The future of work is flexible
Are you feeling confused about where, when and how you or your team should be working from the office? You’re not alone. In this time of transition from pandemic to new-normal it is common for leaders, HR practitioners and employees to feel this way. While the benefits of #HybridWorking are well known, the regular media reporting prompts discussion around whether mandating return to office is necessary to enable greater collaboration, productivity and connection.
Mandating is appealing in its simplicity.
However, it’s important to consider the impacts of this blanket approach.
Flexibility is an important EVP lever to attract talent and stand out to diverse candidates.
In two years, 75% of the workforce will be millennials - majority expect flexible work conditions.
Employees can now appeal to the Fair Work Commission if their requests for flexibility are refused.
Mandates remove autonomy, which directly impacts #EmployeeEngagement, #Retention and #GrowthMindset.
So what can leaders do?
It is important to cut through the noise and to focus on the unique needs of your organisation. One size does not fit all, and the future of work requires a data driven and adaptive approach. Supporting employees to co-create their team's ways of working, allows everyone to bring their whole and best selves to work, and also future-proofs your organisation.
How can they do it?
To both mitigate the risks of employee disputes and leverage the benefits of hybrid working, organisations should have:
Clear expectations: An up-to-date flexible working policy and hybrid working principles that are clearly and consistently communicated .
Leadership support: Leaders who role model inclusive and flexible behaviours, support their team members to manage their own performance, provide clarity on the required outcomes and support their team members to contribute to the best of their ability.
DEI and productivity as an outcome: Organisational performance supported by an inclusive culture, clear productivity measures, and enabling tools and technology. The difference between a tick box hybrid strategy and a thriving one is in holding leaders and individuals to account for their role in balancing #wellbeing and #performance.
We recommend flexibility is determined by the #strategy and #culture you want to achieve. By having an adaptive and sustainable model of working you can future-proof your organisation to achieve high #retention, #productivity, #customerservice and #employeeengagement
#FutureOfWork#FlexibleWork#WorkplaceCulture#Leadership#Productivity#Inclusion
