Sam Mitchell, CEO of Wakefield, Massachusetts-based Sentinel Benefits and Financial Group, had always heard about stories about remote employees working two jobs at the same time — but had never thought a member of his senior staff would be doing the same thing.
“I won't say shocked, but I was surprised it happened,” Mitchell said, stressing that the company had a culture of trust and accountability that had continued on through the Covid-19 pandemic. “You always look back on what could you have done differently.” HIs advice to other business leaders? Try to create more transparency around results, especially as you go higher up in the leadership food chain and there is more autonomy.
Mitchell’s example of one potential remote-work pitfall — and how he handled it while keeping culture intact — comes amid the dramatic transformation in work brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Tens of millions of Americans now work remotely at least part of the time, and a tight labor market has given them the leverage to increasingly look for flexibility.