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1. Remote work – Future or fad?
It’s difficult to imagine a world in which staff doesn’t work remotely, isn’t it. However, some big-name companies are hitting the headlines for insisting their workforce return to their offices despite several studies highlighting the benefits of remote working. For example, the “Homeoffice Experience 2.0” carried out by the Fraunhofer Institutes’s Office 21® innovation network showed that respondents felt more productive when working from home. 44 per cent of those surveyed said they are more constructive when working from home as opposed to 30 per cent, who reported working more efficiently when in the office. The other 26 per cent said they experienced no difference. The Microsoft Work Trend Index illustrates that people in leadership positions and employees have differing perceptions on productivity at home. 85 per cent of leaders said that hybrid work has made it difficult to trust that their employees are working effectively at home, while 87 per cent of employees stress that they need a good reason to return to the office as they are able to work much better from home, and a company’s expectations were not enough to persuade them.
These studies are evidence of just how important remote working is for businesses. A flexible workplace with flexible hours has huge benefits as employees are better able to balance their professional and personal lives. The result is employers become more attractive and their staff are happier, which ultimately results in a boost in productivity. These days, young talent are specifically on the look out for companies that allow them the flexibility they desire—a crucial aspect against the backdrop of a skills shortage.
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2. Working hours vs Results Where does the future lie?
Has the 40-hour week had its day? Businesses need to ask themselves if work can solely be measured in terms of hours toiled. In this age of flexible hybrid working, transparency is increasingly important as staff want to know who in the team is taking on which task, what the overarching objectives are and how every single person is contributing to ensure they are achieved. It’s clear that it’s not the hours worked that count, but the end results.
Teams can, for example, switch to using role descriptions instead of job descriptions and therefore clearly define what is expected. Having roles makes it clearer how tasks are distributed. They aren’t necessarily one person’s responsibility any more and can be flexibly adjusted as and when required. What’s more, switching roles can happen at any time helping businesses cope better with work peaks and new requirements.
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3. Mindset or technique – Which comes out on top?
Your team has all kinds of new and modern tools at its disposal, but nobody is using them? Organisations are increasingly facing challenges when it comes to change. Even though most employees have the tools they need to work from anywhere, If they don't have the right mindset, projects are sure to fail. It’s impossible for organisations to make the switch to a hybrid workplace from one day to the next, as someone needs to set out the parameters within which teams can organise themselves according to their own rules. It requires a rethink both in terms of leadership and team work. Transparency and communications are critical in enabling location-agnostic collaboration, but valuable feedback and an error culture are also vital aspects in enriching the hybrid workplace and the teams working within it.
When it comes to introducing new process and technical solutions within companies, change management and user adoption have to be taken into account from day one. After all, new solutions need to be understood and used as that is the only way to boost employee productivity and efficiency. Having the necessary technology is one thing, but it can only help to a certain extent if the people don’t understand how to use it and that’s why a structured approach and precise planning from the off are indispensable.
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4. Are parameters superseding strict rules?
A growing number of companies are affording their employees more freedom. Agile teams that organise themselves often work faster and more flexibly. Strict rules have no place in this kind of environment as they stymie productivity. Having said that, staff need reference points they can align themselves with
meaning that leaders need to provide their teams with a framework within which they can organise themselves. On top of this, teams require a clear strategy that is best developed in a workshop, and which is regularly reviewed and tweaked as needed. It’s important that companies get to grips with the idea of agile teams and introduce working models that benefit all. Let’s not forget, flexibility is the weapon needed to counteract the challenges of a volatile workplace.
Embrace the change with a strong partner by your side.
Want to know how you can benefit from our holistic approach? We combine our strategic approach with the right tools and technology and make sure your team are on board every step of the way. To do so, we examine the status quo at your company, determine individual objectives and support you through the entire transformation process and beyond. A well thought-through strategy and a detailed roadmap are the keys to our success. Implement a modern workplace where your employees can spread their wings to boost attractiveness and your teams’ productivity.
