Designing a remote-first operating model

iMerit productivity dashboard displayed on a desktop monitor

When the pandemic moved iMerit’s workforce of thousands out of the office, the company needed more than a collection of remote-work tools. We helped design an operating model for how a global AI data organization could work remotely.

/01

Developed a remote-first transformation plan over 12 weeks.

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Combined employee and customer research with an internal operational audit.

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Defined immediate changes and a longer-term operating model for a distributed workforce.

Move thousands of people to remote work without losing quality

iMerit provides high-precision data services to AI companies through a globally distributed workforce.

The pandemic forced that organization to change how it worked almost overnight, while customer expectations and quality standards stayed the same.

An operating system for remote work

We approached the project in three phases.

First, we researched employee and customer needs and audited existing operations. Next, we defined immediate improvements and created requirements and tool concepts. Finally, we developed a longer-term roadmap for remote-first work.

iMerit productivity dashboard showing submitted tasks, time per task, productivity and quality metrics

Understand the work before changing the tools

The strategy focused on communication, collaboration, and data-management practices rather than treating remote work as a software-selection problem.

That gave iMerit a framework for deciding how teams should work as well as what tools they needed.

Detail of the iMerit productivity dashboard on a lime background

Solve the immediate problem and design for the future

The work had to support business continuity during a global disruption while still creating a model that would make sense after the immediate crisis passed.

Colleagues reviewing work together at a deskiMerit employee profile cards with individual productivity scoresiMerit productivity chart tracking submitted tasks across the week

A 12-week path to remote-first work

Within weeks, iMerit had immediate changes underway and a long-term plan for operating as a distributed organization.

12 weeks

from research through transformation plan

Thousands

of globally distributed workers supported

3 stage

research, implementation, and planning process

iMerit and EXL logos on a muted gradient background

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