FLEXIBLE WORKING
INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY
ProcessLab highlights strategies for managing distributed teams
Flexible working can widen access to talent and give employees greater control over how they work. However, without clear processes, workload visibility and deliberate efforts to maintain connections, managing distributed teams can become increasingly challenging. This was the central message of ProcessLab’ s presentation at a recent PMO Forum hosted by Project Portfolio Office under the umbrella of Project Management South Africa( PMSA).
ProcessLab, which specialises in business process optimisation, operates remotely across seven countries, managing 51 projects for nine clients without traditional offices. Four company leaders outlined how the organisation balances flexibility, visibility, quality and workplace culture to maintain consistent client delivery.
Guy Jelley, CEO and Co-founder of Project Portfolio Office, said:“ Successful flexible working depends on maintaining equilibrium between individual autonomy and organisational clarity.”
Annari Tolmay, Programme Manager at ProcessLab, explained that remote working requires more than transferring officebased activities onto digital platforms.
ProcessLab approaches remote working as an operating model rather than simply a workplace policy. Regular checkins, documented decisions, structured handovers and clearly communicated working hours help employees collaborate across locations and time zones.
A skills matrix also enables employees to identify colleagues with the expertise needed for particular tasks. AI tools can support this approach by capturing meeting notes and action points, reducing administrative work and improving access to information.
Rizé Blom, Programme Manager at ProcessLab, highlighted the importance of understanding employee capacity, project commitments, skills and upcoming deadlines.
The objective is not to monitor employees but to ensure the organisation has sufficient resources to meet client expectations.
“ We knew when people were taking leave, which projects they were working on, how resources were planned, what the project budgets were and which activities were client-facing or internal. The challenge was that the information sat in different places and did not readily answer the questions managers needed to ask.”
By consolidating information through collaborative work management tools and AI, ProcessLab can identify bottlenecks, improve resource allocation and anticipate potential delivery risks. However, Blom emphasised that technology should support rather than replace human judgement.
Pat Cassisa, Senior Programme Manager at ProcessLab, explained that maintaining consistent quality requires clearly defined processes embedded into everyday workflows.
“ This starts with a clear understanding of client requirements, agreed processes, intended outcomes and performance measures. From there, organisations can build checks into the way work is completed, covering both technical requirements and the consistency of deliverables.”
AI-supported checks can identify omissions, inconsistencies and presentation issues before work reaches clients. Nevertheless, employees remain accountable for reviewing outputs and maintaining quality standards.
Ninéll Robinson, Head of Delivery at ProcessLab, emphasised that maintaining workplace culture requires deliberate planning, particularly when employees rarely meet in person.
ProcessLab prioritises employees who demonstrate independence, initiative and accountability. New recruits complete a structured three-month onboarding programme involving training, project experience, feedback and mentoring. Weekly meetings, informal conversations and employee recognition initiatives help strengthen relationships and maintain engagement.
“ The lesson is that connection needs to be deliberately designed. People do not necessarily reach out when they feel isolated, so organisations must create regular opportunities for colleagues to get to know one another, share knowledge and feel part of a team.”
ProcessLab’ s experience demonstrates the importance of combining flexibility with clear accountability, transparent resource planning and consistent quality standards. For project management offices, this means establishing shared expectations, improving workload visibility, embedding quality checks into workflows and using AI to support administrative activities while retaining human oversight. Organisations must also regularly review their operating models as teams and client requirements evolve. • www. intelligentcio. com
INTELLIGENT CIO AFRICA
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