As thousands of COVID cases are reported each day and vaccination requirements grow, it seems there will never be a
But what a post-pandemic world will look like is an ever-evolving scenario that employers and employees will need to figure out together, says Steve Pemberton, chief human resources officer at workforce management solutions company Workhuman.
“For the past two years, employees have been in complete control of how, where and when their work gets done,” says Pemberton. “As we look to the future, organizations need to continue taking their employees’ feelings and desires into consideration when implementing a potential return to the office, a remote-only ecosystem or the increasingly popular hybrid option.”
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However, adapting to a new kind of workplace that prioritizes employees’ time and well-being will have its challenges. According to
Employee Benefit News spoke to Pemberton to learn more about how employers should continue to redefine their workplace and their culture for the sake of long-term survival and success.
Looking ahead, how will the definition of the workplace change?
Organizations will still be figuring out how to maintain culture and performance as their workforces operate in a hybrid environment. The COVID-19 situation continues to evolve and, in some ways improve with vaccinations, but that doesn’t mean that the way work gets done will revert back to pre-pandemic ways.
Business leaders will need to continue investing time, resources and effort in programs that help build and maintain their company culture and help their humans stay connected, productive and engaged. Not only that, but as we continue to heal from these years of trauma, the workplace will be seen as a healing ground for people — a place where people will come together to support one another. The pendulum swung far to one side when the world was forced into isolation and it’s now swinging back as people want to be connected, and most importantly, together.
How should the relationships between leaders and workers evolve?
The key to designing flexible work is separating what needs to be done together versus what can be done apart. Managers need to dismantle their processes and schedules, which were built in a different time, and re-think them to prioritize flexibility, agility and collaboration. For example, managers who practice the informal walk-around to engage and learn what’s going on have to achieve the same information-gathering and problem-solving in a hybrid world — they should offer faster and more frequent feedback, welcome questions and problems, and empower teams to work out solutions on their own.
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In August 2021, a record-high 4.3 million people voluntarily chose to terminate their employment. This is not something that organizations should take lightly — it is something that should concern every business leader no matter what industry or sector they’re in. To combat this, organizations are going to have to work harder to show employees that they value their contributions, and that goes beyond salary raises and spot bonuses. Business leaders need to take stock of employee well-being, feelings of inclusion and the overall company culture when making decisions about the future. If they don’t, their employees will leave for another company that does.
How will employee feedback and data be redefined?
The Great Resignation has created an incredible situation where organizations need to be introspective and figure out how they can adjust in order to retain and attract top talent. Never before has an opportunity like this presented itself and as a result, we will see many organizations rethinking their employer brand strategies and reinventing how they engage with their current and future employees.
Organizations have long collected data on their employees, but as we move forward, the kinds of data that organizations will choose to collect and how they’ll use it will be significantly different. They’ll always track things like time off and benefits, but many will look towards world-class HR analytics collected through untraditional HR-related technologies.
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By design, there has to be intentionality in space, time, technology and processes. A key technology in the coming year will be capturing and quantifying the magic of cultural assets like collaboration, feedback and process innovations in a system that can recognize patterns. For example, an
How will DEI take shape in the workplace?
May 2020 and the events that transpired were galvanizing moments for organizations. Many [companies] made statements related to the Black Lives Matter movement and pledges for how their organization would improve their DEI efforts. But in some cases, that’s all they were — statements and pledges. Organizations will now need to put pen to paper and put their money where their mouth is. Results from our October Human Workplace Index showed that 66% of overall respondents stated that their company’s DEI strategy impacts their feelings about how long they plan to stay in their position. Actual progress on DEI plans is no longer a nice thing to do, it’s a need to do because current and potential employees are paying attention. Companies need to make DEI a movement, not a moment.
How do you create a unified culture and mission while enabling widely diverse points of view to thrive? The answer lies in the active giving and receiving of respect. An active culture of respect for everyone, not despite differences but because of them, is vital to engagement, loyalty, trust, innovation and smoothly operating teams — demonstrating “I see you; I honor you for who you are and what you do.”
