The great return to work is well underway and the tension between equity and flexibility is in the spotlight as organisations consider the future of their workforce and the fine balance of operational requirements in the face of renewed expectations from employees around flexibility and personal autonomy. Nevo Hadas, Partner at DYDX, discusses what organisations should be focusing on as they navigate the future of work.
Employees proved during the pandemic that working in employer-controlled workspaces doesn’t have to determine their productivity or engagement, and that a flexible approach helped them feel more successful – both professionally and personally. Progressive business owners must realise that now is the time to leverage flexibility and take it one step further and beyond location into all aspects of who, where, when and how employees achieve work productively.
For different businesses this may mean different scenarios. It is critical that future of work policies align with the strategy of the business, but how can this be achieved?
Each company can – and should – set their own guidelines and expectations and develop an individual approach based on specific needs because there is no one-size-fits-all solution. When transitioning to a return to work scenario, leaders must take into consideration the impact any model may have on key relationships – both internally and externally. Getting hybrid working right for employees is crucial, but it is also important not to lose sight of your customers.
Change is inevitable – and very necessary
If there is one thing the pandemic has taught us, it is that change is inevitable – and rapid. Seen as a challenge over the course of the last 2 years, leaders should rather shift perspective and recognise that future of work scenarios must change the way a business and its people operate if the company is to be successful.
To manage change it is important to implement a clear hybrid work policy which formally outlines all the regulations and expectations that workers must adhere to. By explicitly detailing these matters, hybrid work policies ensure that executives, managers, and workers are all on the same page, and that customers are still getting what they need. This policy must cover all the basics, leaving nothing to ambiguity. This can include things such as worker expectations, work hours, IT security policies, which roles can be done remotely and which must be in person, and so forth.
Culture fit
Hybrid work offers the possibility for employees to re-evaluate their relationship with work, but it must integrate with the existing and future company culture. Instead of simply presenting company processes that employees must comply with, wherever they’re sitting, it is critical to redesign HR processes with the employee at the heart by using the technology at hand to elevate their employee experience, enabling them to be more productive, engaged, innovative and resilient. To inspire a shift in culture where people feel included, respected and supported so that they can deliver their best performance.
Yes, the future of work is driven by technology, but it is also inherently human. The more hybrid the workplace, the more human the experience will need to become. Leaders will have to learn new skills such as empathy to recognise and avoid employee burnout, trust in order to manage and not micromanage, and communication to facilitate and build team agreements and manage outcomes – all vital skills to foster psychological safety in a team.
New normal = new behaviours
To create a high performing hybrid workplace the entire organisation is going to have to embrace new behaviours. These new behaviours not only ensure that performance levels remain high, but must also account for the health and wellbeing of employees.
From a performance perspective, continuous training and development of staff should remain a top priority. With the right strategies, effective training can be rolled out to provide all employees with a quality learning experience. HR will need to work with leaders to strategise a renewed focus on supporting the tools and technology needed to keep a hybrid workplace running. This can include creating a cohesive culture, deciding how to handle onboarding, and ensuring employees are up to speed on the expectations of the new workplace.
In terms of health and wellbeing, the expectations of today’s workers are far more nuanced than in the past. Implementing the right technology solutions, underpinned by an employee-centric strategy is necessary so that employers can understand how to help their employees maintain their mental health and wellbeing, and ensure those who need support, receive it.
Business as a whole is facing one of the greatest organisational design challenges of our lifetime. Although each journey requires a unique approach, if the future of work can be navigated collectively by all stakeholders, organisations can go from simply observing possible futures to thriving in them.
