the most powerful force for generating good output. This is likely why an increasing number of top talent are choosing to work at startups in recent years. It's crucial that the motivation to work itself is cultivated as part of the company culture.

GNUS Inc. is currently an organization with just over a dozen employees (excluding freelancers). Having experienced large corporations ourselves, we believe we can offer unique insights. That's why we offer consultation programs on Workstyle Innovation (DX for work styles).

Many companies are currently forced to implement temporary telework and related measures. Making these efforts sustainable is our society's task: to provide every employee with ease and fulfillment in their work. And by unlocking each individual's potential, we build strong teams. This is the challenge entrusted to our world today.

Ultimately, my hope amidst these challenging times is for a society where remote work options become established, making the dream of becoming a traveler more achievable.

Contact: support@gnus-inc.com