Sam is an Australian based Non-Executive Director and former CEO. She chairs the Remuneration and People Committee at Newcastle Permanent.
getty
I recently participated in a terrific webinar called "Reimagining the Modern Workplace," conducted by the Harvard Business Review. I am an alumnus of Harvard Business School’s Executive Program. The webinar was a live, interactive forum that explored the way in which executives appear to perceive the future of workforce strategies. It focused on research and pulse surveys overseen by Harvard Business School and HBR Analytic Services, in collaboration with the Industrial Development Agency of Ireland. The speakers were representatives from those entities. They asked, “What will our organizations' future workplace and workforce look like?”
In thinking collectively about the future of work, it's evident that we're experiencing quite an evolution. What's clear is that the hybrid workplace model is here to stay — for a lot longer than the short term. But will it be around permanently?
This is a question that has yet to be answered conclusively, and we continue to analyze and tweak many aspects of the new workplace as we learn more about the advantages and drawbacks of our new work realities. As we move along, the way in which we reimagine the modern workforce evolves. It’s very much a work in progress.
Working from home, or remote working, was instituted swiftly and surprisingly efficiently soon after the pandemic hit. Although it was supposed to be a quick fix, it has caused huge changes not only in the locations of our endeavors but in our philosophical and operational approaches for the long term.
Some industry leaders have even suggested that remote working was a phenomenon waiting to happen — that it was an inevitable change, which was always going to occur sooner or later — but that Covid-19 was the catalyst that brought it on in 2020.
An HBR-AS survey mentioned during the webinar found that out of the 232 executives interviewed, nearly all agreed that radical new strategies had to be implemented in order to remain productive and competitive over the last two years and going forward. The need for agility, flexibility, resilience and improved technology in today’s organizations remain dominant concepts in executive discussions.
Many industries can now source talent from a much wider pool of candidates in various locations. Talent doesn’t necessarily need to be local now; employees could essentially work from anywhere if it suits both them and the company. And if the operation is not location specific and can conduct its activities in regional areas, this can be an advantage also.
Leaders worry that remote working practices could be negatively affecting the "DNA" of their companies. However, we also hear reports of personnel who have met colleagues at Zoom meetings, whom they normally would never have run into at the office otherwise. These unexpected connections, in turn, benefit employees' position and progression. The workforce companionship factor, with regard to the hybrid model, will require extensive further consideration and exploration of potential avenues toward better outcomes.
One solution that has been widely praised is the introduction of "hubs" where employees can meet in order to enjoy that important social aspect of working. Tech companies have been the global leaders in taking on hybrid model settings, systems and processes.
With many business leaders considering whether or not to return to the office, it's important to determine what this might look like. If you're thinking you need at least some people in-office, what precisely is the role of the head office? Who definitely needs to be there, and who doesn’t? Could this cause inequitable disparities in compensation? How is the balance between centralization and decentralization to be configured? These are all concerns to be weighed up, as it will vary from business to business and time will tell.
There was a suspicion among many professionals that remote working practices could lead to a substantial loss in productivity. Many businesses have witnessed first-hand that this just isn't the case. So, executives seem generally not nearly as concerned now as they were in early 2020 that working from home is problematic. This common understanding is one of the reasons why the hybrid model has been embraced by so many organizations today. We can see that it works and that it will work in the future. It’s just a matter of determining exactly how and what will be the optimal marriage of productivity and workforce satisfaction.
There is so much more emphasis now on worker personal development, education and training, and this must be a priority for businesses as they craft their ideal hybrid strategies. Organizations need to strive for a productive and also contented workforce in the new hybrid scene. There are many advantages with the massive opening up of talent and location opportunities, which hybridity now presents for many companies. The increase in workforce diversity in particular is a fantastic outcome.
The balance needs to be right. This will be different for every operation, even in the same countries and industries, and it will likely keep changing. Executives and organizations will need to stay on their toes, ever ready to review, revise and adapt. A major agenda item for boards and executive management will be the notion of jobs to people rather than people to jobs.
The process is ongoing — it's a work (place) in progress. But it need not be the cause of anxiety or fatigue, but rather the source for optimism. This work in progress requires us to embrace new ways and means, cutting-edge technologies and innovative ideas.
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
