Asynchronous work: an adaptation for its time by Teresa Chan & Marguerite DeMartino

asynchronous work: an adaptation for its time

by Teresa Chan & Marguerite DeMartino

Millions of workers have adapted to remote work, and companies have successfully pivoted to this new work dynamic necessitated by the pandemic. Now, an emerging question is whether remote work can be viable when it is also asynchronous. Corporate culture, business need, and operational efficacy are some key considerations. However, if we reflect on what many already practice, we can alleviate uncertainties inhibiting fully asynchronous work and employ a strategic approach to embracing it.

Asynchronous work does not require an employee to be physically present in the office during set hours of the day. Workers can complete their work, subject to the usual deadlines and standards, but with the flexibility to complete the work at times that are convenient for them and without the expectation that they are immediately available for interaction during set work hours. While this concept may seem more foreign than remote work, asynchronous work is woven into our traditional work structure. Workers have readily applied it to managing their desk, schedules and workflow. Recall the last time you set aside time outside of work hours, or even during business hours, to “get things done” – arriving at the office an hour or two early for uninterrupted work time before a day of scheduled meetings, or staying late to tackle a to-do list that only got longer throughout the day.

It started when remote login was possible and Blackberrys or laptops were routinely distributed, first to managers and then to non-managerial employees at all levels and in almost every function. Indeed, employers initiated the trend towards making asynchronous work not only acceptable, but often expected. The ability of an employee to perform at or above expectations despite increasingly greater demands is reliant on remote, off-hours work and has become a performance metric. The foundation for asynchronous work was laid well before 2020.

For those employers who are concerned that information sharing, innovation, and the quality of asynchronous work would be lacking, the success of online, asynchronous programs in higher education indicates otherwise. Full time professionals enroll as part time students in master’s programs where they balance demanding work and personal lives with the rigors of earning an advanced degree. The combination of asynchronous instruction, coupled with synchronous problem based learning projects and assignments, provides optimal flexibility for the busy professional. Through a dedicated learning management system or LMS (designed to make materials accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week), students watch/listen to recorded lectures, panel discussions, and read content on their own time. They do this from anywhere – in the office or car, at their child’s soccer practice or on vacation several time zones away.

Clear deliverables and deadlines are set forth each week as students engage asynchronously in virtual dialogue with professors and peers that simulates dynamic classroom discussions, and electronically submit complementary assignments. Students have time to formulate thoughtful responses to deliberate virtual dialogue prompts, integrating what they’ve absorbed from the course materials. While most people assume spontaneous, in-person or live dialogue is better, especially for innovation, allocated windows of time for mulling over ideas result in more specific and constructive answers. Professors employ a myriad of tools and applications to facilitate engagement, including brainstorming, in asynchronous programs, which have also been effectively used for business. Self and group assessment tools help professors modify activities and manage remote learning.

Asynchronous learning and synchronous activity are not mutually exclusive. Synchronous activities provide students with a balanced sense of inclusion – group assignments require real-time collaboration at the convenience of group members, not unlike many projects at the office. Students communicate with each other through messaging, email and real-time calls, as needed, to complete their tasks and assignments.

We can draw parallels between this form of learning and the work environment to create and manage a completely asynchronous work structure.

Synchronous and asynchronous work activities can be defined by designing a customized workflow management system adapted from the common LMS used by many institutions and companies for training. This is an innovative approach to shifting the work dynamic that can be applied to both the core and support functions within the re/insurance industry.

For example, let’s look at back-office operations. Many of the processes performed in the back-office cover an array of functions ranging from claims to accounting to reporting. Each of these functions have defined workflows that can be transformed into an asynchronous system keeping user needs in mind. Focusing on developing a system that is simple to use, requires minimal training and is user friendly will improve the overall end user experience. It also empowers employees to better manage their day-to-day responsibilities independently, thereby enhancing employees’ motivation and job satisfaction.

This will revolutionize work because it will compartmentalize and streamline every aspect of end-to-end processing. In turn, managerial and operational adjustments/realignments will have to take place in order for companies to transition to an optimal hybrid if not fully asynchronous workplace.

authors

Teresa Chan

Teresa is the Director of the Master’s in Insurance Management program at Columbia University. She launched the program in 2020 after 27 years of insurance industry experience in legal, product and business development. The program is an epicenter for innovation, mentorship and thought leadership, and accelerates the advancement of diverse insurance professionals into leadership roles.

Prior to joining Columbia, Teresa was an advisor on the formation of MGU start-ups funded by Willis Group that leverage emerging tech capabilities to underwrite specialized markets. During 22 years at AIG, Teresa served as regulatory counsel as well as Senior Vice President of AIG Energy Warranty and Director of Corporate Product Development. She led the creation of new property, casualty, personal, life, accident, and health coverages, and designed policies to insure and finance new energy technologies.

Teresa has a J.D. from Fordham University and B.S. in Operations Research from the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University. She has been recognized by Business Insurance as one of “25 Women to Watch” and ReActions Magazine as one of the “Top Insurance Women”.

Marguerite DeMartino is the Vice President of SCOR Reinsurance Company, where she assists the Senior Vice President in overseeing the Technical Accounting and Administration Unit. She currently is a Lecturer in the Columbia University, School of Professional Services, Master’s in Insurance Management for the Insurance Operations: The Backbone of the Company online course. Previously, she was the Senior Project Manager at American International Group, Inc. and later transitioned to the role of Global Operations Director.

Throughout her career, DeMartino honed her ability to direct global operations for enterprise-wide initiatives, business improvements, organizational transformation, and process reengineering. She has also managed complex operational issues worldwide, evaluated business needs that drive technology solutions, and launched multiple process improvement projects.

Marguerite holds certifications for Associate Risk Manager, Six Sigma Master Black Belt, and New York City Office of Emergency Management Emergency Manager. She also spent 28 years with the United States Coast Guard Reserve retiring as a Public Affairs Senior Chief Petty Officer.

Education: • M.F.A., CUNY Brooklyn College • B.S., SUNY New Paltz