1610 24 30 The CompensationCriticalMetric Most Small Businesses Ignore - Thompson Aderinkomi, Nice Healthcare Exclusive Interview With Angela Greenfeather, Chief Human Resources Officer, Mr. Cooper Group HR’s Role in Managing Corporate Culture In The 21st Century - Michael Rogers, Alight Solutions Addressing The Needs Of A Modern Workforce Through A Four-Day Workweek - Bjorn Reynolds, Safeguard Global AUGUST 2022 • Vol. 10 • No.08 (ISSN 2564-1956) HOW SMBs CAN ACCELERATEWOTCLEVERAGETOHELPDE&IINITIATIVES - Carli Brown, WOTC Product Manager, Equifax Workforce Solutions CHRO Corner
How SMBs Can Leverage WOTC To Help Accelerate DE&I Initiatives It's time to consider implementing a WOTC screening program - Carli Brown, WOTC Product Manager, Equifax Workforce Solutions 07INDEX On the Cover HR Strategy & Planning Excellence AUGUST 2022 Vol.10 No.08 Articles 12 Gen Z Is The Future Of Work 3 things Gen Z is looking for in a workplace - Kait McGregor, Chief Research & Innovation Officer, WithYouWithMe 19 How Can HR Professionals Prepare Their Companies For Severe Weather Three best practices that encourage the implementation of modern technology - Todd Miller, SVP Strategic Programs, Rave Mobile Safety 27 Data Security Is Indispensable For Nurturing A Distributed Workforce Perfecting your risk mitigation strategy - Stephen Cavey, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist, Ground Labs 34 Personality Type And Return To The Office Policies One size does not fit all - John Hackston, Chartered Psychologist and Head, Thought Leadership, The Myers-Briggs Company 39 The Future Of The Workplace Embracing change and moving ahead - Gilles Raymond, Founder & CEO,(ISSNLetsmeet2564-1956)
Top Picks 10 16 24 30 The Critical Compensation Metric Most Small Businesses Ignore If you focus only on being competitive with wages and benefits, you will miss an important nuance - Thompson Aderinkomi, CEO and Co-founder, Nice Healthcare Exclusive Interview With Angela Greenfeather, Chief Human Resources Officer, Mr. Cooper Group HR’s Role in Managing Corporate Culture In The 21st Century We must put people first in everything we do - Michael Rogers, CHRO, Alight Solutions Addressing The Needs Of A Modern Workforce Through A Four-Day Workweek The future of work is “work in any way” - Bjorn Reynolds, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Guardian, Safeguard Global INDEX CHRO Corner
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The August issue of HR Strategy and Planning Excellence includes informative articles on how to leverage various workforce planning strategies to retain talent, improve security within the organization, embrace change, and much more.
In brief, this edition of HR Strategy & Planning Excellence explores expert strategies for HR professionals to help make their job more impactful, efficient, and effective in order to thrive in the new era of work. We hope you find the articles in this issue informative and helpful and, as always, we welcome your valuable feedback and suggestions.
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In one poll, nearly 80% of workers say they want to work for a company that values Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DE&I). Interested in learning how small business owners (SMBs) can leverage the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to accelerate DE&I initiatives while improving employee retention? Read Carli HR at the Forefront of Reshaping the Workforce
As we look to the future, there’s certainly no shortage of change. HR will have to ensure that their organization’s culture keeps pace and evolves to continue delivering a meaningful employee experience. With the Great Resignation and the recent 'quiet quitting' phenomenon gaining traction, it is clear that employees today want to set more boundaries between their professional and personal lives. Hence organizations should have a clear plan of action before it sweeps away the best workers in a team. While retention is an issue in large organizations, the pressure is even greater for small businesses, which often compete for talent against larger organizations with more resources to lure them away. Are there any solutions?
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The pandemic-led crisis has not only expanded HR's corporate influence but has also made it more people-centric. By ensuring the safety and well-being of employees, motivating the staff, managing hybrid employees and building a transformational workforce experience, HR leaders have been at the forefront of driving change. With responsibilities come challenges. From managing and retaining employees to data protection and cybersecurity, the tasks in front of HR are monumental.
Brown's (Product Manager, Equifax Workforce Solutions) article, How SMBs Can Leverage WOTC To Help Accelerate DE&I Initiatives, for valuable insights.
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Learn about the biggest mistakes small business employers make with their healthcare benefits right now and strategies to avoid that, in Thompson Aderinkomi's (CEO and Cofounder, Nice Healthcare) article, Compensation Metric Most Small Businesses Ignore.
The employee-employer relationship has forever changed, and HR must respond by facilitating leaders in building a strong culture around employees’ needs and values, according to Michael Rogers (CHRO, Alight Solutions) in his article entitled, HR’s Role in Managing Corporate Culture In The 21st Century. Also included is an exclusive interview with Mr. Cooper Group CHRO, Angela Greenfeather, in which she shares her HR journey, the challenges she faced, her thoughts on the future of HR, and much more.
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WOTC is a federal tax credit available to employers who hire and retain employees from certain targeted demographic groups that typically have challenges gaining employment, and could be worth a federal tax credit of up to $9,600 per eligible employee. Hiring these workers who may have had barriers to employment, may help you reach your goals of having a more diverse workforce, while also helping you fill open positions you might have during this talent shortage. You may not think you hire workers who qualify, but there may be more opportunities than you are aware of. Since long-term unemployed workers are eligible, many workers displaced during the pandemic or who needed nutritional assistance during that time may now qualify. Historical data1 from Equifax shows an average of 20-30% of an employer’s employee base may qualify for WOTC, and that was before the effects of the pandemic.
Consider these current eligible categories: ● Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients ● Unemployed or disabled military veterans ● Long-term unemployed ● Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients ● Residents living in designated economically struggling communities ● People with disabilities who have completed or are vocationalcompletingrehabilitation ● People with criminal histories ● Supplemental Security Income recipients ● Teens from employedempowermentdesignatedzonesforsummerwork COVER ARTICLE
How SMBs Can Leverage WOTC To Help Accelerate DE&I Initiatives
It's time to consider implementing a WOTC screening program
Another recent study showed that almost a third of employees think their organization doesn’t have a strong commitment to DE&I, and it is correlated to those employees’ willingness to leave. This was especially true among Millennials since 60% of them expect their employer to have a strong commitment to DE&I, significantly higher than older generations.
Small business owners have a lot on their plate, and when there are opportunities to accomplish multiple goals in one fell swoop, it’s often a no-brainer. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) can help your organization’s bottom line, but what if it could also help with your DE&I initiatives and retaining Inemployees?onepoll,nearly 80% of workers say they want to work for a company that values Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DE&I).
By Carli Brown, Equifax Workforce Solutions
● Use the WOTC calculator on this website to get an estimate for how much money your company could save with WOTC. Can Leverage Help
1. On average, stayed in their jobs for the same amount of time or longer as non-WOTC hires
WOTC To
Equifax
Carli Brown is the WOTC Product Manager at Equifax Workforce Solutions. She has five years of product experience and was previously the Product Manager for HIREtech, an Equifax company. She has spent her entire career in WOTC management. One of the many reasons Carli is passionate about WOTC is it promotes diversity and inclusion for all of our clients. Would you like to comment?
3.
And hiring qualified employees might also be good for your retention efforts. data2 shows that workers hired through WOTC
2. Are less likely to leave their job in the first year than their cohorts Typically progress through the ranks at the same pace as traditionally hired co-workers
Notes:
How SMBs
1Equifax research study on new hires (WOTC and non-WOTC) over the period of 2008-2013. 2Sourced from The Work Number® and Equifax clients’ WOTC certifications. Useful Links: ● Learn more about the potential dual value of WOTC for your business in this whitepaper
Accelerate DE&I Initiatives
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 8
Even if your business does not have a lot of expertise in WOTC, it may be time to consider implementing a WOTC screening program. You can work with an experienced WOTC provider who can present the screening form and often apply for the certification on your behalf. Many times, there are integrations with your HCM systems that can help streamline this process even more.
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If you focus only on being competitive with wages and benefits, you will miss an important nuance
Finding and retaining good employees has long been a critical success factor for companies of all sizes. Today, employees have more choices than ever and the battle to entice and keep talent is even more difficult. In fact, according to data from Gartner, 37.4 million employees will quit in 2022; pre-pandemic the annual average was 31.9 million.
By Thompson Aderinkomi, Nice Healthcare
For example, the Council for Community & Economic Research (C2ER) survey shows that in the first quarter of 2022, Hawaii is one of the most expensive states to live in, with a cost of living index of 192.7. Mississippi is the least expensive state to live in with a cost of living index of 83.1. The average income in Hawaii is $103,780 and is #7 of the top 10 with the highest average incomes. When we look at the states with the lowest average income, Mississippi is #1 with an average income of $41,776.
BusinessesMetricCompensationCriticalMostSmallIgnore
Benefits are a key factor in employee decisions to quit or take a job. Health and retirement benefits as a tool to attract and retain employees have reached a 10-year high. Forty-eight percent of employees indicate that a healthcare plan is an important reason to join a company and sixty percent consider it an important reason to stay.
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 10 The
Fast-growing small businesses are no strangers to ensuring that the employee benefits packages they offer are attractive while being sustainable for their businesses, particularly health insurance. A MetLife survey reveals that it’s not just the offering, employees want benefits that address their main stressors, particularly around personal finances, retirement, and their family’s health — which overlap considerably. With benefits being so important to the health of a company, surprisingly, many companies make the mistake of overlooking the amount of disposable income your employees will have after paying for their contribution to health insurance and how it compares to other markets.
TOP PICK
Salary and benefits are pillars of recruitment and retention strategies. However, if you focus only on being competitive with wages and benefits you will miss an important nuance. This becomes even more important as we search for talent beyond our local geography.
Contributions can vary greatly by market. You must account for the nuances of cost to understand how your benefits impact your staff. Even considering state data and comparing it to household income, will give you a more realistic view of how your benefits financially affect your employees.
Another hidden cost is the cost of utilizing benefits. In situations that are not emergencies, employees are using personal time for medical visits. Depending on location, this may require driving a distance for appointments. Time has value and it is a cost that is added to co-payment, co-insurance, or employee responsibilities. The direct primary care (DPC) movement is one approach that holds promise. This alternative model provides access to primary care for a flat fee. With a DPC program, you can potentially lower your employees’ out-of-pocket costs immediately. It can also immediately reduce health insurance premiums if employers and their consultants are able to jointly pressure insurance carriers to recognize the positive impact of this meaningful, alternative model.
As we all look for ways to support our employees’ overall well-being, optimizing their disposable income is one way that can achieve that goal. Being cognizant of the true costs to your employees can be a win for your bottom line and theirs.
Would you like to comment? Thompson Aderinkomi is CEO and Cofounder of Nice Healthcare, a company that is solving systemic pain points by bringing primary care directly to the patient with in-home visits, lab tests, and x-rays.
As you evaluate your benefits, particularly health insurance, it is important to understand how the costs will impact your employees. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, in 2021, group health insurance participation cost employees $5,969 annually, or roughly 27% of the premium, for family coverage and $1,299, about 17%, for an individual. In a market like Mississippi, employees will be more impacted because they have lower wages but a higher contribution to health insurance.
The Critical Compensation Metric Most Small Businesses Ignore
We would expect health insurance premiums to be higher in Hawaii and lower in Mississippi, but that is not the case. In Hawaii, the average employee contribution to employer-sponsored healthcare is $5,240, and in Mississippi, it is $7,241.
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 11
But this is a new age, a digital culture that requires new ideas and approaches, and nobody understands that better than GenZ.
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 12
Using a psychometric aptitude testing process that assesses a job candidate’s potential, we have collected and analyzed years’ worth of data that provide a unique insight into specific groups that are historically under-represented and under-employed — veterans and their families, neurodivergent individuals, Indigenous Canadians and, yes, youth. This data shows our younger generation is, in fact, one of Canada’s greatest untapped resources when it comes to finding the digital skills our economy needs right now. From this information, we can see that Generation Z is more altruistic than the generations that came before them. They see the potential in technology and want to use it to solve problems and make the world a better place. It has also shown that GenZ has above-average abstract reasoning and pattern recognition, skills that are vital to both predicting future problems before they arise and solving those that do.
Gen Z Is The Future Of Work
Gen Z has above-average abstract reasoning and pattern recognition, skills that are vital to both predicting future problems before they arise and solving those that do.
By Kait McGregor, WithYouWithMe 3 things Gen Z is looking for in a workplace
Being born and raised in the digital age, eight in 10 youth already have intermediate or above tech skills — before they get any training. They learned on computers, read from digital textbooks and the younger cohort did much of their learning online during the pandemic.
The modern iteration of the grumpy oldtimer in the neighborhood yelling at kids to get off his lawn is the Boomer or Gen Xer on social media complaining that Generation Z has no desire to work. That could not be further from the Truetruth. digital natives — the first generation that did not experience a world without the Internet — the reality is that GenZ is the future of work. However, how they work is different than any generation that came before them. Their challenge is they don’t have a seat at the table or a voice in the room with the people who are currently dictating how work should be done — which is essentially how it has always been done.
The last is education. While the older generations have displayed some disdain for Gen Z, youth coming into the workplace are seeking guidance and mentors. Generation X — who have adapted nicely to the Internet Age — have to be willing to teach and educate to help GenZ grow as individuals. Employers will not regret making these accommodations to recruit younger talent to their teams. The result will be a workforce that is more diverse, loyal and innovative. In short, the future of work.
They desire a flexible working environment. Long gone is the strict 9-5. The ability to build a schedule around heavy commuting hours or family commitments is desirable. Gen Z likes to spend some days working from home. Remember, the last three graduating classes have endured some measure of virtual learning. With a secure Internet connection and a laptop, pretty much anywhere can be “in the office.” Internal talent mobility is important. While Gen Z generally understand they are starting at the beginning, they don’t want to stay there. But at the same time, they crave stability. The knowledge that they can grow and progress in a company is highly sought by GenZ. But this does mean more than simply promotions up the ranks. With stability, they want intellectual challenges. They want to learn new skills and abilities that will help them explore more options as they grow and mature.
Quite simply, they are the bridge we need over the digital skills gap. But the challenge here is not on the shoulders of Gen Z. While they are the future of work, we must acknowledge that they are still mostly in or vying for entry-level roles. They aren’t stepping into the corner office of the executive suite. It is up to employers to embrace the changing times and empower GenZ to come work for their company, understanding that a person’s potential is often worth much more than their experience. It comes down to three things GenZ is looking for in a workplace.
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 13
Would you like to comment?
Kait McGregor is the Chief Research & Innovation Officer at WithYou WithMe (WYWM).
Gen Z Is The Future Of Work
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As Chief People Officer of Mr. Cooper Group, Angela Greenfeather oversees all facets of HR including employee relations, HR business partners, talent acquisition, learning and talent development, total rewards, people operations and analytics. Angela’s career spans 20 years, including leadership roles at Travelocity and Sabre Corporation.
Excerpts from the interview: What has your HR journey been like, and what influenced you the most to have a positive impact on your career?
In an exclusive interview with HR.com, Angela shares her HR journey with readers, along with her learnings, challenges, and what according to her awaits HR in the future.
Exclusive Interview With Angela Greenfeather, Chief Human Resources Officer, Mr. Cooper Group
Where do HR leaders draw inspiration from? What are their worst nightmares? How did they stand the test of the changing times? In this segment, we will trace your journey to the top. This is your story - a story that is made of extraordinary accomplishments, methods that helped you overcome adversity, innovative programs that you led, and fundamental changes that you brought in. It's your chance to inspire the next generation of leaders.
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 16
Angela: I’ve been with Mr. Cooper Group since 2015, but I started my career in HR at Sabre, a travel technology company, and then I worked at Travelocity for seven years before getting into the mortgage industry.
I’ve always been driven by the possibility of positively impact the places I’ve worked, and that drive has really fueled the transformation I’ve been involved in here at Mr. Cooper. To be at a company that truly puts people first allows my team and I to engage even more fully in purpose-driven work to enhance the team member experience. the Next Generation of HR Leaders
Q Inspiring
CHRO CORNER TOP PICK
How do you see workplace culture evolving over the years?
When did you join the current company: 2015 Total experience in HR: 20+ years
Angela: The challenges I faced early in my career were predominantly about advancing the HR advisory capability and companies’ investments in HR technology and tools. Today’s challenges have a lot to do with the world we are living in. The last few years have required HR professionals to embrace new ways of working, address the need for support from burnout and meet team members where they are during uncertain and sometimes trying times. High turnover rates in the general workforce have really helped us prioritize retaining talent, which for us goes back to meeting our people where they are and listening to their feedback. For example, hearing direct feedback from our team and observing the challenges for working parents really helped us create Mr. Cooper’s new home-centric working model that supports flexibility and balance.
Total number of employees: Approximately 8,000 team members
Designation: Chief People Officer Company: Mr. Cooper Group
But, it’s also important to offer robust PTO, 401k packages, tuition reimbursement, student debt assistance, debt relief, retirement planning tools, and other financial literacy education opportunities for employees to take charge of their financial goals.
CHRO Corner QQ
What are your best tips on how to lead during a crisis, uncertainty, and Angela:change?
Hobbies: I really enjoy learning about Native American culture. As a tribal member of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe, it is an honor and a privilege to understand our history, customs, and traditions.
This shift from the standardized offering of benefits to more unique offerings based on who you are as a company is definitely a way that companies can directly impact the cultural evolution of their workplace.
When facing uncertainty, it is important to reinforce trust and respect among your teams and organizations at large. This is easier to do if your company’s culture is already built on trust going into a crisis or a time of uncertainty. Lean into the people-centric elements of your culture and err on the side of transparently overcommunicating. Even if you do not have all the answers, communicate with your people anyway and be up-front when you do not have all the information yet. Respect is gained when companies lead with transparency and genuine care. And team members are more likely to remain engaged when they know you are being genuine and honest with them during challenging times.
What book are you reading currently? Marsha Clark’s, Embracing Your Power: A Woman’s Path to Authentic Leadership.
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 17
Name: Angela Greenfeather
Angela: I think workplaces should focus a lot more on enhancing their benefits to align with the priorities of the company culture and the more specific needs of their people. At Mr. Cooper, we are focusing a lot on programs that educate and strengthen the financial wellness of employees, since that is an area of expertise and importance to us as a financial services company. As it relates to financial well-being, compensation and benefits are critical components.
Q
What were your challenges during the early days of your career? What are those today?
Where do you draw the line when it comes to work-life balance?
CHRO Corner QQ
Where do you draw inspiration from? What do you have to say to those who are still struggling to find a place in the Angela:boardroom?
Q Would you like to comment?
I draw a lot of inspiration from the smart people around me. There are a lot of smart, passionate leaders in business and in HR roles that teach me something new every day. I learned early in my career that the best education comes from the experts we hire and interact with every day, so it’s important to be willing to learn from them!
What are some major changes you see affecting HR within the next few Angela:years?
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 18
For those struggling to find a place in their organization, I would encourage them to continue to press forward while honing the capabilities and perspectives it takes to be an HR leader. I also think it’s important to vocalize your career interests and get feedback (and listen) from those you trust. Then, you have to be willing to make adjustments as needed.
Angela: It took me a long time to draw the line as I held the flawed perspective that working countless hours demonstrated my commitment and my value-add to a company. At Mr. Cooper Group, we understand the importance of mental and physical well-being, and how when they are in balance, it
Fortunately, I believe we are going to see a lot of changes in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and practices, especially within talent acquisition and recruiting. More companies have been embracing broader pay transparency, and I believe that will only continue as a tangible equity initiative. I think an increased focus on DEI and mental health will really change the way HR departments function and decide what’s important to prioritize in the coming years.
allows everyone to show up more fully at home and at work. The line for me will never be linear and will ebb and flow based on the realities of the moment. To stay balanced, I work to thoughtfully evaluate my commitments with reassurance that I don’t have to say yes to everything. I can set reasonable expectations with deliverables, take uninterrupted PTO, and practice mindfulness meditation at the beginning of each morning to set the intentions for the day.
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 19
How Can ProfessionalsHR Prepare Their Companies For Severe Weather
We’re in the midst of another severe weather period that will put communities across the U.S at risk. Drought conditions have set the stage for another active wildfire season, especially in the western part of the country. Experts predict that we’ll see five major hurricanes in the coming months with the biggest storms hitting shores in late August or early September. Given these known threats, it’s time to revisit severe weather and natural disaster response plans for all types of potential events.
By Todd Miller, Rave Mobile Safety
Three best practices that encourage the implementation of modern technology
HR teams, in particular, can play an important role in this area. Many people spend the majority of their waking hours in office buildings and brick-and-mortar locations, and yet keeping employees safe during natural disasters can be challenging, especially for large, complex organizations. Fortunately, modern technology makes things easier. With the right communication and collaboration platform, HR leaders can prepare their companies to withstand any weather event. They can increase enterprise resilience and employee confidence, both of which are critical for sustaining healthy organizations. Against this backdrop, let’s consider three best practices that encourage the implementation of modern technology to optimize severe weather response plans.
Develop Specific Plans for Vulnerable Employees
As an HR department, the goal should be to maximize the visibility of emergency communication. Doing so may require investing in a modern communication platform that supports multi-channel messaging at scale.
Some employees require additional assistance in severe weather emergencies. They may have physical or mental health needs that make it harder to protect themselves during a natural disaster. Others may need more time to prepare for severe weather or extra help arranging logistics – transportation, housing, food and other needs – that arise in emergency situations. One of the best ways to ensure no employees fall through the cracks is to offer an inclusive opt-in safety application. HR can provide additional tools, resources, and customized communications in case of a weather crisis. These systems can store details like addresses, and contact information for friends and family members in an emergency.
Deliver Clear, Multi-Channel Messaging to Employees
A big part of preparing companies for natural disasters also includes making sure your team members have access to safety and communications plans, not only in the lunch room or hallways but on “always available” dedicated web pages or mobile apps that employees know they can refer to at any time. What’s most important is that severe weather resources exist and that workers know where to find them. Of course, the real communication burden comes when severe weather does strike. During natural disasters and weather emergencies, HR teams must be able to send messages to all employees through their preferred communication channels. This might mean sending emails and SMS texts, making automated calls, pushing desktop notifications –whatever it takes to reach people who may be in harm’s way.
How Can HR Professionals Prepare Their Companies For Severe Weather
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Clear communication is essential during severe weather events. HR teams should revisit and update emergency response plans today and at least annually before severe weather arrives. Much has changed in the last few years, and many companies haven’t had a chance to revise safety plans according to new floor layouts, office capacity, new digital channels, and other factors. Getting back up to speed is crucial now that we are settling into post-Covid times.
Together, these features form the foundation for a more holistic severe weather plan. And they are what many companies need as we navigate the back half of 2022.
Todd Miller is SVP Strategic Programs at Rave Mobile Safety.
How Can HR Professionals Prepare Their Companies For Severe Weather
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The most advanced software safety ecosystems provide the capabilities mentioned above. Not only can HR teams partner more effectively with external groups, but they can also take advantage of multi-channel messaging and safety profiles. The benefits are well worth the investment.
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Having these data points up front enables HR teams to develop custom plans for certain individuals or groups of people. They can also segment their workforces in these systems and deliver tailored messaging to enhance the relevance of any severe weather communication. Furthermore, safety applications empower emergency responders to better serve employees when the time comes.
Collaborate with Public Safety Officials and Emergency Responders HR professionals should also have tools that allow them to collaborate with public safety officials and emergency responders. It’s easy for natural disaster response efforts to become chaotic when many groups are involved. It’s often unclear who is responsible for what and whose voices carry the most authority. To prevent confusion, HR departments can invest in software solutions that provide one comprehensive ecosystem for managing all aspects of severe weather response efforts. These platforms provide tools for resource management, scheduling, two-way communication and task management. In the most critical of emergencies, HR teams can share emergency details with law enforcement and public safety officials, ensuring everyone is working from the same resource. When this happens, emergency responses are faster and less overwhelming for employees. They are also safer and more robust overall, leading to better outcomes.
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The human resources function has been in a constant state of evolution ever since employers first recognized the connection between worker wellbeing and productivity in the late 1800s. Throughout the 20th century, HR fought to ensure employees were treated as real people, not as expendable resources; worked closely with labor unions to guarantee safety and competitive compensation; and developed extensive training, advancement, and recognition programs. Partnering with Legal, HR ensured compliance with wage and hour laws, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and anti-discrimination laws, among many others. As the new approached,millenniumthereemerged the recognition that people – not products, patents, or property – are the true determinants of organizational success. HR found itself increasingly focused on engagement and culture, seeking to ensure that valued employees were happy and fulfilled at work. It became commonplace to find CHROs serving as change agents and guardians of culture. No longer satisfied merely to have earned a seat at the table, HR solidified its position as one of the core members of the executive team. In recent years, the pace of change has increased dramatically, thanks in large part to advances in technology, but also to the numerous converging events that have reshaped the workplace and the relationship.employee-employerInthemidstof the Covid-19 pandemic – the most significant public health crisis in over a century – an array of complex and controversial issues came to the fore, prompting people to reassess their lives and their priorities.
By Michael Rogers, Alight Solutions We must put people first in everything we do
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HR’s Role in Managing Corporate Culture In The 21st Century
While there are certainly limitations – a restaurant, retail, warehouse, or assembly line worker usually can’t perform all their duties from home – a large percentage of people have discovered the freedom of working from quite literally anywhere. This realization has opened up a world of opportunities for employees, making it easier than ever to jump ship if their current job or the culture of the organization is not to their liking. This helped fuel the Great Resignation, a phenomenon that has challenged HR more than anything in recent memory. More than 47 million Americans left their jobs in 2021 and nearly one in four employed American adults planned to seek a new job with a different employer in 2022. This is not just a U.S. phenomenon either. Across the globe, workers have been quitting their jobs in record numbers – or indicating a desire to leave their current positions. In India, more than 60% of employed adults say they are likely to leave their current job within the next three to six months, well above their counterparts in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The second-highest level of discontent was among workers in Singapore, where nearly half (49%) said they were likely to leave their employer in the coming months. Many companies are seeking to avert this crisis by improving the employee experience. They recognize the need to ensure employees are not only engaged and performing, but that their culture meets employee organizationdemonstratesexpectations,thatthetrulycares about their wellbeing, and delivers on their need for a sense of purpose and the freedom to make choices that best suit their life both inside and outside of work.
A Purpose-Driven Culture
With Freedom Comes Challenges One of the byproducts of the pandemic was the recognition that geography is no longer a barrier to employment with far-flung organizations.
A Commitment to Wellbeing A recent Gallup survey asked employees what they look for most in an employer. Across all generations, respondents ranked “care about employees’ wellbeing” in their top three criteria. Pay and perks are no longer enough. People are looking for a workplace culture where they feel seen, known, supported, protected, and valued. Once employees feel that their basic needs (e.g., livelihood, physical safety) have been met, they turn to higher-order aspirations and objectives (e.g., professional growth, fulfillment). As a baseline, employees who feel seen, known, supported, protected, and valued will be less likely to leave the organization for more money or other reasons. To ensure we are meeting these basic needs, we conducted an all-colleague well-being survey. We also launched our new “caring for the whole person”
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HR’s Role in Managing Corporate Culture In The 21st Century
strategy focused on the pillars of a healthy body, mind, wallet, and life. In an effort to bolster mental health support, we held our first all-colleague empathy training, and we continue providing externally facilitated support sessions and webinars through our well-being partners. In response to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, we affirmed our commitment to providing access to reproductive health benefits and added a medical travel benefit to ensure our colleagues and dependents can get the care they need.
A culture cannot be contrived, but that doesn’t mean a company shouldn’t take steps to guide its employees on how they should feel while at work and how work should get done. That’s where purpose and values come into play. If a company’s purpose is designed to make clear why a company exists, company values are there to provide signposts and guardrails to show what the company stands for. Many employees are seeking a higher purpose from their work – and rejecting employers whose purpose and values do not align with their own. That’s the case across generations, but none more so than the youngest group of Accordingworkers. to our 2022 Alight International Workforce and Wellbeing Study, over half (51%) of Gen Z consider an organization being highly purpose-driven as a major differentiator.
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While maintaining a culture of inclusivity for all viewpoints, more and more employees want to know what their employer stands for, even if that means not all employees will agree with it. As we’ve navigated the seemingly endless, heartbreaking challenges of recent years, we’ve held listening sessions for all colleagues in response to the global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, mass shootings, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Recently, we held a lunch and learn about The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people. Through these difficult conversations, our colleagues have found the purpose they seek embedded in our culture. Keeping Pace If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my nearly two decades in HR, it’s that the only constant is change. If there’s any doubt, all you have to do is reflect on the seismic shifts of the past three years. The workforce has changed. Where and how work gets done has changed. Priorities and purposes have changed. HR organizations that have demonstrated their ability to be adept and agile have persevered, even in the most challenging of times. HR has become the immune system of an organization. As we look to the future, there’s certainly no shortage of change. By some accounts, the pace is expected to quicken even more. It’s incumbent upon HR to ensure that their organization’s culture keeps pace and evolves to continue delivering a meaningful employee experience. We must put people first in everything we do, ensure they feel seen, known, supported, protected, and valued, and help them live their best lives at work and at home. That’s a tall order, but HR has been effectively managing ever-changing culture for more than a Regardlesscentury.ofwhat challenges the future throws our way, I am confident our function will exceed expectations if we continue to listen to our people.
Managing
Increasingly, people don’t want to work for organizations that remain silent on critical issues impacting and concerning the broader population. From racial injustice and hate crimes to gun violence and abortion rights, these social and political issues are making their way into the workplace, prompting senior executives and other stakeholders to speak up and take action. That’s not to suggest employers should take an overtly political stance – unless that is in line with their culture – but rather offer support and provide opportunities for employees to share what’s in their hearts and learn what they can do to make things better.
HR’s Role in Corporate Culture Century
In The 21st
As Chief Human Resources Officer, Michael Rogers is responsible for leading Alight Solutions’ global HR function and defining and executing its people and talent strategies. With nearly 20 years of HR leadership experience, Michael is focused on growing and retaining exceptional people to help drive the success of Alight while ensuring its 16,000+ colleagues across the globe have fulfilling careers.
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According to a Beyond Identity study, nearly half (49.6%) of survey respondents only used work-issued devices, while 39.1% used both personal and work-issued devices. For that reason, a considerable amount of corporate data is likely being distributed across personal devices.
With the increased use of personal and work-issued devices, an organization’s privacy and security posture is being contested. And as a result, organizations lack visibility into employees’ home networks, increasing vulnerability within the organization.
According to Microsoft’s 2022 Work Trend Index, more than half (52%) of employees surveyed are considering going hybrid or remote in the next year. In this new normal, flexibility is proving essential, and remote work, to some degree, is here to stay. With remote and hybrid working arrangements rising in popularity — completely revolutionizing global talent acquisition and onboarding processes — the privacy and cybersecurity threats remain a significant concern for many businesses and HR leaders. Factors contributing to this risk include employees using both personal and work-issued devices for work-related tasks, which may unintentionally expose sensitive company data. And, for that matter, security is no longer just a CISO or IT concern but rather a risk that impacts the whole organization and its reputation, requiring active participation from all employees across the business, starting foremost with Human Resources.
Data Security Is
By Stephen Cavey, Ground Labs Perfecting your risk mitigation strategy
ForIndispensableNurturing A Distributed Workforce
A Remote Workforce: Personal vs. WorkIssued Devices The pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and chip shortages have forced organizations to rely on their employees’ personal devices to fulfill their tasks.
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Business Awareness is Key According to Ground Labs research, 70% of professionals surveyed believe their organization does not know where all of its data is stored. In April alone, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that some 4.4 million Americans resigned. Some employees take data with them when they leave, whether they intend to or not, which is an added risk given today’s security threat landscape. With a deeper understanding of where data lives, how it is being secured, and who has access to it, HR and business leaders can work closely with IT and security professionals to remediate and protect data. This collaboration can ultimately eliminate this increased risk.
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In April, a study conducted by Sophos reported that 66% of organizations surveyed were hit by a ransomware attack in 2021, up from 37% the prior year. With a distributed workforce, organizations — now, more than ever — must be proactive in ensuring their most significant asset is protected. From a hiring perspective, companies acquiring global talent must adapt and mitigate the risks accompanying candidates and employees dispersed worldwide. Since no organization is exempt from these threats, now is the time for HR and business leaders to determine HR’s role in improving security within the organization. While larger organizations often rely on software solutions, smaller businesses may struggle to break through the veil of personal ownership.
Data Security Is Indispensable For Nurturing A Distributed Workforce
A holistic approach is one of the most effective avenues to achieving compliance. Unless your organization is sharing customer data with a third party, your employees are often the only people with access to your company’s crown jewels repository of customer data. HR teams can reinforce the importance of employees’ active participation in minimizing cyber risks by providing training across departments on proper handling and storage practices. This practice could help instill a strong sense of high alert when working with files and other data sources that contain individuals’ personal and private details. These individuals, whether they’re customers, contestants, employees or other private citizens, have entrusted the organization they handed their details to. They expect that such information will be kept private and secure.
Security Is Indispensable For Nurturing A Distributed Workforce
Data
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To fulfill this requirement and expectation, businesses should consider hiring a data protection officer (DPO) or a similar role. Assigning a well-informed and competent professional responsible for data privacy and security oversight will equip your organization with another level of assurance that data safeguards are being implemented and overseen as an ongoing process.
Correspondingly, with emerging regulations, security is not the only concern for understanding where data is stored — compliance is paramount too. As companies continue to navigate the complexities of the landscape, such as complying with GDPR, HIPAA or CCPA, they must first understand what personal data they are holding. That includes knowing the location, amount, and types of information collected, such as the country or jurisdiction of the data subjects. Data awareness helps the company distinguish the value of its assets and develop a comprehensive security strategy.
Without these critical steps, any subsequent action decision will be based on the assumption of where data is, leading to considerable risks being overlooked or ignored. At the same time, remember that you can protect the organization while instilling confidence in your employee’s ability to safely make data-driven decisions in their role.
As businesses continue to inch closer to post-pandemic recovery and adjust to an ongoing distributed workforce, prioritizing data security, compliance and privacy are fundamentally expected and no longer reserved for large organizations with dedicated security teams. Any organization of any size that collects and handles any form of personal data will need to prioritize this objective to mitigate privacy and security risks.
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Likewise, to further help the organization remove unnecessary risks and achieve greater visibility and awareness, consider how non-technology groups across the organization, such as Human Resources and Marketing, can work together. These departments can be influential in detecting and removing unnecessary personal data such as aging ex-employee files, old customer service case logs, and out-of-date marketing prospect lists.
Perfecting Your Risk Mitigation Strategy
Ground Labs’ Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist, Stephen Cavey leads a global team empowering enterprise organizations to discover, manage and secure sensitive data. He has deep security domain expertise with a focus on electronic payments and data security compliance.
In the larger U.K. trial, employees are being paid the same for working 80% of the hours. And because they are boosting their mental health and finding better work-life balance with their additional time off, they are completing tasks in four days that used to take five.
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By Bjorn Reynolds, Safeguard Global The future of work is “work in any way”
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 30 Addressing The Needs Of A Modern Workforce Through A Four-Day Workweek
These results echo a smaller trial of the four-day workweek in Iceland last year, which was so successful that shorter working hours are now an option for more than 85% of the country’s workforce.
Many of the 33,000 workers--who represent 70 companies participating in the trial--say the new schedule enables them to take up new hobbies, pursue longer-term goals and improve their home lives, all without sacrificing productivity.
The early results are in, and they shouldn’t be a surprise to HR and business leaders worldwide: employees trying out a four-day workweek in the U.K. in the biggest workplace experiment of its kind say their new schedule is a game-changer.
This knowledge is changing the workplace in fundamental and permanent ways. Now that employees know they can successfully work remotely and be more productive with less hours, they want the flexibility to do their jobs in ways that work for them. It’s up to employers to embrace a people-centric approach to workforce management and provide an environment that allows them to perform at the top of their game. Failing to do so could easily mean losing top talent to a competitor who is willing to create people-centric work policies.
Addressing the Needs of a Modern Workforce Our trial began about a month ago with ten of our remote engineers, who follow asynchronous schedules and are used to putting in extended hours for special projects. As we work through this trial to see if the four-day workweek helps us to better support our teams’ work-life balance, we’re keeping an eye on the progress of our teams and communicating with them frequently about how they feel the four-day week is affecting their ability to do their job, their job performance and work-life balance. As we monitor overall sentiment and productivity, we’re making adjustments to our program based on their feedback and the trends we’re witnessing. So far, we’re seeing a positive impact on the team’s performance. In fact, the team has improved a lot of the metrics that matter such as the quality of work and our retention rate. Our Chief Technology Officer reports that team members have been creative, eager, and engaged – and when new challenges arise, they are able to quickly problem solve with the new flexibility and freedom to set their We’reschedules.lookingat the results of this trial from a qualitative perspective to see if outcomes align with our expectations of more energized, engaged, and motivated employees. In the next two months, we plan to expand the four-day week to our operations centers, where we employ over 1,200 people across six different countries. By the end of this year, we will know whether performance benchmarks are being met – such as quality of work, quarterly results, daily deliverables, and the impact on our clients. Depending on these results, we’ll know whether Safeguard Global is set to join the four-day movement as one of the largest global employers putting a premium on employee well-being.
Our team at Safeguard Global has worked relentlessly through significant upheaval these last three years, just as we know many around the world have. Our employees deserve flexibility as we’ve seen that they will use it to achieve, and even exceed the goals they have in front of them. That is why we have decided to launch our own trial of the four-day workweek.
Addressing The Needs Of A Modern Workforce Through A Four-Day Workweek
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The Future of Work is “Work in Any Way” Every company, and often each department within it, is different and requires a unique approach to meet their goals. The four-day work week is not a one-size-fitsall approach that will generate the same results across the company.
Addressing The Needs
It’s just one example of what I like to call a “Work in Any Way” mentality that puts employee needs and flexibility at the forefront. The world of work was radically altered by the pandemic with the larger company adoption of remote work and now the great resignation, where a record number of 47.4 million American workers voluntarily quit their jobs in 2021. As a result, people are increasingly realizing the traditional 9-5 work model doesn’t work for them. Employees want more than just a flexible workspace - they want a flexible work experience.
It’s important to note that the four-day workweek is not the only way we’re experimenting with the best ways to balance employee workload and avoid burnout. There is never a single solution. We’re looking at numerous initiatives, whether it be implementing required holidays, designated PTO hours, wellness weeks, etc., and exploring how they would work for different teams. We know all teams will not react or work better with the same structures – we need to be deliberate in identifying the different approaches. But this is going to help shape the future of work for our company, to be a Work in Any Way company.
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The question is: how is your company adjusting to let your people work in any way?
Modern Workforce Through A Four-Day Workweek
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The four-day workweek is one way some of us are getting there – how are you? Of A
Bjorn Reynolds is Chief Executive Officer & Chief Guardian at Safeguard Global.
Employees want more than just a flexible workspace - they want a flexible work experience.
Culture plays a significant role in determining which job offers workers accept, how long they stay and how well they perform. And now that employees have proven they can excel in unconventional environments, they are demanding the flexibility to do their jobs in ways that better suit their schedules, their relationships, and their mental health.
HR and business leaders have had a front-row seat to the evolving global workscape and identified different ways to restructure how our teams work, not just through the lens of what is best for the company, but also what is best able to serve the needs of our workforce. We are increasingly erasing geographic borders, reconfiguring office space, updating remote work policies, and allowing employees to choose between being remote-first or traditional office environments. Our mission has always been to transform how people work. Ten years ago, that meant helping organizations hire and pay their employees globally. Today, it means helping companies support a diverse array of workstyles and workplace cultures around the world. If a valuable employee wants or needs something out of the ordinary, it might not be simple to accommodate them. And in the past, the answer might have been “no.” But there is a revolution in the workplace today because employees have learned how much they can accomplish. And the future is all about “getting to the yes.”
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Some of our findings support the broader narrative: Most of the respondents were positive about both remote and in-office work, though they were slightly less positive about in-office work. Scratching the surface, we discovered that there are significant type preferencerelated factors that influence how and where employees want to work. The nuance we found in these preferences demonstrates that monolithic approaches—like mandating a return to the office or even mandating total remote work—will likely alienate different groups of employees depending on their type preferences. This is a cause for concern for businesses in a labor market where workers continue to wield a lot of leverage. By understanding the nuance in worker preferences, organizations can build a long-term strategy with the best chance of attracting and retaining top talent and the competitive advantage that comes with it.
By John Hackston, The Myers-Briggs Company One size does not fit all If the Covid-19 pandemic had happened in 2000 rather than in 2020, we’d be facing a very different economy and workplace today. By 2020, the technology was available for knowledge workers—eventually half of the US workforce by 2021 to abandon the office and work from the safety of their homes. As waves of the pandemic have arisen and abated, plans to reverse the shift to remote work have been proposed, rolled out, postponed, enforced, walked back, abandoned, and everything in between. The narrative has been that workers don’t want to be forced to return to the office, but companies would prefer if they did. The unpredictable nature of the pandemic has weakened return-to-office plans, with the 50% of organizations confident of a return to normal office hours in early 2021 now down to only 20%. As the debate rages between workers and employers and among HR pundits, many firms are asking themselves why their employees may not want to return full-time to offices that have often been spruced up, relocated, and loaded with perks.
Personality Type And Return To The Office Policies
Consider WorkPreferencesPersonalitywhileCreatingPolicies
Hybrid and Remote Work Research We set out to examine this question in a recent study conducted by my organization, The Myers-Briggs Company, that also took into consideration personality type preferences.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) taps into preferences along four dichotomies: Introversion/ Extraversion, Thinking/Feeling,Intuition/Sensing,andPerceiving/ Judging.
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Introversion/Extraversion
The connection between these preference pairs and the work environment has been studied for more than 40 years. Pre-pandemic research has produced results including the finding that although no one really likes open-plan offices, Introverts, in particular, suffer ill effects from this and other trends in office design.
Amongst hybrid and remote workers, those with a Feeling preference were more likely than those with a Thinking preference to say that they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their home working environment, and less likely to say they were very satisfied. This may be because respondents with a Thinking preference were more likely than those with a Feeling preference to have a dedicated home office or workroom.
If there are measurable effects of office design choices across different type preferences, there is certainly something type preferences can tell us about remote and hybrid work.
Thinking/Feeling
Personality Type And Return To The Office Policies
Unsurprisingly, respondents of all types in our study told us that the best thing about remote work is ditching the commute, and the worst thing about it is the lack of interaction with colleagues. Extraverts and Introverts agreed that they enjoyed working from home and appreciated the peace and quiet of doing so, but Introverts agreed more emphatically. Similarly, both groups disagreed with the statement “I wish I did not have to work from home,” but Introverts disagreed more emphatically. Extraverts agreed that they missed having people around them; Introverts on average neither agreed nor Consequently,disagreed. we’re not looking at a situation where all Introverts want to work from home all the time and all Extraverts want to be in the office all the time—there is value to both in-office and remote work that is appreciated by both Introverts and Extraverts, although this value is viewed differently by each cohort. Regarding the value of working in the office, 77% of Extraverts mentioned being able to talk, socialize, and be around co-workers or others, but only 45% of Introverts said this. 14% of Introverts mentioned keeping a separation between work and home, but only 5% of Extraverts did. 29% of Introverts agreed or strongly agreed that they felt forced to socialize with their co-workers, compared with only 6% of Extraverts. Where workers are returning to the office, businesses should create opportunities for staff to socialize while avoiding pressuring them to do so - something that may not always come easily to Extraverted managers.
Sensing/Intuition Our study suggests that Sensing types may be a little more oriented to office working than Intuition types. Among entirely non-remote, office-based workers, those with an Intuition preference were less positive than those with a Sensing preference and were more likely to be looking for a new job.
Hybrid workers with a Sensing preference also spent, on average, more time working in the office than those with an Intuition preference.
The Takeaway We found a diversity of preferences around remote and in-office work and subtle personality-based reasons for them. These findings lend fuel to the argument that self-deter mination within a hybrid work scheme will help maximize worker satisfaction and the hiring and retention advantages that come with it. Significantly, these findings support a core tenet of the Myers-Briggs type theory: although we all have preferences, we also all desire to stretch outside those preferences. The Extraversion/ Introversion preference pair in particular is often misunderstood as a desire to be with others or to be alone. In reality, this dichotomy better describes where people get their energy and focus their attention: from interaction with people and the outside world or from solitary thought.
Judging/Perceiving
Among hybrid workers, those with a Judging preference were more likely to say they would like to work from home more often, but amongst entirely office-based workers, Perceiving individuals were more likely to say that they wished they could work from home.
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About 9% of those with a Perceiving preference said there was nothing good, no “best,” about working in the office, compared with 2% of those with a Judging preference. 22% of the latter group said that distractions and interruptions were the worst aspect, compared with just 9% of those with a Perceiving preference.
Affording Introverts the opportunity for focused, self-directed work in a remote environment could even help them recharge their social batteries and work more effectively and happily in an office environment (perhaps even in an open-plan office!).
Personality Type And Return To The Office Policies
The pandemic has demonstrated that technology exists to make remote and hybrid work possible and productive. Research around type and work environment has suggested that a one-size-fitsall approach inevitably leaves workers unsatisfied.
Similarly, satisfying the Extravert’s need for social interaction with in-office time could help them work more productively at inherently focused and solitary tasks, whether in the office or remote.
John Hackston is a chartered psychologist and Head of Thought Leadership at The Myers-Briggs Company where he leads the company’s Oxford-based research team. He is a frequent commentator on the effects of personality type on work and life, and has authored numerous studies, published papers in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences for organizations such as The British Association for Psychological Type, and has written on various type-related subjects in top outlets such as Harvard Business Review.
The Case for DeterminationSelfWe’ve left perhaps the most striking finding of our study for last: The individuals least likely to be looking for a new job were those who were working remotely a little more than their expressed preference. Those who were working remotely much less than their preferred level were much more likely to say that they were looking for a new job.
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Personality Type And Return To The Office Policies
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 37
Consequently, organizations and individual managers should be wary of enforcing blanket back-to-work policies unless there is a very good reason to do so. Our study suggests that if an organization mandates that all employees return to the office, this could result in the loss of valuable employees. Most workers want to be productive and have a keen insight into the factors that help them to be productive. In light of the debates between decision-makers and employees about the value and efficacy of remote and hybrid work, we also encourage top leadership and managers to assess how their own type preferences may be influencing their return-to-office policies. The pandemic has offered a sudden and dramatic shakeup of corporate culture, and caution is warranted. On the flip side, sudden and dramatic shifts also offer opportunities for industry-defin ing innovation.
ePublicationEditorialCalendar2022 CheckoutthenewandupcomingthemedHRtopicsinHRStrategy& PlanningExcellence. Check ePublications Editorial Calendar Here. Would you like to submit an article? | Write to us at ePubEditors@hr.com Submission Guidelines 1 CHRO Special Issue Sep 2022 2 People Analytics Trends: What to Expect in 2023 Oct 2022 3 HR and the Aging Workforce Nov 2022 4 HR Trends 2023 Dec 2022
By Gilles Raymond, Letsmeet Embracing change and moving ahead
On one side, you have companies that are reluctant to offer work from home. They resist the push by asking their teams to be at the office “40 h a week”, or to be at the office a few days per week.
The Future Of The Workplace
My top workplace trends for the future include: Work from Wherever: The unstoppable trend with structural effect on average salary, commute infrastructure, urban planification, internationalization, cultural domination, and management. The collateral effects will be visible on numerous levels. Most importantly, we are at the start of this wave, starting to understand it and adjust to it. Many examples and data mentioned above are confirming the trend. It will impact the organization, the management, the infrastructure, the working hours, and the commuting.
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 39
On the other hand, you have a vast majority of the teams that do not want to lose time commuting and have more freedom in the way they use their time. As said, it might be scary, disturbing, and challenging, but you have no other choice than to embrace the change. Embracing it will give you the choice to organize and structure it. If you do not, you will face passive resistance, demotivation, legal risk, and counterpro ductive behaviors.
The pressure regarding working from home (WFH) is understated. Kastle Company manages access controls in 2600 office buildings in 138 cities in the US. Their data shows an occupancy rate of 44% and moving more down than up. Companies are facing significant pushback from the employees regarding the back to the office. As a consequence, most of the pushbacks are done under a kind of passive resistance with real rationales, but also through weaker arguments. Companies that are offering full remote, mention it in their advertisements to attract talent. Linkedin data shows that remote jobs offer represented 20% of the paid job posting and received over 50% of all applications. Companies that are not offering it (like Google), list their offices from which you can work. It is clearly an important element for recruiting talent. Let us check what did not change in the last century. First, is the increasing need to meet and communicate. If you look at the big trend for the last 100 years regarding the way we work, they are all about improving the quality and the speed of communication. From the first wired phone to Slack, from the fax to Zoom, from feature phones to WhatsApp. Linked to it, is the pressure to execute fast. What those communications brought on top of the intensity and density of communication, is the speed. When my parents were working, they were communicating with memos, and the expected time for an answer was within a month, and at the end of their career, fax pushed down answering time from one month to one week. When I started to work, the main communication stream was email and you were expecting an answer within days. With instant messengers (Slack, Wechat, etc.), you are talking for hours, or even minutes. A company is a competitive social organization, and the ability to communicate and move as fast as possible will always be a key success factor.
Gilles Raymond is the Founder & CEO at Letsmeet Would you like to comment?
Submit Your ArticlesHR Strategy & Planning Excellence presented by HR.com August 2022 40
Humans, and by extension, companies have the tendency to resist changes. I love to say humans are mammals full of habits. When wire phones arrived at work, there was only one phone by company or service, because management thought it would distract people. I saw the same trends on the internet. At the start of the internet, access to the web was restricted, because companies wanted to be sure that employees were not wasting time surfing the web. 10 years later, those behaviors sound absurd. When you have a massive push about the way people want to work, it is counterproductive to fight or even slow down this evolution. It might be disturbing, and scary, but you have no other choice than embrace the change, especially when that change is about freedom.
Intelligent productive tools. We are piling productivity tools, and the acceleration of the trends is impressive.
As mentioned above, we moved in a few years from 5 tools to 20+ software. They have for the moment limited capacity. Artificial intelligence will change that, it will write basic emails on our behalf, set reminders, build to-do lists, and define the best process.
Socialization: From pro to private and from real to virtual. We met most of our social network during college and at work. Spending less time at the office will impact our social interactions in quantity and quality. Virtual connections to initiate social interaction will be more and more successful. As a reminder, in April 2020 – the start of the lockdown in many US cities – 19% of the 30-44 yo population had an active account on Tinder.
DEI: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will be key elements to appreciate the ethics of the company. VC, HR, are tracking in detail the indicators regarding DEI. Internationalization should ease this trend.
Internationalization: It is a major collateral effect of the WFW. If you allow people to work from wherever it also means you can recruit people from wherever. In that case, why would you recruit a developer at $100K if you can have one at $50K? Outsourcing to third parties abroad has been in place for decades. The new wave is the recruitment of full-time employees from all over the world, not as external consultants but as full team members. It will reshape the labor market, redistribute the wealth between different countries, and decrease the pressure on rare skills.
The Future Of The Workplace
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