Twelve months ago, the workplace was very different. The concept of working from home was often for the privileged few. Some managers felt if they let one team member work remotely, they would have to let everyone. Leaders with trust issues feared that employees would be tempted to slack off without their physical presence and watchful eye in the office. But we all know what happened next.
Here in 2021, employees have been working at scale all over the world. New employees have been recruited and on-boarded without physically meeting their colleagues. The conversation around best working practices has stretched from debates around the benefits of working from home vs. in the office to working anywhere and everywhere. The employee experience will be unique to every team member, and organizations cannot afford the costs of not embracing a hybrid working model.
Customizing the employee journey to fit every employee’s unique needs is crucial. In my new book, I talk about the importance of inclusivity. If all voices are not heard, then the people in the room, on the team, and in the organization miss a huge opportunity to improve the employee experience.
Managers who take the time to listen to their employees via surveys and roundtables will quickly understand the differences in their teams. Some people will be far more productive with the flexibility of working at home and the office depending on the task at hand. Some prefer to spend more time in the office and being surrounded by their team, while introverts might perform better away from the distractions in the office.
We are beginning to learn more about the pandemic’s long-term effects and the way we work. We now need to reimagine the employee journey and move away from the cookie-cutter approach. Listening to your employees’ wants and needs will help you provide them with a personalized employee experience that will improve employee retention.
The traditional workplace was rife with inefficiencies that failed to serve both the employer and the employees. It’s important to remember that hybrid-working does not mean the end of the office. Flexible working can unlock increases in productivity and improvements in employee satisfaction.
We all want to feel valued by our employer and have a manager that listens to us. As we move forward, the conversation is becoming less about where we work and more about transforming the organizational culture. When we look back at how we started defining a new era of work, Covid-19 might be credited for finally offering every employee more autonomy.
Many employees in the global workforce are learning how to be more productive when working from home. The unprecedented challenge of keeping those employees engaged has been impacting organizations at every level. At Employee Fanatix, we have been reimagining how work from home processes can engage team members. I also wrote a thought paper on how organizations can empower employees in a hybrid workforce.
The reality for every leader is that no organization can afford to ignore the costs that will build by neglecting to listen to their employees or refusing to embrace a hybrid working model. It’s time to redefine the workplace together and reimagine work in a way that makes every employee feel like their days are full of meaning and purpose.
Download our latest thought paper below, “Work From Home and Work From Heart”, to learn more.